Art Therapy Undergraduate Programs in the United States
College students interested in both psychology and visual arts may be able to apply both by majoring in art therapy. Art therapists use painting, drawing, sculpture, and other visual arts to help clients improve their psychological well-being. According to the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), the practice is "based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight."
Art-therapy majors generally require courses in psychology and studio art, as well as art-therapy internships. The AATA has approved 30 undergraduate art-therapy programs in 11 states.
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Lesley University
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A small college (with a freshman class of 328) in university-rich metropolitan Boston, Lesley is home to the Art Institute of Boston and offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Art Therapy and Expressive Arts Therapy. According to the school's website, the 55-credit major "prepares students for entry-level positions" in settings "such as social service agencies, childcare programs or specialized school programs." It also prepares students for graduate work in Art or Expressive Therapies.
Lesley University
29 Everett St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-868-9600
Lesley.edu
College of New Rochelle
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New York state's first Catholic women's college, the College of New Rochelle has four schools on six campuses in New York City and suburban Westchester County. The Art Therapy major is offered in its School of Arts and Sciences (a liberal-arts college for women); an art portfolio of 14 to 20 works is required for admission. The major leads to either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art Therapy.
College of New Rochelle
29 Castle Pl.
New Rochelle, NY 10805
914-654-5856
cnr.edu -
University of Wisconsin-Superior
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The Art Therapy major at the University of Wisconsin-Superior is administered through its Visual Arts department, which has, according to its website, studios for painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, drawing, woodworking, metal work, weaving, and expressive ecopsychology (which examines "the relationship between people and nature"). The undergraduate program leads to a Bachelor of Science.
Visual Arts Department
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Holden Fine and Applied Arts Center 3101
Belknap and Catlin
P.O. Box 2000
Superior, WI 54880
715-394-8391
uwsuper.edu
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References
- Photo Credit boy drawing on sidewalk image by Tammy Mobley from Fotolia.com
