• Students will be able to identify and utilize their own internal processes in service of therapeutic interventions.
• Students will comprehend and apply creative and aesthetic processes in the context of creative arts therapy theory and practice.
• Students will be able to establish a therapeutic relationship using imagery, movement, symbolization, and verbalization; and recognize shifts within that developing relationship.
• Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of psychodynamic theory within the context of creative arts therapy practice in the service of diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing evaluation.
• Students will be able to articulate clinical theory and applied practice through writing, research, oral presentation, and professional advocacy across broad interdisciplinary communities.  
• Students will be able to apply ethical and professional codes of practice as they apply to clinical practices, communities, and self.
• Students will be able to understand the intersectionality of power, privilege, and oppression as they apply to clinical practices, communities and self.

THE PROGRAM’S STRUCTURE

Both the MPS in Art Therapy and Creativity Development and MS in Dance/Movement Therapy Master’s are 60-credit programs providing a synthesis of creative, aesthetic, and psychotherapeutic theory. Courses offer a thorough theoretical frame­work that is translated into personal and practical application through an experiential process. Artwork and/or movement is done in every course and is used to learn therapeutic skills. Students focus on a wide variety of populations and are required to work with a different population for each of the two years of fieldwork/internship/practicum. Both programs are for students who want a broad body of skills, balanced with a strong theoretical framework.

Low-Residency Format

The low residency format is an innovative educational program based on a low residency adult-learning model. The program is designed for those students who do not live near or are otherwise unable to engage in a traditional master’s degree format.  

Students in the low residency format are admitted for the spring semester only. 

The cycle of classes is as follows: in March, the students take two, 3 credit classes over 9 days; in June they take two, 3 credit classes over 9 days of classes with a weekend break followed by three weeks of classes which run Monday–Friday. Students generally complete reading assignments before classes and then complete their papers after classes are over, giving them a chance to integrate class experience with readings and fieldwork/practicum/internship experience. Two years of fieldwork/internship (dance/movement therapy) or practicum (art therapy) are done from September through May following the first and second year of summer classes. Supervision is completed through weekly online contact, as well as an active online forum that keeps low residency students consistently in touch with Pratt faculty and one another. Housing is available on campus. The low residency format is offered to both art and dance/movement therapy students. The low residency program is not considered full-time. Therefore, international students will be ineligible for F–1 visas.