Master of Arts in Counseling - Art Therapy

Edinboro’s Master of Arts in Counseling – Art Therapy is the nation’s first standard-compliant accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education granted by  Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, the largest programmatic accreditor of health science professions in the U.S.

Edinboro University offers three distinct pathways to become qualified for a career in art therapy.

Master of Arts in Counseling – Art Therapy

This program is dedicated to achieving excellence in counseling, art therapy education, research, and clinical and community service while fostering the highest ethical standards. The program integrates both counseling and visual arts practice, engaging the creative power of art for clinical assessment and treatment. EU’s art therapy program is ranked #8 in the nation by Nonprofit Colleges Online’s “Students Before Profits Award,” approved by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) Commission on Accreditation, and meets the educational requirements, according to the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB), to qualify students for registration as an art therapist.

• Program can be completed 100% online or with a mix of on-campus courses and online courses
• 60-credit graduate program designed using the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) educational guidelines
• Provides students with the educational requirements to attain credentials as a nationally Registered Art Therapist (ATR) and a Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
• Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)

Master of Arts in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health with Post-Master’s Certificate in Art Therapy

This program prepares students as clinical mental health counselors with an emphasis in art therapy. Students receive an MA in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health with a certificate in Art Therapy. The MA program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The Art Therapy certificate program is approved by National Association of School of Art and Design (NASAD) Commission on Accreditation and meets the educational requirements, according to the ART Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB), to qualify you for your Registration as an Art Therapist (ATR). This program is designed to meet American Art Therapy Association (AATA) requirements.

Graduates of the program meet educational requirements for registration as an art therapist as well as requirements to be eligible for state Licensure as a Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania.

Post-Master’s Certificate in Art Therapy

The nationally ranked Post-Master’s Certificate in Art Therapy program trains current mental health practitioners in art therapy approaches and techniques to qualify them to apply for their Registered Art Therapist (ATR) Credentials. The program focuses on art therapy practice, theory, assessment, ethics and professional functioning.

**Salary and job growth information obtained from O*NET OnLine.

Employment Outcomes of Graduates of the Masters in Counseling with a concentration in Art Therapy

Admissions Requirements

Individuals seeking admission as degree students in this program must comply with the general admission requirements for graduate students at Edinboro University and with the following specific admission requirements for this program. More information is available on the printable fact sheet.

• Complete the online application.
• Pay an application fee of $30.
• Provide an official transcript verifying an earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education (not needed if EU graduate).

In addition to the general admission requirements for graduate students at Edinboro University, individuals seeking admission into the art therapy program must comply with the following specific admission requirements:

• Provide three letters of reference
• Provide a writing sample (500 words maximum) addressing one of the following topics:
  • Why you chose to be an art therapy counselor
  • The most important characteristics of an art therapy counselor
• A link to an online portfolio (ex. Flickr, Dropbox, Snapfish) of 20 images of applicant’s art.
• Psychology Credits: (12) graduate or undergraduate credits in Introduction to Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Personality Theories, and Developmental Psychology are preferred. Twelve credits must be taken before candidacy.
• Studio Art credits: (18) graduate or undergraduate credits in 2- and 3-D studio art areas. Twelve credits must be completed before art therapy courses may be taken. Six credits can be taken in the first year of the program, but must be finished before candidacy. Six credits can be done as portfolio approval.
• A personal interview, if notified by the department

For full consideration the application for a Fall semester start must be received by February 15th; late applications will be considered on a space available basis until April 1st. Spring semester application must be received by October 15th; late applications will be considered on a space available basis until November 15th.

Effective January 2013, an advance tuition deposit of $150 shall be paid by all new students in the MA Counseling program. This deposit is required within two weeks of an offer of admission to the Graduate School. This student deposit is a guarantee of the intention of the applicant to register at the University for the term indicated on the admissions letter. Upon receipt, the University will credit the $150 deposit to the student's account. Applicants who subsequently cancel their application or fail to register shall forfeit their advance deposit; there will be no full or partial refunds.

Advising

Students are strongly encouraged to contact their advisor immediately upon acceptance into the program, prior to registration for classes. The advisor and student together will devise a plan of study. It is also recommended that students meet with their advisors each semester before registering for the next semester since classes are offered on a rotating schedule. Advisors will assist students in determining an appropriate sequence of courses.

Degree Requirements

Candidacy – Because of the nature of the role of the professional counselor, degree candidates of the programs must demonstrate such qualities as genuineness, warmth, empathy, ethics, professionalism, and interpersonal skills. Students will be evaluated on Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions necessary for professionals at various transition points through the program. Candidacy is the first point where these qualities will be formally evaluated.  Both the individual student and faculty will have input into this evaluation. Review of the Application for Admission to Candidacy is seen as very important and this review will include interpersonal skills as well as academic progress. The advisor presents the candidacy application for program staff recommendation. A degree student may not be admitted to Candidacy until (1) at least 12 semester hours of degree credit have been completed, (2) an Application for Admission to Candidacy has been filed with the advisor, and (3) the student has made satisfactory progress in her or his degree program (minimum of a 3.0 GPA).

Comprehensive Exams  – The student must satisfactorily complete a comprehensive examination. Specific requirements for the comprehensive exams are outlined in the Counseling Advisement Guide, which will be made available to each student.

Culminating Project – A Master’s Project or Thesis is required for graduation. Additional information concerning this requirement can be found in the Counseling Advisement Guide.

Internship – All degree seeking students must complete an internship. All students must have completed all core required courses in the area of specialty unless otherwise approved by the advisor and instructor. COUN 730 and COUN 735 must be completed before enrolling for internship. The internship is a twelve (12) credit internship requiring 600 clock hours of on-site experience. Generally speaking, the internship hours must be completed within the time frame of the 15 week semester. Thus, the interns would be on-site 40 hours per week (15 x 40 = 600). The student must make the necessary plans and arrangements in order to complete an internship. The Internship Manual contains more information regarding the internship experience.  NOTE: Graduate assistantships are NOT available during internship. NOTE: Students may opt to divide the internship into two six (6) credit hour segments (300 clock hours each) over two semesters. Students should discuss this option with their advisors. Additional information on 300 hours internships can be found in the Internship Manual.

If you have questions about admissions, please contact Edinboro University’s School of Graduate Studies at (814) 732-2856, toll-free at (888) 845-2890 or by email at gradstudies@edinboro.edu.