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Combine creativity with your passion for helping others by earning a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Art Therapy.
Ready to take the next step? Apply online and receive a decision within two weeks.
The Master of Arts in Counseling and Art Therapy Program provides education and training in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and prepares competent, entry level Art Therapists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) domains. Students learn to aid clients in exploring personal potentials and problems through both visual and verbal expression.
Graduates are prepared to work with clients from diverse backgrounds in a variety of clinical, educational, medical, and human service agencies. A wide range of internship placements and service-learning opportunities are available, and students are encouraged to develop areas of expertise and specialization in line with their strengths and interests, as well as exhibit professional dispositions in line with core values of the program and the professions.
1. Prepare students upon graduation to become licensed and credentialed holistically educated human service professionals adept in facilitating the creative process as a source of integration and healing
2. Utilize the vast community resources to expose students to competent training environments for clinical mental health counseling and art therapy
3. Offer a state-of-the-art curriculum that develops the specific competencies of the professions of counseling and art therapy to reach a diverse and global population
4. Incorporate a philosophy of education and training that is motivated by respect for the dignity of each person
5. Improve the quality of life for diverse populations seeking services in the healthcare and wellness fields through counseling and art therapy
Upon earning a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Art Therapy, our graduates will be able:
1. To know and practice counseling and art therapy ethical standards according to the professional associations and state/national boards for each profession
2. To know and utilize appraisal instruments, art therapy assessments, and to be able to diagnose
3. To know and demonstrate understanding of counseling theory, art therapy theory, developmental theory, history of clinical mental health counseling and art therapy fields, and of recipient populations/specializations.
4. To know and demonstrate effective and culturally responsive skills with individuals, groups, and families in all phases of the therapeutic process, including treatment planning, appropriate documentation, and verbal and non-verbal interventions, working with diverse populations/specializations, including those from marginalized backgrounds.
5. To demonstrate personal and professional growth, including effective use of supervision, recognition of strengths and limitations, and development of a unique voice and vision as a professional counselor and art therapist who is active in professional associations and committed to ongoing personal creative expression and professional development.
Through Ursuline's nationally recognized Counseling and Art Therapy master's program, you'll be prepared to work in a variety of clinical, educational, medical, and human-service settings. Because of our extensive network of partner institutions, you'll choose from a wide range of internship placements. We'll encourage you to develop areas of expertise in line with your own strengths and interests and we'll nurture your professional development.
In our Counseling and Art Therapy master's program, classes take place in-person on our Pepper Pike campus in the late afternoon and evenings to accommodate your job and internship obligations. Our program runs year-round, including during the summer, and you should anticipate being on campus approximately 2-3 days per week each semester that you are enrolled. Electives are offered in a workshop format, which allows you to attend two consecutive days followed by time to complete assignments. Workshop presenters include nationally known figures, authors, lecturers and experts in various approaches.
If you already possess a master’s degree in a related field, we may be able to help design a course sequence to meet the educational standards for registration and certification as an art therapist, depending upon the current national standards of the Art Therapy Credentials Board. However, please note that with the recent passage of the Art Therapy licensure law in Ohio, applicants for the LPAT (Licensed Professional Art Therapist), as per the specifications of the current law, are required to have a Master's degree specifically in Art Therapy.
The Counseling and Art Therapy program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP, 1001 North Fairfax Street, Suite 510, Alexandria, VA, 22314, 703.535.5990) and by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, 9355 113th St. N., #7709, Seminole, FL, 33775, 727.210.2350), upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE).
Nine or ten times throughout the year, Counseling and Art Therapy faculty members host information sessions to discuss the program and address any questions you may have. These are held virtually on a monthly basis at varying times to accommodate different schedules. We discuss credentialing, curriculum, the admission process and more. Register for an upcoming information session and contact the Graduate Admission office if you have any questions.
Upon graduating from Ursuline's Counseling and Art Therapy master's program, you'll meet the educational requirements for counseling licensure (LPC-Licensed Professional Counselor and LPCC-Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor) in Ohio, and the educational requirements for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) through the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).
You'll also meet the education requirements for national registration and board certification for art therapists (ATR-BC) through the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB), and may meet the educational requirements for counselor and/or art therapy licensure in many states. Licensure laws vary from state to state. If you live and plan to work outside of Ohio, we encourage you to check your own state's laws for licensure eligibility requirements.
After completing the Counseling and Art Therapy master's program, you'll be prepared to work in a wide variety of clinical, educational, and human service institutions, including hospitals, children’s agencies, mental health and counseling centers, correctional and geriatric facilities, hospice care, and wellness centers to name a few. Graduates of Ursuline's Counseling and Art Therapy master's program are directors and supervisors in many facilities. They are board members of state and national organizations, educators, and professionals in private practice. The dual training provided by our program makes our graduates competitive and marketable!
The master's program in Counseling and Art Therapy at Ursuline College offers a variety of merit and need-based scholarships to prospective students, including:
Helen Dineen Scholarship
A scholarship awarded on an annual basis to graduate students exhibiting a high level of academic scholarship, financial need and a desire to work with children. Students must complete a FAFSA and Scholarship Application Form. For details on eligibility and how to apply, click here.
Carol Hunter Kelley/Graham Hunter Fund Scholarship
A Counseling and Art Therapy scholarship award granted to the College by Carol Kelley, class of 1989. For details on eligibility and how to apply, click here.
Sarah Scherer Memorial Fund
This scholarship was established in honor of Sarah Scherer, a counseling and art therapy student who died in a tragic accident while on vacation in Italy in the fall of 2007. Sarah was completing an internship at Signature Health, a community mental health agency where she also worked. Sarah’s creativity, compassion and wisdom were an inspiration to both her clients and fellow students. The recipient will receive a $2,000 scholarship and complete a paid internship at Signature Health.
American Art Therapy Association Scholarships
The AATA offers research grants and student scholarships. For details on eligibility and how to apply, visit https://arttherapy.org/scholarships/
In addition, admitted students are also encouraged to seek out opportunities for scholarships available through the local and national professional counseling and art therapy associations, including:
American Counseling Association- www.counseling.org
Ohio Counseling Association- www.ohiocounseling.org
National Board of Certified Counselors- www.nbcc.org
American Art Therapy Association- www.arttherapy.org
Buckeye Art Therapy Association- www.buckeyearttherapy.org
There are several work study positions available annually through the department, as well as in various other offices across campus. Click here for more information on currently available work study positions. Additionally, a small number of Graduate Assistantships offering partial tuition remission and a part-time paid position on campus are available. These positions are highly competitive and are only available to students who begin their studies during the Spring term of enrollment. Interested applicants must apply by the October 15th priority deadline for Spring admission, and are able to complete the application for consideration at the same time they apply to the program.
