M.S. in Art Therapy/Counseling FAQs

How long does it take to complete the Program?
Full-time students take two years—including one winter and two summers—to complete the 60-credit program. For example, if you begin the Program in the fall semester you would take courses during that first year in the following semesters: fall, intersession, spring, Summer D, and Summer E (each six weeks long). Your second year would follow the same plan, with graduation at the end of August of your second year. Part-time students who take six credits per semester will need about three years to complete the Program, including summers.

How soon can I start taking courses?
Most students start the Program in the fall semester, but because we have rolling admission and no cut-off date for applications, students may begin at any time during the year in the next semester following their acceptance.

How large are classes?
A typical required course usually has about 15 to 18 enrolled students. Elective courses usually have 8 to 10 enrolled students. The Practicum and Internship seminars enroll no more than eight students per section.

How many students are enrolled in the Program?
The typical enrollment is around 45 students, both full- and part- time.

What is unique about the Program, compared to other master’s degree art therapy programs?
The emphasis of the Program is on bringing together the therapeutic process and the creative process, with emphasis on the art process. Special “bridge” courses,, such as Psychology of Art Materials and Workshop in Imagery Transformation (stone carving) plus extensive use of hands-on experiential learning place the art/creative process at the forefront while integrating it with the therapeutic process. Two elective studio art courses keep students involved in their art-making process. All of our art therapy faculty members are active, exhibiting artists.

Do students have access to art studios outside of class time and what are the specialized studios?
Students have access to the art studios where they take classes when there is no other class scheduled in the room. There are specialized studios for sculpture, printmaking, drawing, painting, mixed media, ceramics, and a Mac lab. The Mac lab and mixed media studios are used for photography and other studio courses. The studios are large, well-lighted, and several have views of the Hudson River.

How soon can I start doing fieldwork with an art therapist?
Your first field-based experience is your first fall semester when you take ATH 501 Art Therapy, Ethics, and Fieldwork. You will be working with an art therapist for at least eight hours a week for 10 weeks of the 14-week semester, for a total of 80 hours in the field.

Can I start taking courses if I haven’t finished all the prerequisites?
We advise students to finish most of their prerequisites because they will build on the academic knowledge and skills in the graduate level courses they will take. For example, ATH 612 Psychopathology builds on the academic foundation gained in Abnormal Psychology.

Can I take the whole Program on weekends or online?
Periodically, we offer some elective courses on weekends, but typically the classes meet in the late afternoon and evening Mondays through Thursdays. During the fall and spring semesters, each course meets once a week. During the January Winter Intersession, a course might meet on weekends plus an additional one or two might meet on weeknights. During the six-week summer sessions, classes meet twice weekly on either a Monday through Wednesday or Tuesday through Thursday schedule.

Courses are taken on campus, except when the campus is closed, as during the coronavirus pandemic. We offer some hybrid courses that consist of classes that meet on campus and require students to spend a certain amount of time online using Canvas, to fulfill course requirements.

May I observe some classes?
Yes. Our classes meet Mondays through Thursdays 4:00 to 6:45 p.m. and 7 to 9:45 p.m.. Please email arttherapy@mountsaintvincent.edu to set up an observation session.

May I talk with a graduate of the Program or a current student?
Yes. Please email arttherapy@mountsaintvincent.edu for names and contact information of the Program’s graduates and/or current students.

When I finish the Program, can I get licensed as an art therapist?
As with all New York State graduate art therapy programs, when you graduate from the program and land your first job in New York State, you may apply for New York State licensing and for a Permit to Practice. NYS requires 1,500 supervised art therapy clinical hours and a passing score on the Art Therapy Credentials Board’s Board Certification Exam (BCE). There are other requirements that you can find on their website. When you have fulfilled all post-graduate requirements, you will be eligible to apply for your license. In New York State, the license is titled Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT).

What if I want or need to be licensed in another state?
For a license to practice in another state, you will request information about their license and licensing requirements from their state licensing board. Often graduates of the program find there is equivalence between course content in this program and licensing requirements in other states. We have found, however, that sometimes states have other content areas not necessarily covered in the program. When this happens, graduates usually are required to take another course or two to fulfill the state’s licensing requirements. We advise students who know they will be applying for a license to practice in another state to find out the state’s licensing requirements so they can take any additional content within the program.

What is the current tuition?
Please view tuition and fees.