Course summary
This programme will provide you with a broad understanding of the theories and practices of art psychotherapy necessary for safe and effective clinical work.
- It enables you to practice as an art therapist in the NHS, Social Services, and educational establishments, and to become a practitioner registered with the British Association of Art Therapists.
- Your learning is underpinned by the principles and practices of psychodynamic psychotherapy practised within the context of mental health care, and informed by contemporary art practice.
- Via theoretical studies, clinical work and experiential learning you will integrate cognitive understanding and practical experience with a developing awareness of self and other. The nature of the therapeutic relationship between client, their art work, and the art therapist is explored, and you have the opportunity to put your learning into practice through two 60-day placements which are supervised and supported in-depth.
- You are encouraged to develop your own art practice and to situate your work in relationship to your development as a therapist, to contemporary art practice and to psychoanalytic theories. You're required to be in personal therapy throughout the programme (please note that this is at your own cost).
Modules
Modes of study The MA in Art Psychotherapy is a course that leads to successful applicants becoming eligible to apply for registration as an Arts Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the body which regulates and monitors standards of practice in the public sector. The programme can be studied in two modes - full-time for 2 years or part-time for 3 years. A clear indication of the mode chosen should be stated on application forms. Full-time study Year 1: all day Monday and Tuesday in college. Clinical placement days are usually Thursday and Friday. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible Years 2: all day Tuesday in college plus two days clinical placement to be arranged on other days – usually two consecutive days and these are negotiated with your placement. There are also three two day blocks of time for experiential groups (Mondays and Tuesdays). One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible. Part-time study Year 1: all day Monday and Tuesday in college. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible. Year 2: all day Tuesday in college plus two days clinical placement to be arranged on other days – usually two consecutive days. There are also three two day blocks of time for experiential groups. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible. Year 3: Half a day in college on Tuesdays with some full-time Tuesdays (the yearly timetable will have details of which Tuesdays are half day or full day), plus, two days clinical placement to be arranged on other days – usually two consecutive days. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible. The part-time programme allows trainees to continue with some paid work. However, the environment where such paid work is carried out cannot be used as a training placement, because of the inherent differences in role, expectations and responsibilities. Placements are arranged by art psychotherapy staff and placement allocation for both part-time students is made after discussion with staff. Enquiries have sometimes been made about module-based study and correspondence study or distance learning. Because a large proportion of the course is based upon experiential learning in groups, these options are not possible. However, for students living outside London, it may be possible to arrange the clinical placement part of the course in other areas, if local supervision is available. Personal therapy It's a mandatory aspect of the course that all students must be in personal therapy for the duration of their training. It is usual for therapists to expect attendance throughout the calendar year except for usual holiday breaks; this may entail attendance outside term time. Therapy may be on a group or individual basis and can be art therapy or verbal psychotherapy. Attendance must be at least once weekly. It must be stressed that it is not acceptable for a student to be in therapy with a trainee; all personal therapists should be qualified and registered with a relevant professional organisation. Students’ therapists will also be expected to register their professional details with the college. Contact is made with students' therapists at various points in the training to ensure that consistent attendance is being maintained. Modules Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 1 A Clinical Placement 1 A Experiential Learning 1 Clinical Placement 1 B Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 1 B Clinical Placement 2 Experiential Learning 2 A Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 2 A Experiential Learning 2 B Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 2 B Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.
Assessment method
Assessed by assignment, portfolio, case study, presentation, dissertation, reports and logs.
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- Health and Care Professions Council
Entry requirements
You'll need: at least one year's full-time, or the equivalent in part-time hours, 1,500 hours relevant work experience prior to application. an undergraduate degree of at least second class standard in visual arts/design, or in a related/relevant area, or a professional qualification. If you are offered a place you'll need an enhanced disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service. There is a fee to apply for a disclosure certificate. Further information about payment is sent with any offer of a place. You'll also need to disclose any criminal record, disciplinary record, significant periods of time off work and significant health problems in writing after interview Personal therapy Some experience of personal therapy can be useful prior to application but it is not a pre-course requirement. However, once you've enrolled you will be required to undertake personal therapy for the duration of your training. Successful applicants are advised to commence therapy as soon as they receive the offer of a place on the course. In practice, many applicants have some experience of personal therapy before they apply and, whilst not mandatory, this is clearly advantageous. Information regarding entering personal therapy may be obtained from the department's secretary. Applicants who are already in therapy but are unsure as to whether or not their situation meets course requirements should write in with full details for advice. We recognise that there may be some very able candidates who do not conform to traditional educational patterns, so a small number of 'special-entry' places are allocated each year to non-graduates. Each special-entry application is assessed on individual merit, so it is essential to give full details of all educational achievements on application forms. Reasons for any interruptions or early terminations to courses of studies must be clearly outlined. If a non-graduate applicant has not undertaken any formal art education, the above-stated commitment to practice in the visual arts is expected and, again, examples of artwork must be sent with applications. If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing and no element lower than 6.5 to study this programme.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Provider information
Goldsmiths, University of London
New Cross
Lewisham
SE14 6NW