M.A. in Clinical Art Therapy and Counseling
This program provides education and training in Art Therapy and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The degree is a total of 60 credits, 48 credits taken in the current Clinical Art Therapy program and 12 credits taken from the Department of Counseling and Development.
The program has been designed to allow graduates to be eligible for licensing as a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) in New York State, and to sit for the Art Therapy Credentials Board Examination (ATCBE) as part of national registration. The curriculum is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Individual students should check with their home states for specific educational requirements regarding licensure.
We offer small and intimate class sizes that range from 8 to 22 students. The curriculum's focus is on the diagnostic and therapeutic value of painting, drawing, and sculpture as applied to a variety of populations (children, adolescents and adults). The art process is also emphasized and art is created in all foundational seminars. The course of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture for the Art Therapist, culminates in a gallery opening where students present their work.
Emphasis is placed on creating a clinical art therapy community in which students, faculty, the Art, and Counseling Departments, as well as the New York area artist community, contribute to a cohesive and stimulating training experience. The program offers 30-40 active art therapy internship sites for students to fulfill the required 700 internship hours. Research is one of the hallmarks of this program. Our students are required to take nine credits in research and thesis. Students have presented their findings at national conferences and our faculty is known within the art therapy community for their efforts across a range of clinical topics.
We also have a strong international and national student presence. Our students not only come from many locations within the U.S. but also from Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Russia, Israel, India, Trinidad, and Brazil. Our students have engaged as a group in various social action projects, where faculty and students were able to work with underprivileged populations and provide community art therapy experiences. In 2016 and 2017, the LIU Post Art Therapy community had the opportunity to visit and serve various populations in South Korea and Israel. The program has also participated in metro social action experiences across Long Island and the five boroughs.
Admission Requirements
All applications and requested materials (i.e. application fee, transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statement) should be submitted via the online portal or paper version can be sent to the LIU Post Graduate Admissions Processing Center (address below).
To apply for admission:
- Long Island University Online Application for Admission Applicants must complete the Long Island University Online Application for Admission.
- Application Fee Mail a non-refundable application fee of $50 by either check or money order (made payable to Long Island University) or contact the Bursar to submit fee via credit card. Please write your name on the check or money order, if that is your preferred method of payment. International applicants must pay the fee in U.S. dollars by sending an international money order or check.
- Transcripts Submit official copies of your undergraduate and/or graduate transcript with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. You must have fulfilled the minimum prerequisite of 12 credits in Psychology (including a course in Abnormal Psychology), and 18 credits in Studio Art. Students who do not meet the minimum Grade Point Average (3.0) and/or who are in need of prerequisites may be accepted on a limited matriculation basis. Students who do not meet the minimum Grade Point Average (3.0) and/or who are in need of prerequisites may be accepted on a limited matriculation basis. All limited matriculated students have one year to complete the requirements for full matriculation.
- Art Portfolio A portfolio, evaluated by the Art Therapy Program, is required for admission and is the substitution for the Graduate Record Examination. The portfolio, including a numbered inventory, should contain 15 to 20 samples of your most recent work, preferably with a variety of media (drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.). The images may be included in any digital format (jpeg, pdf, PowerPoint slides).
- Resume Submit an updated copy of your resume with your online application.
- Personal Statement Submit a statement of approximately 500 to 1,000 words describing your reason for pursuing graduate study at LIU in the Art Therapy program, your personal and academic background, and your professional goals.
- Writing Sample Submit a sample of a research paper or paper written for an academic program, in APA style.
- Personal Interview Once all other program materials have been received, you will be contacted by the Program Director to arrange a personal interview. At this time, you may review samples of your artwork from the portfolio, as well as discuss any questions you have regarding the program.
- International Students In addition to the requirements listed above, international applicants must submit official score results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The required minimum acceptable TOEFL score is: 79 Internet-based (213 computer-based or 550 paper-based) or minimum IELTS score: 6.5. *Please note that you are not required to submit Letters of Recommendation or GRE scores.
Send application materials to: Long Island University Graduate Admissions Office 720 Northern Blvd. Brookville, NY 11548
Program Curriculum
| Course # | Course Name | Credit |
| Required Art Therapy Courses | ||
|
ARTH 597U |
Treating Trauma & Grief in Art Therapy |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 600 |
Theories in Art Therapy and Counseling |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 602 |
Drawing, Painting and Sculpture for the Art Therapist - Studio |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 603 |
Multicultural Issues in Clinical Art Therapy and Counseling |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 605 |
History and Philosophy of Art Therapy and Counseling |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 607 |
Clinical Methods in Group Art Therapy and Counseling |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 609 |
Special Populations in Child/Adolescent Art Therapy and Counseling |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 611 |
Therapeutic Systems in Family Art Therapy and Counseling |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 614 |
Internship I: Supervision Seminar |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 615 |
Internship II: Supervision Seminar |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 616 |
Clinical Projective and Art-Based Assessments |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 706 |
Research Methods |
3.00 |
|
Required Counseling Courses |
||
|
EDC 601 |
Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Ethics |
3.00 |
|
EDC 608 |
Assessment and Intervention Strategies in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
3.00 |
|
EDC 676 |
Career Development |
3.00 |
|
EDC 611 |
Evidence Based Treatments in Mental Health Counseling |
3.00 |
|
Elective Courses |
||
|
PSY |
Psychology Elective |
3.00 |
|
ART |
Any graduate ART courses |
3.00 |
|
Required Thesis Courses |
||
|
ARTH 707 |
Thesis Research |
3.00 |
|
ARTH 708 |
Thesis |
3.00 |
Accreditation
The Clinical Art Therapy and Counseling Program at LIU, Post Campus is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org ) upon the recommendation of The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education.
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
25400 US Hwy 19 N., Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org
Internships
The internship component of the art therapy program draws upon the vast mental health and rehabilitative resources of the New York-metropolitan area. An internship occurs after the completion of two semesters of clinical foundation classes; this allows the beginning clinician to actively participate in two 350-hour internships (700 hours total), at differing locations that meet the professional interests of each student. Overseen by the Internship Coordinator, students use their placements as a means of gaining experience within different client populations.
Career Success
The integration of theory, practice, creativity and self-growth remains the ultimate goal of the program. We are committed to providing a quality experience that will prepare each student for a professional career in art therapy. Our students return year after year as guest speakers and as mentors, helping to guide current students towards their professional goals. Because our faculty has local, national and international visibility, students often make use of faculty contacts as a means of finding jobs, internships and other professional opportunities.
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