Art Therapy Preparation

Art therapists are licensed psychologists with at least a master’s degree in either art therapy or a master’s degree with a concentration in art therapy.  A bachelor’s degree is required to get into an art therapy graduate program.  The Art Therapy Preparation Minor at Westfield State University meets all coursework and portfolio requirements necessary to gain admittance into a graduate program in Art Therapy.  The minor requires 36 credits of coursework (12 classes), but is only an additional 18 credits for art or psychology majors (6 classes).  Art majors should take at least 6 of the following PSYC classes and Psychology majors should take at least 6 of the following ART classes.  Other majors will be required to complete all 12 credits.

Requirements for Art Therapy Preparation

Psychology 18 credits (6 classes)

Required:

Core: PSYC 0101 Introduction to Psychology

Individual Systems: (at least 1)

• PSYC 0201  Theories of Personality
• PSYC 0336  Psychology of the Family

Developmental: (at least 1)

• PSYC 0202 Child Development
• PSYC 0203 Adolescent Development
• PSYC 0208  Adult Development and Aging

Applied: (both are required)

• PSYC 0303 Abnormal Psychology
• PSYC 0322 Theories of Counseling

Elective:

Any PSYC psychology class

 

Art 18 credits (6 classes)

Required:

• ART 0103 Drawing 1
• ART 0104 Design Fundamentals
• ART 0105 3D Design 1
• ART 0108 Computer Graphics 1
• ART 0204 Pottery 1
• ART 0216 Painting 1

Students are required to create a portfolio of 10 - 12 images each of different media/materials with a media/material not presented twice in the portfolio.  A faculty member from the Art Department will assist and approve this portfolio as a requirement towards the completion of the minor.