phd in art therapy

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BECOMING AN ART THERAPIST

Art therapists are clinicians with master’s-level or higher degrees trained in art and therapy that serve communities in different settings. guided by ethical standards and scope of practice, their education and supervised training prepares them for culturally proficient work with diverse populations., everyday, art therapists support their clients’ mental, emotional, and physical well-being, including children experiencing behavioral challenges, such as autism spectrum disorder; people and caregivers in medical crises; victims of violence or other trauma—from military servicemembers to student survivors of mass shootings; older adults struggling with dementia or alzheimer’s disease; or anyone that needs help coping with life’s challenges..

As one of only two PhD Art Therapy Psychology programs in the country, Dominican's PhD Art Therapy program attracts a diverse student body from throughout the United States and overseas. Graduates are contributing to the local, national, and international development and recognition of the profession, and are leaders in advancing the theoretical, research, and clinical foundations of Art Therapy. 

Ideal Art Therapy PhD students are interested in being stewards in the field of art therapy. Candidates are interested in generating new knowledge in the field, as well as developing a deeper knowledge of the integration of science and art. Art Therapy PhD students may be interested in research, teaching in art therapy programs, and supervising or mentoring future art therapists. They are practitioners in the field of art therapy or one from the allied fields who have previous training in art therapy, psychology, and art and advanced degrees in fields that include psychology, counseling, social work, and art. 

The Art Therapy Psychology program at Dominican has been granted WSCUC approval by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

PhD Art Therapy   Program Highlights

• Close relationship with professional organizations such as the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), California Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (CAMFT), and the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB)
• Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Training
• Advisory Council of Agency Supervisors
• A vibrant network of Dominican Art Therapy alumni
• Training for clinicians, researchers, and leaders in the field
• Small classes and individual faculty advising

Attend an Information Session   Apply Now

Admission, Tuition and Financial Aid

Students may apply to enter the PhD in Art Therapy for the fall semester, every other year and should meet the following requirements:

• Master's degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution is required to apply to the Art Therapy PhD program.
• Students need to have met all or most all of the academic requirements to become an ATR.
• Completion of 18 semester units in studio art (including drawing, painting & clay) and 12 units in psychology (general psychology, abnormal psychology, lifespan development, and personality psychology).
• Completed application for admission
• Two letters of recommendation, professional or academic.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, with one transcript showing a master's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S., or equivalent academic preparation outside of the U.S. Find complete instructions on how to submit your transcripts to Dominican  here.
• Portfolio of original artwork to demonstrate competence with a range of art materials; 10-12 JPEG images are preferred.
• An autobiographical statement, generally, three to four pages.
• Application to apply courses to Dominican’s prerequisites. 
• Documented minimum of one year of clinical experience in the field (two or more preferred)
• In-person or preliminary online interview
• Published article or scholarly academic writing (the scholarly writing can include a masters thesis)
• Resume 

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The PhD in Art Therapy is a full-time program, with cohorts beginning every other fall. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

If an application deadline falls on a weekend and/or holiday, applications will be accepted through the end of the next business day.

Application Deadlines: June 1, 2021 (2023, 2025, 2027 etc.)

Learn more about tuition per unit, additional fees, and total tuition.

We'll also show you how a Dominican education is more affordable than you might think with support from scholarships and loans. 

TUITION AND Financial AID

Program Format and Career Paths

The PhD in Art Therapy program is designed as a three-year program with 52 required units. Students are admitted in the fall semester only, every other year. The program curriculum is designed to meet PhD expectations with an emphasis on research integrated with practice.

Classes are taught in-person on Dominican's beautiful 80-acre campus, located just 12 miles north of San Francisco in Marin County. 

Graduates of the PhD Art Therapy program bring art therapy into a wide variety of settings which include schools, mental health organizations, inpatient and outpatient programs, hospitals, community centers, nursing homes, assisted living centers, prisons, private practice, and more.

Dominican graduates are also able to take advantage of training and internship opportunities in the vibrant Bay Area, well known for both the arts, as well as its complex healthcare systems. 

Graduates are prepared to teach in art therapy programs and supervise or mentor future art therapists. The PhD program provides training for clinicians, researchers, and leaders in the field.

Degrees Offered

School/department.

School of Liberal Arts and Education

Art Therapy Psychology

Course Catalog

Course Descriptions

Program Contact

Deepa Raghupathy, MBA

Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions

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Liberal Arts and Education: In The News

MFA Alumna Collaborates with Youth Poets on Marin City Exhibit

Science, Liberal Arts Foundation Continues to Support Medical School Graduate

Biology, Political Science Major Embraces Opportunities Both On and Off Campus

Faculty and staff.

Richard Carolan, ATR-BC, EdD

Lisa D. Hinz, PhD, ATR-BC

Jennifer Clay, PhD, ATR-BC, LMFT

Julie Carolan

Victoria dobbins, arnell etherington reader, cheryl feldman, jordan gonzales, kerry linetzsky, lisa manthe, victoria mycue, erin partridge, gwen j. sanders, deborah sharpe, savannah stone.

La Vida Dominican

La Vida Dominican is a program for all students, increasing educational access and connection to support services, enabling degree completion and post-graduation success. Particularly, La Vida is centering experiences of students from Latinx and other historically underserved backgrounds.

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Search NYU Steinhardt

Art Therapy

Our person-centered clinical orientation is guided by humanistic and contemporary approaches to psychoanalytic theory that include ego psychology, object relations, self psychology, and intersubjectivity psychology, and that are grounded in current empirical research, especially attachment and trauma theories.

Master of Arts Art Therapy

Our program integrates psychotherapy and visual arts practice that engages the creative power of art for clinical assessment and treatment.

Doctor of Philosophy Rehabilitation Sciences

Prepare for a fulfilling academic career in research and teaching in the rehabilitation sciences through interdisciplinary study across health fields.

NYU Creative Arts Therapies Consortium

The NYU Creative Arts Therapies Consortium aims to advance public knowledge and research in the creative arts therapies.

The Art Therapy Program at NYU is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education.

Community Engagement

Students, Faculty, and Alumni from the Art Therapy program are active members of their global and local communities. The program currently has 56 students  in the metro area for their clinical placements, expanding the range of services offered during this mental health crisis.

Read on to learn more about the program's community engagement and the free services it offers to our community.

210 new artworks are created weekly in art therapy sessions offered to public school students by the  NYU Art Therapy in Schools Program

18 supply kits were purchased for the 18 artists working weekly in our  Parkinson's Disease art therapy groups  online and in person

Over 1200 masks have been upcycled and contributed to the  Parachute Project  to focus on post-traumatic growth in response to the pandemic

Steinhardt To Host Symposium on the Art and Science of Social Connection

The symposium will be held in collaboration with the Jameel Arts & Health Lab on September 18, 2024.

Supporting the Newest New Yorkers

NYU Steinhardt faculty, students, and staff have risen to the challenge to help migrants and asylum seekers in New York City.

Embodying Healing through Art Therapy

NYU Steinhardt’s Art Therapy program blends clinical efficacy with holistic wellness for communities across New York City — and the world.

Graduate Art Therapy Program Expands Collaboration with the Rubin Museum

Based on past success, the Graduate Art Therapy program has expanded programming at the Rubin Museum, offering free art therapy sessions for the public.

Art Therapy Program Students and Faculty Display the Parachute Project in the Barney Building

The Parachute Project, initiated by the art therapy program, is a contribution to the global effort called for by UNICEF to understand the impact of the pandemic on children and adolescents.

New Steinhardt/Langone Research Published on Art Therapy and Parkinson's Disease

This groundbreaking, innovative study is the first paper exploring the effects of art therapy on Parkinson's Disease in a medical peer-reviewed journal utilizing clinical, behavioral, eye tracking, and brain connectivity outcomes.

Art and Art Professions

Barney Building 34 Stuyvesant Street, New York, NY 10003 212-998-5700 [email protected]