Art Therapy Undergraduate Degree Programs: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

Art therapy is a growing field that combines the power of creative expression with psychological principles to promote healing and well-being. For high school students like Katrina who are interested in pursuing a career as an art therapist for teens and kids, understanding the educational pathways is crucial. This article provides a comprehensive overview of undergraduate degree programs related to art therapy, including program options, prerequisites, and career prospects.

Understanding the Role of Art Therapy

Art therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist, supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. It encompasses the transformation of individuals and communities through art-making and creativity. Art therapists use the creative process to help heal a wide range of mental health concerns, building trust in their patients by employing the creative process of various artistic disciplines. Ultimately, this approach enables clients to find the confidence, hope, and courage to face life’s problems.

Bachelor's Degree Options

While a master’s degree is the required entry level into art therapy work, several undergraduate paths can prepare students for graduate studies in this field. It is important to note that undergraduate pre-art therapy majors or classes which exist are pre-professional and prepare students in terms of lowering anxiety and providing foundational information, but are not required to apply to graduate school.

Here are some of the options:

Studio Art Program

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Studio Art provides students with a strong foundation in visual art within the broader context of a liberal arts education. Rather than concentrating solely on intensive studio practice, the BA emphasizes academic breadth, intellectual flexibility, and interdisciplinary exploration. Students have the opportunity to tailor their degree by integrating coursework across the humanities, social sciences, technology, and other disciplines. The option to pursue a minor or complementary field outside of art strengthens their ability to connect creative practice with diverse areas of study. This approach supports career pathways that value adaptable thinkers who can apply artistic insight in multiple contexts.

Through this curriculum, BA students cultivate essential skills such as:

Critical and analytical thinking
Creative problem solving
Visual communication
Collaboration and innovation
Cultural awareness and research skills

These strengths prepare graduates for a variety of professional directions, including:

Graphic design and digital media
Community arts and public engagement
Arts administration and nonprofit work
Education and outreach (including preparation for teacher certification programs)
UX/UI and visual communication fields
Marketing, branding, and creative strategy
Illustration, media production, or freelance creative work
Museum and gallery support roles
Entrepreneurship and creative project development

The BA in Studio Art also provides a strong foundation for graduate study in fields such as arts leadership, education, design, art therapy, cultural studies, museum studies, and related areas.

Art Education

"Art with art education is a professional certification program offered in conjunction with the School of Education. It requires a minimum of 44 credits in art and a series of required courses in education and art education. Upon successful completion of the program, you may receive certification from the Pennsylvania Department of Education as a teacher of art, grades K through 12." Elementary art teachers help young children develop their artistic abilities, typically working in public and private schools, art studios, and community centers. A bachelor's degree in education and student teaching experience are generally required for these teachers.

Counseling and Psychology

Majoring in Counseling and Psychology would get you the beginning of your training. You might want to take the school track so you could get experience as a school counselor which would require a Master's in those areas. Then you could become a licensed counselor and take additional coursework if necessary in the field of art therapy. Some schools may combine this training in a Master's program.

Pre-Art Therapy Program

In Seton Hill’s Pre-Art Therapy Program, you will use your creative process to communicate, express yourself and grow. You will learn to combine art and psychology to make a difference in the world, by nurturing the creative expression of others. This liberal arts major is designed to prepare you in the basic areas of the fine arts and the behavioral and social sciences.

Art Therapy Specialization

In this Bachelor’s Specialization in Art Therapy, you’ll begin by tapping into your own creativity - exploring drawing, painting, sculpture, and other artistic media as the foundation for your studies. Alongside hands-on art practice, you’ll complete core coursework in psychology and human development, integrating these insights with your personal growth. This specialization will prepare you for most graduate programs in art therapy, which is a necessary prerequisite to becoming a licensed art therapist.

Art Therapy Program

Converse’s undergraduate art therapy program is a pre-professional degree program for students who are interested in flourishing as artists and pursuing careers as clinical mental health counselors. At Converse, you will be able to explore your talents in a studio concentration (drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, photography, and digital media). Art Therapy combines coursework in studio art and psychology to benefit the health and well-being of people in all social and cultural settings. Art therapy is used in hospitals, schools, psychiatric settings and assisted living facilities.

General Education with Relevant Coursework

At the very least you will want courses in psychology, studio art, and art education. You would definitely need to focus on psychology and fine art classes (i.e., drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, etc.). Since you want to work with children, that most likely will be in a public school setting, which will require some sort of certification or teaching license.

Preparing for Graduate Studies

Each graduate program institution establishes its own acceptance criteria but in general, programs require as prerequisites:

Read also: Path to Occupational Therapy

18 credits of studio art with a class in drawing, painting, and 3-D art media (which may include clay, 3D methods, or sculpture). The additional 9 credits of studio work then would be in other media or advanced studies in the above media, as a variety of art materials experience is needed in our client work.
Graduate programs will require, as part of their application, a portfolio of artwork completed as part of prerequisite studio art coursework.
In addition to studio art, some foundational knowledge of psychology and related fields, as pertaining to human development or varying perspectives in psychology, including related disciplines, is required. Many types of courses can be a helpful supplement if they teach you about people, working with them, and studying their needs.

What to Expect in a Graduate Art Therapy Program

Art therapy has historically been referred to as an integrative profession with coursework from what is known as related mental health professions being combined with coursework taught by board-certified art therapists and which focuses on art therapy theories and methods. Art therapy education is equivalent to education in related mental health professions.

In addition, graduate programs pay attention to curriculum content requirements delineated by the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) and also by any from the state licensing boards. While each art therapy program has its own unique coursework that highlights the expertise of its faculty or needs of the region it is located in, the following content areas reflect the types of coursework typically in a graduate degree in art therapy. Note these are content areas, not course titles, so when reviewing a program you might see, in its class list, a different course title for what essentially covers the following content areas:

Psychopathology
Psychological Assessment
Human Growth and Development
Counseling/Psychological Theories
Helping Relationships
Research
Vocational and Career Development
Professional Orientation Ethical and Legal Issues
Multicultural/Cultural Humility and Social Issues
History and Theory of Art Therapy
Materials and Techniques of Practice in Art Therapy
Creativity Studies
Studio Art
Application of Art Therapy with People in Different Treatment Settings
Art Therapy Assessment
Group Art Therapy
Culminating Thesis or Project
Practicum and Internship

Programs may also have coursework that highlights Family Therapy studies, Trauma studies, Studies in Addiction Recovery, Studies in related Creative Arts Therapies such as Drama Therapy or Dance-Movement Therapy, additional Studio electives, Medical Art Therapy, etc. depending on the requirements of their state for state licensure, the expertise of their faculty, or needs of the region they are located in.

Choosing the Right Program

When choosing a program, consider the following:

Accreditation: Make sure you apply colleges with art therapy programs that are AATA (American Art Therapy Association) approved. Seton Hill University’s Art & Design Department is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the national accrediting agency for art/design related disciplines.
Licensure: The best place to attend graduate studies depends in large part on where you might want to live and settle once working. The reason for that is that each state has its own regulations for what classes need to be taken to go on and become a licensed mental health provider. Each program develops its classes to meet the requirements of whatever state it is in so its graduates can go on and become licensed in that state, though most programs also include the classes needed by many other states as well.
Program Focus: Look at the list of classes they offer, and use that as part of your decision, not the title of the degree they offer.

Alternative Paths to Certification

For individuals with a prior related master’s degree, there are several options to also study art therapy and become board certified. One is to enroll in a graduate art therapy program under their “Post-Master’s Masters” degree option. This may also be referred to as “Advanced Standing”. Many if not most of your prior classes in your initial degree may apply to the new studies and you would not have to repeat some course content, though you would need to take courses required to be taught by art therapists.

Online Programs

If your life does not allow you to immerse yourself in a new setting by moving to a school program, it’s important to know that there are some options to consider. Online education can occur with all classes online or with the classes mostly online but only one to three weeks back on campus a year such as with the low-residency option.

Career Opportunities with a Bachelor's Degree

While most jobs in art therapy require a master’s degree in art therapy or counseling, a bachelor’s in art therapy can lead to successful careers in:

Education: Providing tools to support students’ emotional and mental well-being through creative expression.
Health Organizations: Providing therapeutic support to patients through creative expression, aiding in emotional healing and mental health treatment.
Counseling Offices: Helping clients express emotions that may be difficult to verbalize through creative techniques.
Psychiatric Institutes: Using art as a therapeutic tool for patients coping with severe mental health conditions.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, therapy jobs are expected to continue increasing steadily, with an annual salary between $30,000 and $80,000.

Additional Ways to Prepare

Engage in art-making for your own means of self-exploration and expression.
Show you have a desire to work with people by volunteering or working with a human service, medical, educational or similar agency offering support to community members.

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