Art Master

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The Art Therapy profession is in the process of transitioning from educational program approval to educational program accreditation.

Both approved and accredited art therapy programs prepare their students for entry-level skills and post-graduate certification as an art therapist. The American Art Therapy Association encourages you to consider either an AATA approved or CAAHEP accredited program during this period of transition as both types of quality programs undergo a rigorous review process which ensures their resources, curriculum, faculty and policies are prepared to meet your learning needs.

The term 'Old Masters' generally refers to the most recognized European artists—mostly painters—working between the Renaissance and 1800. An informal designation (and not a specific art historical style or movement), this category includes artists who fall within Gothic Art, the Early, High, and Northern Renaissance, Mannerism, Baroque, the Dutch "Golden Age," Rococo. Masters of Fine Arts Programs. The MFA degree is recognized as the highest academic degree in the creative practice of visual and performance arts. In some art universities, the Masters of Fine Arts is a 60-credit program and may take a full-time student about two years to complete. Masters of Fine Arts, also called MFA degrees, offer graduate students the opportunity to study diverse subjects, from film-making and theater to creative writing and graphic design. MFA programs typically require 2-3 years of full time study and may offer some practical and applied learning, as well as lessons in technique and theory.

See below for links to explore all art therapy master’s programs that have undergone a quality review. Graduates from either approved or accredited programs use the same process when seeking to become Registered Art Therapists.

A brochure for students about accreditation can be found here.

CAAHEP CURRENTLY ACCREDITED GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

Connecticut
District of Columbia (Washington, DC)
Florida
Illinois
Indiana
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Kansas
Massachusetts
New York
Ohio
Online/Hybrid

To view all options, including fully online AND ALSO hybrid options which offer majority online supplemented by a few weeks of on-campus time, once you click on the “View Programs” link below, you must select “Accredited” from the drop-down menu of this search directory link. Selecting only the second option of “accredited online” will NOT take you to a full list of options.
View Programs

Oregon
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Washington
California

Loyola Marymount University
1 LMU Drive, Suite 2444, Los Angeles, CA 90045-2659
Phone: 310-338-4562
Fax: 310-338-4518
Contact: Einat Metzl, PhD, LMFT, ATR-BC, Graduate Department of Marital and Family Therapy Email:emetzl@lmu.edu
Program 1: Marital and Family Therapy: Specialization in Art Therapy
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1979

Notre Dame de Namur University (formerly College of Notre Dame)
1500 Ralston Avenue, Belmont, CA 94002
Phone: 650-508-3600, 650-508-3556
Contact: Dr. Richard Carolan, EdD
Email: admiss@ndnu.edu
Program 1: Marriage and Family Therapy with Specialization in Art Therapy
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1986 Program 2: Art Therapy
Program 2 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 2: Approved
Initial Approval Program 2: 1986

Colorado

Naropa University
2130 Arapahoe Avenue Boulder, CO 80302
Phone: 1-800-772-6951, 303-546-3545
Fax: 303-546-3536
Contact: Michael A. Franklin, PhD, ATR-BC, Professor and Chair, Graduate Art Therapy Program and the Naropa Community Art Studio
Email: ALL admissions inquiries: admissions@naropa.edu; other: michaelf@naropa.edu
Program 1: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Concentration in Transpersonal Art Therapy
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1998

Illinois

Adler University
17 North Dearborn Street Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: 312-662-4362
Contact: Dr. Jennifer La Civita, PsyD, LCPC, ATR, Director, Art Therapy Programs Email:jlacivita@adler.edu
Program 1: Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1999

School of the Art Institute of Chicago
37 South Wabash Avenue Chicago, IL 60603-3103
Phone: 312-899-7481
Contact: Savneet Talwar, PhD, ATR-BC, Department Chair, and Leah Gipson, MAAT, ATR-BC, Program Director
Email: arttherapy@saic.edu
Program 1: Art Therapy and Counseling
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1989

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Kentucky

University of Louisville Louisville, KY 40292
Phone: 502-852-5265
Contact: Dr. Eileen Estes, Director, College of Education and Human Development, Expressive Therapies Program
Email:eileen.estes@louisville.eduProgram 1: Counseling and Personnel Services with Concentration in Expressive Therapies Program 1 Level: Master of Education
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1981

Massachusetts

Lesley University
GSASS Expressive Therapies Division 29 Everett Street Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: 617-349-8246
Fax: 617-349-8431
Contact: Raquel Stephenson, BFA, MA, PhD, ATR-BC, Assistant Professor of Expressive Therapies
Email:rstephe3@lesley.edu
Program1: Expressive Therapies: Art Therapy and Mental Health Counseling
Program Level 1: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1982

Michigan

Wayne State University
163 Community Arts Building Detroit, MI 48202
Phone: 313-577-1823
Fax: 313-993-7558
Contact: Holly Feen Calligan, PhD, ATR-BC, Associate Professor and Art Therapy Program Coordinator; Art Education-Art Therapy Program
Email: hfeen@wayne.edu
Program 1: Art Education/Art Therapy Concentration
Program 1 Level: Master of Education
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1994
Program 2: Counseling with Art Therapy Concentration
Program 2 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 2: Approved
Initial Approval Program 2: 2008

Minnesota

Adler Graduate School
10225 Yellow Circle Drive, Minnetonka, MN 55343
Phone: 612-767-7059
Contact: Craig Balfany
Email: craig.balfany@alfredadler.edu
Program 1: Art Therapy
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 2012

New Jersey

Caldwell University120 Bloomfield Avenue Caldwell, NJ 07006
Phone: 973-618-3511 Fax: 973-618-3443
Contact: Annette Vaccaro, EdD, LCSW, SCP, ATR-BC, ATCS, Program Coordinator of Art Therapy Programs
Email: avaccaro@caldwell.edu
Program 1: Mental Health Counseling with Art Therapy Specialization
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts (CACREP Accredited)
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 2006

New Mexico

Incredimail for apple mac download. Southwestern College
3960 San Felipe Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87507
Phone: 505-471-5756, 877-471-5756
Fax: 505-471-4071
Contact: Deborah Schroder, ATR-BC, LPAT, Program Chair, Art Therapy Program
Email: admissions@swc.edu
Program 1: Art Therapy/Counseling
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1998

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New York

College of Mount Saint Vincent
6301 Riverdale Avenue, Riverdale, NY 10471
Phone: 718-405-3453
Contact: Patricia St John, EdD, ATR-BC, LCAT, Chair, Division of Art Therapy
Email: patricia.stjohn@gmail.com or patricia.stjohntager@mountsaintvincent.edu
Program 1: Art Therapy
Program 1 Level: Master of Science
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1984

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Hofstra University
258 Hagedorn Hall 119 Hofstra University Hempstead, NY 11549
Phone: 516-463-5300
Contact: Deborah Elkis-Abuhoff, PhD, LCAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, BCPC, Program Director, Creative Arts Therapy Counseling Program
Email:Deborah.Elkis-Abuhoff@hofstra.edu
Program 1: Creative Arts Therapy Counseling
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1984

Pratt Institute
North Hall, 200 Willoughby Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11205
Phone: 718-399-4267
Fax: 718-636-3597
Contact: Dina Schapiro, LCAT, ATR-BC, Assistant Chair, of Creative Art Therapy Program and Director of the Graduate Arts Therapy Department
Email: Dschapir@pratt.edu
Website:Academic Year || Low Residency
Program 1: Art Therapy and Creativity Development
Program 1 Level: Master of Professional Studies
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: Initial Approval 1980 (Academic Year Program); Initial Approval 1994 (Low Residency Program)

School of Visual Arts
209 East 23rd Street New York, NY 10010
Phone: 212-592-2610
Fax: 212-592-2538
Contact: Deborah Farber, MPS, ATR-BC, LCAT, Art Therapy Department Chair
Email: arttherapy@sva.edu
Program 1: Art Therapy
Program 1 Level: Master of Professional Studies
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 2007

Pennsylvania

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Drexel University
Mailing address: 1601 Cherry Street, Mail Stop 7905, Philadelphia, PA 19102;
Physical address: 1601 Cherry Street, 7th Floor, Room 7103, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: 267-359-5511Fax: 267-359-5579
Contact: Natalie Carlton, PhD, ATR-BC, LPCC, Director of Graduate Art Therapy Programs
Alternate Contact: Kade Haskins, Admissions Coordinator, kth38@drexel.edu
Email: n.carlton@drexel.edu
Program 1: Art Therapy
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1979

Masters Art Therapy

Marywood University
2300 Adams Avenue Scranton, PA 18509-1598
Phone: 570-348-6211 x2525
Fax: 570-340-6023
Contact: Stephanie Wise, LCAT, ATR-BC, ATCS
Email: swise@maryu.marywood.edu
Program 1: Art Therapy
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1986

Seton Hill University
Box AR110, Seton Hill Drive ,Greensburg, PA 15601
Phone: 724-830-1140
Contact: Dana Elmendorf, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, Program Director, Assistant Professor, Graduate Art Therapy Program
Email: elmendorf@setonhill.edu
Program 1: Art Therapy with Specialization in Counseling
Program 1 Level: Master of Arts
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 2000

Wisconsin

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Mount Mary University
Caroline Hall 228 2900 N Menomonee River Parkway Milwaukee, WI 53222-4597
Phone: 414-256-1215
Fax: 414-256-1205
Contact: Chris Belkofer, PhD, ATR, Chair, Art Therapy Department
Email:belkofec@mtmary.edu
Program 1: Art Therapy
Program 1 Level: Master of Science
Approval Status Program 1: Approved
Initial Approval Program 1: 1995

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS NOT INCLUDED UNDER THE AATA APPROVAL/CAAHEP ACCREDITATION PROCESS

Because a master’s degree is the entry-level for the art therapy profession, only approved or accredited master’s programs are listed. Institutions offering art therapy undergraduate pre-professional majors or doctoral programs can be found here. Please email changes or corrections for your listing to Barbara Florence.