SELECTING AN APPROVED/ACCREDITED EDUCATION PROGRAM

The Art Therapy profession is in the process of transitioning from educational program approval to educational program accreditation.


Both approved and accredited art therapy programs prepare their students for entry-level skills and post-graduate certification as an art therapist.  The American Art Therapy Association encourages you to consider either an approved or accredited program during this period of transition as both types of quality programs undergo a rigorous review process which ensures their resources, curriculum, faculty and policies are prepared to meet your learning needs.

 

The new accrediting body for Art Therapy programs is the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).  CAAHEP accreditation is managed by the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE) which works closely with the American Art Therapy Association.  A brochure for students about accreditation can be found here.  Information on CAAHEP accredited programs can be found below.

 

During this period of transition, the current approval body for Art Therapy programs which remains in place while programs take their turn to transition from approval to accreditation, is the Educational Programs Approval Board (EPAB).  EPAB is overseen by the American Art Therapy Association.  EPAB approved programs are listed below by State in alphabetical order.

 

     

CAAHEP CURRENTLY ACCREDITED GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

Pennsylvania
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Online/Hybrid
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EPAB CURRENTLY APPROVED GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

California
Loyola Marymount University 1 LMU Drive, Suite 2444, Los Angeles, CA 90045-2659 Phone: 310-338-4562 Fax: 310-338-4518 Contact: Einat Metzl, PhD, LMFT, ATR-BC, Graduate Department of Marital and Family Therapy Email: emetzl@lmu.edu Program 1: Marital and Family Therapy: Specialization in Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1979

Notre Dame de Namur University (formerly College of Notre Dame) 1500 Ralston Avenue, Belmont, CA 94002 Phone: 650-508-3600, 650-508-3556 Fax: 650-508-3789 Contact: Dr. Richard Carolan, EdD Email: arttherapy@ndnu.edu Program 1: Marriage and Family Therapy with Specialization in Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1986 Program 2: Art Therapy Program 2 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 2: Approved Initial Approval Program 2: 1986

Phillips Graduate University 19900 Plummer Street, Chatsworth, CA 91311 Phone: 818-386-5618 Contact: Erin King-West, MA, LMFT, ATR-BC, Department Chair Email: ekingwest@pgu.edu Program 1: Psychology with a Major in Marriage and Family Therapy/Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 2003

Canada
Concordia University  1455 de Maisonneuve Boulevard West VA 259 Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 1M8 Phone: 514-848-2424 x4795 Fax: 514-848-4969 Contact: Mary Rawlins, Department Coordinator, Creative Arts Therapies, Faculty of Fine Arts Email: creativeartstherapies@concordia.ca,mary.rawlins@concordia.ca Program 1: Creative Arts Therapies Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1987
Colorado
Naropa University  2130 Arapahoe Avenue Boulder, CO 80302 Phone: 1-800-772-6951, 303-546-3545 Fax: 303-546-3536 Contact: Michael A. Franklin, PhD, ATR-BC, Professor and Chair, Graduate Art Therapy Program and the Naropa Community Art Studio Email: ALL admissions inquiries: admissions@naropa.edu; other: michaelf@naropa.edu Program 1: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Concentration in Transpersonal Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1998
Connecticut
Albertus Magnus College  700 Prospect Street New Haven, CT 06511 Phone: 203-773-6998, 203-773-8903 Fax: 203-773-3117 Contact: Lisa Furman, MA, ATR-BC, LCAT, LPC, Director Email: lfurman@albertus.edu Program 1: Art Therapy and Counseling Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 2003
District of Columbia
The George Washington University  Mailing address: 1925 Ballenger Avenue, Suite 250, Alexandria, VA, 22314; Physical address: 413 John Carlyle Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314 Phone: 703-299-4148 Fax: 703-299-4142 Contact: Heidi Bardot, MA, ATR-BC, Director, Art Therapy Program Email: hbardot@gwu.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1979
Florida
Florida State University  Department of Art Education, 1032 William Johnston Building, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1232 Phone: 850-644-5473, 850-644-2926 Fax: 850-644-5067 Contact: Barbara Parker-Bell, PsyD, ATR-BC, Director, FSU Art Therapy Program Email: bparkerbell@fsu.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Science Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 2003
Illinois
Adler University 17 North Dearborn Street Chicago, IL 60602 Phone: 312-662-4362 Contact: Dr. Jennifer La Civita, PsyD, LCPC, ATR, Director, Art Therapy Programs Email: jlacivita@adler.edu Program 1: Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1999

School of the Art Institute of Chicago  37 South Wabash Avenue Chicago, IL 60603-3103 Phone: 312-899-7481 Contact: Randy Vick, MS, ATR-BC, LCPC, HLM, Department Chair and Leah Gipson, MAAT, ATR-BC, Program Director Email: arttherapy@saic.edu Program 1: Art Therapy and Counseling Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1989

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville  Box 1774 Edwardsville, IL 62026-1774 Phone: 618-650-3183 Contact: Megan Robb, MA, ATR-BC, Graduate Program Director Email: mrobb@siue.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Counseling Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1992

Indiana
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College  Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876 Phone: 812-535-5160 Contact: Jill McNutt, Ph.D., ATR-BC, ATRL, LPC, Director MAAT Email: maat@smwc.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 2011
Kansas
Emporia State University  1 Kellogg Circle Emporia, KS 66801-5415 Phone: 620-341-5809 Fax: 620-341-6200 Contact: Gaelynn Wolf Bordonaro, PhD, ATR-BC, Director, Art Therapy Email: gwolf@emporia.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Counseling Program 1 Level: Master of Science Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1991
Kentucky
University of Louisville  Louisville, KY 40292 Phone: 502-852-5265 Fax: Contact: Dr. Eileen Estes, Director, College of Education and Human Development, Expressive Therapies Program Email: eileen.estes@louisville.edu Program 1: Counseling and Personnel Services with Concentration in Expressive Therapies Program 1 Level: Master of Education Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1981
Massachusetts
Lesley University  GSASS Expressive Therapies Division 29 Everett Street Cambridge, MA 02138 Phone: 617-349-8246 Fax: 617-349-8431 Contact: Raquel Stephenson, BFA, MA, PhD, ATR-BC, Assistant Professor of Expressive Therapies Email: rstephe3@lesley.edu Program1: Expressive Therapies: Art Therapy and Mental Health Counseling Program Level 1: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1982

Springfield College  Visual and Performing Arts Department 263 Alden Street Springfield, MA 01109-3797 Phone: 413-748-3752 Fax: 413-748-3580 Contact: Simone Alter-Muri, EdD, ATR-BC, Director, Graduate Art Therapy Email: saltermu@springfieldcollege.edu Program 1: Art Therapy/Counseling Program 1 Level: Master of Science Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1998

Michigan
Wayne State University  163 Community Arts Building Detroit, MI 48202 Phone: 313-577-1823 Fax: 313-993-7558 Contact: Holly Feen Calligan, PhD, ATR-BC, Associate Professor and Art Therapy Program Coordinator; Art Education-Art Therapy Program Email: hfeen@wayne.edu Program 1: Art Education/Art Therapy Concentration Program 1 Level: Master of Education Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1994 Program 2: Counseling with Art Therapy Concentration Program 2 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 2: Approved Initial Approval Program 2: 2008
Minnesota
Adler Graduate School  1550 East 78th Street Richfield, MN 55423 Phone: 612-767-7059 Contact: Craig Balfany Email: craig.balfany@alfredadler.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 2012
New Jersey
Caldwell University  120 Bloomfield Avenue Caldwell, NJ 07006 Phone: 973-618-3511 Fax: 973-618-3443 Contact: Annette Vaccaro, EdD, LCSW, SCP, ATR-BC, ATCS, Program Coordinator of Art Therapy Programs Email: avaccaro@caldwell.edu Program 1: Mental Health Counseling with Art Therapy Specialization Program 1 Level: Master of Arts (CACREP Accredited) Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 2006
New Mexico
Southwestern College  3960 San Felipe Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87507 Phone: 505-471-5756, 877-471-5756 Fax: 505-471-4071 Contact: Deborah Schroder, ATR-BC, LPAT, Program Chair, Art Therapy Program Email: admissions@swc.edu Program 1: Art Therapy/Counseling Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1998
New York
College of New Rochelle  29 Castle Place New Rochelle, NY 10805-2339 Phone: 914-654-5280 Contact: Patricia St. John, EdD, ATR-BC, LCAT, Program Director & Professor, Graduate Art Therapy Programs Email: pstjohn@cnr.edu Program 1: Art Therapy/Counseling Program 1 Level: Master of Science Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1984

Hofstra University  258 Hagedorn Hall 119 Hofstra University Hempstead, NY 11549 Phone: 516-463-5300 Contact: Deborah Elkis-Abuhoff, PhD, LCAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, BCPC, Program Director, Creative Arts Therapy Counseling Program  Email: Deborah.Elkis-Abuhoff@hofstra.edu.  Program 1: Creative Arts Therapy Counseling Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1984

Long Island University – Post Campus  720 Northern Boulevard Brookville, NY 11548 Phone: 516-299-2935 Fax: 516-299-2858 Contact: Christine Kerr, PhD, ATR-BC, LCAT, Program Director, Art Therapy and Counseling Program Email: Post-ArtTherapy@liu.edu Program 1: Clinical Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1996

Nazareth College of Rochester  4245 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14618-3790 Phone: 585-389-2538 Fax: 585-389-5134 Contact:  Renee van der Vennet, PhD, LCAT, LMHC, ATR-BC, CGP, Associate Professor Email: rvander3@naz.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Science Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1992 Hillside Children’s Center; 1996 Nazareth College of Rochester

New York University  34 Stuyvesant Street New York, NY 10003 Phone: 212-998-5726, 212-998-5727 Contact: Ikuko Acosta, PhD, ATR-BC, Director of Graduate Art Therapy Program Email: ia4@nyu.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1979

Pratt Institute  North Hall, 200 Willoughby Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11205 Phone: 718-399-4267 Fax: 718-636-3597 Contact: Dina Schapiro, LCAT, ATR-BC, Assistant Chair, of Creative Art Therapy Program and Director of the Graduate Arts Therapy Department Email: Dschapir@pratt.edu Website: Academic Year || Low Residency Program 1: Art Therapy and Creativity Development Program 1 Level: Master of Professional Studies Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: Initial Approval 1980 (Academic Year Program); Initial Approval 1994 (Low Residency Program)

School of Visual Arts  209 East 23rd Street New York, NY 10010 Phone: 212-592-2610 Fax: 212-592-2538 Contact: Deborah Farber, MPS, ATR-BC, LCAT, Art Therapy Department Chair Email: arttherapy@sva.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Professional Studies Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 2007

Ohio
Ursuline College 2550 Lander Road Pepper Pike, OH 44124 Phone: 440-646-8138 Fax: 440-684-6138 Contact: Gail Rule-Hoffman, MEd, ATR-BC, LPC-S, LICDC, Professor, Counseling and Art Therapy Department Email: grulehoffman@ursuline.edu Program 1: Counseling and Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts (CACREP Accredited) Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1992
Oregon
Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling  0615 SW Palatine Hill Road, Portland, OR 97219 Phone: 503-768-6060 Contact: Mary Andrus, DAT, ATR-BC, LPC, Program Director Email: cpsy@lclark.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1991
Pennsylvania
Drexel University  Mailing address: 1601 Cherry Street, Mail Stop 7905, Philadelphia, PA 19102; Physical address: 1601 Cherry Street, 7th Floor, Room 7103, Philadelphia, PA 19102 Phone: 267-359-5511Fax: 267-359-5579 Contact: Natalie Carlton, PhD, ATR-BC, LPCC, Director of Graduate Art Therapy Programs Alternate Contact: Kristen Scatton, Admissions Coordinator, kristen.scatton@drexel.edu Email: n.carlton@drexel.edu  Program 1: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1979

Marywood University  2300 Adams Avenue Scranton, PA 18509-1598 Phone: 570-348-6211 x2525 Fax: 570-340-6023 Contact: Stephanie Wise, LCAT, ATR-BC, ATCS Email: swise@maryu.marywood.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1986

Seton Hill University  Box AR110, Seton Hill Drive ,Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: 724-830-1140 Contact: Dana Elmendorf, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, Program Director, Assistant Professor, Graduate Art Therapy Program Email: elmendorf@setonhill.edu Program 1: Art Therapy with Specialization in Counseling Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 2000

Virginia
Eastern Virginia Medical School  Post Office Box 1980 Norfolk, VA 23501-1980 Phone: 757-446-5895Fax: 757-446-6179 Contact: Mary Roberts, EdS, LPC, ATR-BC, Program Director and Assistant Professor, Graduate Art Therapy & Counseling Program Email: robertmr@evms.edu Program 1: Art Therapy and Counseling Program 1 Level: Master of Science Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1984
Washington
Antioch University-Seattle  2326 Sixth Avenue Seattle, WA 98121-1814 Phone: 206-268-4818 Contact: Janice Hoshino, Ph.D., ATR-BC, LMFT Email: jhoshino@antioch.edu Program 1: Psychology with Specialization in Child, Couple, and Family Therapy and Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 2003 Program 2: Psychology with Specialization in Mental Health Counseling and Art Therapy Program 2 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 2: Approved Initial Approval Program 2: 2003 Program 3: Psychology with Specialization in Art Therapy Program 3 Level: Master of Arts Approval Status Program 3: Approved Initial Approval Program 3: 2003
Wisconsin
Mount Mary University  Caroline Hall 228 2900 N Menomonee River Parkway Milwaukee, WI 53222-4597 Phone: 414-256-1215 Fax: 414-256-1205 Contact: Chris Belkofer, PhD, ATR, Chair, Art Therapy Department Email: belkofec@mtmary.edu Program 1: Art Therapy Program 1 Level: Master of Science Approval Status Program 1: Approved Initial Approval Program 1: 1995

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS NOT INCLUDED UNDER THE EPAB APPROVAL/CAAHEP ACCREDITATION PROCESS

Because a master’s degree is the entry-level for the art therapy profession, only approved or accredited master’s programs are listed.  Institutions offering art therapy undergraduate pre-professional majors or doctoral programs can be found here. Please email changes or corrections for your listing to Barbara Florence.