Programme Type:

Course Overview

If you have at least one year’s experience of working with people within a mental or physical health service, education, social services or the voluntary sector, this course will help you build on your experience and develop new skills as an art psychotherapist. The MSc Art Psychotherapy is based in our School of Health Sciences and offers a stimulating learning environment with a practical focus.

This course, the only MSc in Art Therapy in the UK, will introduce you to the profession, theory, and practice of art psychotherapy. Regular practice placements working with clients will build on your theoretical learning and allow you to apply your developing skills.

The creation of art in the presence of a trained art psychotherapist can have a profoundly positive effect on people with emotional, behavioural, mental health, or physical problems. Art therapy is not a recreational activity (although the sessions can be enjoyable) but a form of psychotherapy that helps people address confusing and distressing issues.

Art psychotherapists work with people to access their own image-making abilities. You could work with people of any age, from very small children to young people, adults and older adults, helping them to use art media to express themselves and communicate. You may work with groups or individuals, depending on clients’ needs.

You and the person you are working with will jointly explore the meaning of the process and image/art object in the light of personal experiences and/or interpersonal relationships that may sometimes be distressing or troubling. The aim is to facilitate the intra-personal and interpersonal communication of experiences that the client may initially have difficulty in discussing verbally. The art psychotherapist’s task is to support processes of emotional integration by providing a safe, reliable and containing therapeutic environment within which the client can create and use art-making to develop insight and promote change.

Your learning will be enriched by the interdisciplinary structure of the course as you study alongside your peers from various other pathways within the person-centered framework.

Entry Requirement 

UK honours degree or equivalent in the area of the visual arts supported by a portfolio of artwork in a variety of media over a period of time. Degrees in subjects such as psychology, social work, nursing and education will be considered if supported by a substantial portfolio of artwork. It is recommended to include sketchbooks, slides, photographs, and other media. Online portfolios are acceptable.

Normally a minimum of one year’s full-time experience (or part-time equivalent) of work in a caring capacity or equivalent. Relevant care work includes nursing assistant, project worker, art instructor, care work in a community setting, art teaching, or facilitating art workshops. Some experience of personal art psychotherapy or psychodynamic psychotherapy or experiential workshops in creative therapies is desirable.

International: Where your honours degree has not been studied in English, you will be required to provide evidence of English language competence at no less than IELTS 7.0 with no individual component score less than 6.5.

Criminal records check: A satisfactory criminal records check will be required.

Interview: UK applicants are expected to attend an interview at QMU and will be required to submit their art portfolios electronically. Interviews will take place normally between December and May. Interviews for international students will be conducted over Skype.

Fees

Scotland/UK/ROI Student Fee: 

  • Year 1: £6500
  • Year 2 £6500**

International Student Fee:

  • Year 1: £13900
  • Year 2: £13900**

This information was accurate on : 16/04/2021
Please contact us for more information about this courses

Similar Courses