Master's Degree in Art Therapy

Short answer

• A master's degree in art therapy is the graduate degree required for entry level practice as an art therapist in the United States. It combines graduate study in counseling and psychological theory with studio art, art therapy theory and methods, ethics, research, and supervised clinical training. Most programs are designed as full time study over about two years, or part time study over a longer period, and many require around 60 graduate credits, although the exact credit total, format, and timeline vary by school. The degree alone does not automatically confer a professional credential or a state license. After graduation, most graduates complete additional supervised post degree experience and then apply for a credential through the Art Therapy Credentials Board, and, where applicable, for licensure under the rules of the state where they intend to practice. The American Art Therapy Association encourages prospective students to consider a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, known as CAAHEP, upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education, known as ACATE, because that accreditation is designed to prepare graduates for post graduate board certification.

What a Master’s Degree in Art Therapy Is

Art therapy is a mental health profession in which a trained professional uses active art making, the creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship to support treatment goals. The American Art Therapy Association describes art therapists as clinicians with master’s level or higher degrees who are trained in art and therapy and who serve diverse communities in settings that range from medical institutions and wellness centers to schools and independent practices.

The degree therefore has two strands. The first is clinical: how people develop, how mental health conditions present, how assessment works, how groups and families function, and how a therapist builds a safe, ethical, and culturally responsive relationship. The second is art based: how materials behave, how the creative process can reveal, contain, or shift experience, and how an art therapist selects and reflects on art tasks in a clinical setting. Neither strand alone is enough. A strong studio artist without clinical training is not an art therapist, and a strong counselor without art therapy training does not automatically have the art therapy competencies the field requires.

That dual focus is why the degree is distinct from a general art degree, a general counseling degree, or a short certificate course. Short courses can introduce art based activities and can be valuable for professional development, but the American Art Therapy Association is clear that art therapy can only be practiced by a person who possesses the required training, certification, or state licensure. A certificate of attendance from a weekend training does not substitute for a master’s degree and supervised clinical experience.

Degree Titles You May See

Programs do not all use the same degree title, and the title alone does not tell you everything about what the program prepares you to do. Common titles include Master of Arts in Art Therapy, Master of Science in Art Therapy, Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling, Master of Arts in Counseling with an Art Therapy concentration, and Master of Science in Art Therapy with an emphasis in Counseling.

Some programs are built primarily as art therapy degrees. Others are built primarily as counseling degrees with an art therapy concentration added, and those programs may also be designed to meet counseling licensure coursework in their home state. If you want to be eligible for both art therapy credentialing and counseling licensure, check, program by program, whether one program genuinely satisfies both. Do not assume that a program title guarantees either outcome.

Some universities also offer a post master’s option, sometimes called advanced standing, for a person who already holds a related master’s degree and now wants to complete art therapy education. If that describes you, ask the program directly how much additional coursework and supervised experience it would require, rather than assuming your earlier degree covers the gap.

Typical Program Structure and Length

Most full time master’s degrees in art therapy take about two years to complete. Part time routes take longer, often three years or more, depending on how many courses a student takes each term and how clinical placements are scheduled. Some programs run on a cohort model, in which students start together and move through the curriculum in sequence. Low residency and online formats also exist, although clinical placements still take place in person at an approved site, and some programs include required on campus intensives. Check the format carefully if you need to keep working while you study, because an online course list does not mean the whole degree can be completed from home.

Early coursework usually builds foundations in art therapy history and theory, human development, counseling theories, psychopathology, ethics, and multicultural competence. Middle coursework deepens clinical skills, including group work, family work, assessment, and materials and methods. Later coursework often includes advanced practice, professional identity, research, and a culminating project, alongside the heaviest clinical placement load. Programs also expect students to make art themselves throughout the degree, because focused art making is treated as reflective practice that can deepen clinical understanding.

Credit totals vary. Many university catalogs describe 60 credit programs, including programs at New York University, Mount Mary University, Cedar Crest College, and Albertus Magnus College. Caldwell University, by contrast, describes a 63 credit clinical mental health counseling degree with an art therapy concentration. The credit total is useful for comparison, but it is not a quality score on its own. What matters more is whether the curriculum covers the required competency areas, whether the program is accredited, and whether its placements give you supervised experience with real clients under qualified supervisors.

Most programs also include a research component and a culminating project. Some require a thesis; others require a capstone project, case study, or portfolio integrating theory, practice, and reflection. A thesis based program may be more directly useful if you later pursue doctoral study, although doctoral programs also consider clinical experience.

Accreditation: CAAHEP, ACATE, and AATA

Accreditation is one of the most important checks in choosing a program, because several organizations are involved and their roles are different. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, or CAAHEP, is the accrediting body for graduate art therapy programs in the current system. The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education, or ACATE, manages the educational standards and recommends programs to CAAHEP for accreditation. Programs that earn CAAHEP accreditation undergo a rigorous review of their resources, curriculum, faculty, and policies. The American Art Therapy Association encourages prospective students to consider a CAAHEP accredited program, and states that such programs will prepare students for entry level skills and post graduate board certification.

The American Art Therapy Association itself is the national professional membership organization for the field. It does not credential individual practitioners. That job belongs to the Art Therapy Credentials Board, or ATCB, which is a separate organization. In short: ACATE and CAAHEP oversee the quality of education programs, the ATCB oversees the credentialing of individuals, and the AATA supports the profession and its members.

Older summaries still refer to AATA approved programs, because the AATA historically approved programs through its own Education Program Approval Board. For a current decision, ask whether the program is currently CAAHEP accredited upon the recommendation of ACATE, and check the current CAAHEP directory before you enroll. Some counseling focused programs also hold CACREP accreditation, which can matter for counseling licensure, but CACREP alone does not make a program an art therapy program. Accreditation systems also differ by country, so a degree qualifying a person elsewhere does not automatically satisfy United States requirements.

Admission Requirements

Applicants generally need a completed bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Programs do not usually require a specific undergraduate major, and the American Art Therapy Association notes that an undergraduate art therapy major is not required to apply to graduate school. What programs do usually require is prerequisite coursework and evidence of readiness in both art and psychology.

Typical prerequisites include credits in studio art, which may cover drawing, painting, sculpture, and three dimensional work, and credits in general psychology, which may include developmental psychology and abnormal psychology. The exact number of credits, and the minimum grade required, varies by school. Some programs admit a student on condition that missing prerequisites are completed before or during the early part of the program. If you are missing prerequisites, ask whether you can complete them as a non degree student or through community college coursework, and get the answer in writing.

Beyond transcripts, most applications ask for a portfolio of recent artwork, letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and sometimes an interview. The portfolio is not a test of commercial success: programs assess sustained engagement with art making, range of materials, and capacity for reflection. Current, developing work across materials is stronger than a single medium or only old work.

Some programs also require a background check, immunizations, or other clearance before placement, because placements serve vulnerable people. Ask about them early, so you can discuss any issue confidentially before you commit. Grade point thresholds, test requirements, and deadlines also vary, so the catalog for your intended year is authoritative.

Core Curriculum Areas

The curriculum is broad by design, because the work draws on art, psychology, counseling, and research. Drawing on the educational framework described by the American Art Therapy Association, and on current program catalogs, core areas typically include history and theory of art therapy; studio art and the creative process, including materials, methods, and experiential art making; human growth and development across the lifespan; counseling theories and helping relationships; psychopathology and diagnosis; group therapy and group art therapy methods; family art therapy where the program includes it; art therapy assessment, including how art based assessments are selected, administered, and interpreted, and what their limits are; psychodiagnostics and clinical documentation; research methods; multicultural diversity competence, including equity, access, and cultural humility; and ethics, professional identity, and legal issues in mental health practice.

No two programs weight these areas identically. One may emphasize psychodynamic approaches, another a relational or art based philosophy, and another counseling competencies for dual licensure. Reading course descriptions, not just course titles, is the best way to see those differences. If a particular population or setting matters to you, for example work with children, work in medical settings, or work with trauma, look for elective coursework, faculty expertise, and placement partnerships in that area, rather than assuming every program covers it equally.

Practicum, Internship, and Supervised Hours During the Degree

Supervised clinical experience is a central requirement, not an optional add on, and it is where classroom learning becomes clinical competence. The framework long described by the American Art Therapy Association requires students to complete 100 hours of supervised practicum and 600 hours of supervised art therapy clinical internship as part of the degree. Individual programs may structure those hours differently, and some require more. Cedar Crest College, for example, describes a minimum of 700 hours of internship experience within its 60 credit program. That variation is normal, and it is one reason to compare program handbooks rather than relying on a single summary figure.

A practicum is usually an earlier, more closely supervised introduction to clinical work, often with a smaller caseload and more observation. An internship is usually a longer placement in which the student carries a fuller caseload under supervision. Placements may take place in hospitals, schools, community mental health centers, rehabilitation programs, residential programs, correctional settings, or nonprofit organizations. Students typically receive individual and group supervision, present cases, and document their work according to the placement site’s standards.

Keep careful records of your practicum and internship hours from the start, including dates, settings, supervisors, and the type of contact, because credentialing applications later ask for a clear and verifiable record. Placements are also competitive and geographically constrained. Before you enroll, ask how placements are arranged, who approves a site and a supervisor, what happens if a placement ends early, and how much travel or schedule flexibility the placement phase will require.

After Graduation: Credentials Through the ATCB

Graduation is a milestone, not the end of the credentialing process. The Art Therapy Credentials Board administers the national credentials for art therapists, and understanding the sequence before you start a degree helps you plan time, money, and supervision realistically.

The first step for many recent graduates is the Provisional Registered Art Therapist credential, known as ATR-P. The ATCB describes ATR-P as the pathway to the full Registered Art Therapist credential, except for applicants who qualify through a recognized reciprocity pathway. ATR-P applicants can begin collecting supervision once the ATR-P application is submitted, and the credential is valid for five years and cannot be renewed after five years, so post degree hours need to be completed within that window.

To qualify for the full Registered Art Therapist credential, known as ATR, graduates of CAAHEP accredited programs must complete 1,000 hours of direct client contact, with 100 hours of supervision. Of those 100 supervision hours, 50 hours must be supervised by a Board Certified Art Therapist, known as ATR-BC. The remaining hours must be completed by a Registered Art Therapist or by a fully licensed or credentialed practitioner with a master’s degree or higher in art therapy or a related mental health field whose license or credential is for independent practice. The ATCB states that it does not accept supervision submitted in increments of fewer than 10 hours, and that group supervision is accepted at a one to one ratio with no more than six supervisees per group.

Graduates of non accredited master’s programs, including international programs, face a higher supervision requirement under the 2026 registration standards: the same 1,000 hours of direct client contact, but 150 hours of supervision, with 75 hours provided by an ATR-BC. After earning the ATR credential in good standing, an art therapist may sit for the Art Therapy Credentials Board Examination to earn Board Certification as ATR-BC, the ATCB’s highest practice credential, maintained by recertification every five years. Timelines vary: some graduates complete post degree hours within about two years of full time supervised work, while others take longer.

State Licensure: Variation Is the Rule

There is no single national license for art therapists in the United States. Some states license art therapy as a distinct profession, with titles such as Licensed Professional Art Therapist or Licensed Creative Arts Therapist. Other states do not have a distinct art therapy license, and art therapists there may practice under a related license, such as Licensed Professional Counselor or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, if they meet that license’s education and supervised experience requirements. Still other states regulate practice through a combination of title protection, scope of practice rules, and related licensure routes.

That variation has practical consequences: a combination qualifying you in one state may not qualify you in another without additional coursework or hours. Programs preparing graduates for home state licensure often say so explicitly, and may say they may fulfill other states’ requirements. The receiving state makes its own determination.

Before you choose a program, identify the state or states where you most likely want to practice, and check the current requirements of the relevant state board or boards. Ask the program how its graduates have fared in those states. State rules change, and a catalog from an earlier year may no longer reflect current law. General information in an article like this one cannot substitute for checking the state board’s current rules for your own situation, and no article or program can guarantee licensure.

Career Settings and Roles

Art therapists work in hospitals and medical centers, community mental health centers, schools, residential treatment programs, rehabilitation programs, correctional facilities, hospice and palliative care programs, nonprofit organizations, and private practice. Within those settings, they may work with children, adolescents, adults, older adults, families, or groups, and they may focus on areas such as trauma, grief, serious illness, developmental differences, substance use, or general mental health support, depending on their training, supervision, and the needs of the population they serve.

Job titles also vary: some art therapists are hired specifically as art therapists, while others are hired as counselors or clinical staff whose role includes art therapy. Private practice usually follows credentialing and, where required, licensure, plus additional experience. Starting private practice immediately after graduation, without supervised post degree experience and the required credential or license, is not a standard route.

For employment context only, the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a separate detailed profile for art therapists. Art therapists fall within the broader category “Therapists, All Other,” which also includes music and recreational therapists. For that broader group, the Bureau reports 2025 employment of 56,100, a May 2025 median annual wage of 77,930 dollars, and projected growth of 13 percent from 2025 to 2035, described as much faster than average. Those figures describe the combined group, not art therapists alone, and should not be quoted as an art therapist salary or a job guarantee.

How This Degree Differs From Related Degrees

A master’s degree in counseling prepares graduates for general mental health counseling practice. An art therapy degree includes counseling foundations, but it adds art therapy specific theory, materials and methods, assessment, and supervised art therapy practice. A counseling degree without art therapy coursework does not, by itself, qualify a person as an art therapist.

A master’s degree in marriage and family therapy focuses on relational and systemic work with couples and families. Some art therapy programs include family art therapy coursework, but the degrees have different core competencies and different licensure routes. A master’s degree in social work prepares graduates for clinical practice, case management, advocacy, and work in health, school, and community settings, but clinical social work and art therapy are distinct professions with distinct education, credentialing, and licensure systems. An art therapy concentration within a social work degree is not the same as a degree in art therapy, unless the program is specifically designed and accredited to meet art therapy educational standards.

A degree in art education prepares graduates to teach art, usually in schools or community settings. That work is valuable, but art education is not clinical art therapy, and it does not qualify a person to practice as a mental health professional. A degree in psychology, at master’s level, may prepare graduates for research, assessment, or counseling related roles depending on the program and the state, but a general psychology degree does not include the art therapy curriculum and supervised art therapy experience that the ATCB requires. A degree in expressive arts therapy may overlap with art therapy, but the credentialing and licensure routes differ, and the title should not be treated as interchangeable with a degree in art therapy. If your goal is to practice as an art therapist, the most direct route is a degree specifically designed and accredited to meet art therapy educational standards.

How to Choose a Program

Choosing a program is a multi year commitment, so compare programs on the factors that most affect credentialing, licensure, and daily experience. First, confirm accreditation: is the program currently CAAHEP accredited upon the recommendation of ACATE, does its curriculum cover the competency areas the ATCB requires, and can the program show you its most recent student handbook? Second, clarify the credential and licensure routes the program supports, and in which states recent graduates have succeeded. Third, examine placements: how are sites selected and approved, how many partnerships does the program maintain, and what supervision will you receive? Fourth, examine format and fit: is the program on campus, online, low residency, or a hybrid, are there required residencies, and does the cohort model suit your work and family commitments? Fifth, examine faculty and group size, and whether core faculty are credentialed art therapists with current clinical and teaching experience.

Sixth, examine cost and funding honestly. Tuition, fees, materials, travel to placements and residencies, supervision costs after graduation, credentialing and examination fees, and the income effect of reducing work hours during placements all belong in a realistic budget. Ask for a full estimated cost of attendance, ask about assistantships and scholarships where available, and be cautious about borrowing based on an assumed future salary, because no program can guarantee employment or earnings. Finally, talk to current students and recent graduates if the program can arrange it, and ask about workload, supervision quality, placement support, and preparation for post degree credentialing.

This degree suits people drawn to both art making and clinical work, who are comfortable with ambiguity and sustained self reflection. Graduate study requires substantial time, placements require schedule flexibility, and credentialing requires additional supervised work. If you seek a short route into mental health practice, art therapy is not that route, and a program suggesting otherwise should be treated with caution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a bachelor’s degree in art or psychology to apply?

No, not necessarily. Most programs require a completed bachelor’s degree, but they do not usually require a specific major. They do usually require prerequisite coursework in studio art and psychology, and they assess your portfolio and readiness for graduate clinical training.

How long does a master’s degree in art therapy take?

Most full time programs take about two years. Part time programs take longer, often three years or more. The total time also depends on prerequisites, placement scheduling, and whether you reduce your course load.

How many credits is a master’s degree in art therapy?

Many programs require around 60 graduate credits, although the total varies. Compare the curriculum and accreditation status alongside the credit total, rather than judging a program by credits alone.

Is a master’s degree enough to practice as an art therapist?

The degree is the required entry level education, but it is not the whole requirement. After graduation, you generally need supervised post degree experience and an ATCB credential, and, where applicable, state licensure, before you can practice independently.

What is the difference between ATR, ATR-BC, and state licensure?

ATR, or Registered Art Therapist, is a national ATCB credential awarded after graduate education and supervised post degree experience. ATR-BC is a higher ATCB certification earned by passing the ATCB examination after holding ATR in good standing. State licensure is separate permission granted by a state, and its title and requirements vary by state.

Can I complete a master’s degree in art therapy online?

Some programs offer online or low residency formats, but placements still take place in person at approved sites, and some require on campus intensives. An online program does not remove the in person clinical training requirement.

Do I need to be a professional artist to become an art therapist?

No. You need sustained engagement with art making and a portfolio that shows current, developing work across materials, but you do not need to be a commercially successful artist. Programs value reflective, exploratory studio practice, not only technical mastery.

What jobs can I get with a master’s degree in art therapy?

Graduates work in hospitals, schools, community mental health centers, rehabilitation and residential programs, correctional settings, nonprofit organizations, and, after credentialing and licensure where required, private practice. Employment and pay depend on setting, credential, licensure, experience, and location, and no program can guarantee a particular job or salary.

How is a master’s degree in art therapy different from a counseling degree?

A counseling degree prepares graduates for general mental health counseling. An art therapy degree includes counseling foundations and adds art therapy theory, materials and methods, assessment, and supervised art therapy practice.

What should I check before I apply?

Check current CAAHEP accreditation, the full curriculum, prerequisites, placements, credential and licensure routes, full cost, and the most recent handbook. Then check the state board or boards where you intend to practice.

Keep reading: Art Therapy MA Courses: What the Degree Covers, How to Compare Programs, and What Comes Next

Sources & references

• American Art Therapy Association, Becoming an Art Therapist FAQ: https://arttherapy.org/becoming-an-art-therapist-faq/
• American Art Therapy Association, About Art Therapy: https://arttherapy.org/about-art-therapy/
• American Art Therapy Association, Art Therapy Masters Programs and selecting an education program: https://arttherapy.org/art-therapy-selecting-education-program/
• Art Therapy Credentials Board, 2026 Registration Standards for ATR: https://atcb.org/registered-art-therapist-lp/2026-atr-credential-requirements/
• Art Therapy Credentials Board, Board Certification: https://atcb.org/board-certification-lp/
• United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Data for Occupations Not Covered in Detail: https://www.bls.gov/Ooh/About/Data-For-Occupations-Not-Covered-In-Detail.htm
• New York University, Art Therapy (MA) program description and CAAHEP accreditation: https://bulletins.nyu.edu/graduate/culture-education-human-development/programs/art-therapy-ma/
• Cedar Crest College, Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling program catalog: https://www.cedarcrest.edu/catalog/graduate/graduate-programs/master-of-arts-in-art-therapy/
• Caldwell University, MA in Counseling and Art Therapy program description: https://www.caldwell.edu/programs/ma-cmhc-art-the/
• Dominican University of California, Master of Arts in Art Therapy program description: https://www.dominican.edu/academics/graduate-programs/master-arts-art-therapy-maat-maata
• Adler University, Master of Arts in Counseling: Art Therapy program description: https://www.adler.edu/programs/masters-in-art-therapy/?referral=OnlineLP