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  • Program Overview

    Performing and visual arts come together with psychology to create this unique degree program, which includes hands on classroom instruction utilizing an integrated arts approach philosophy by incorporating the use of visual arts, dance and movement, music and sound, theater, and creative writing.

    Over the course of study, each student is encouraged to discover his or her own treasury of personal creative resources, and share therapeutic properties with others through three internship experiences. Students are encouraged to participate in the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA) as well as the bi-annual Endicott College Expressive Therapies Symposium.

    A degree in Expressive Arts Therapy can lead to meaningful jobs in the arts and medical professions, and can prepare you for graduate programs in psychology and expressive therapies graduate programs such as dance therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, and art therapy.

    Becoming a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT) or a board certified therapist in any of the related creative arts therapy fields is dependent on completion of graduate education and post-graduate supervised clinical experience, and a board certification exam.


    Art therapy session
  • Curriculum

    Curriculum Requirements - Total Credits Required: 127

    First Year - Credits: 32

    • VLP Elective (Cr: 3)
    • VLP History Elective (Cr: 3)
    • Expressive Arts Elective (Must be 200 level) (Cr: 3)
    • AET 100 - Foundations of Creative Therapies (Cr: 3)
    • ART 123 - Foundation Seminar (Cr: 3)
    • ENG 111 - Critical Reading and Writing I (Cr: 3)
      Satisfies the Writing Designated Core Requirement
    • ENG 112 - Critical Reading and Writing II (Cr: 3)
      Satisfies the Writing Designated Core Requirement
    • INT 100 - Internship I (Cr: 2)
    • MTH 126 - Applied Statistics (Cr: 3)
      Satisfies the Quantitative Reasoning General Education Requirement
    • PSY 100 - General Psychology (Cr: 3)
      Satisfies Individual and Society General Education Requirement
    • PSY 200 - Child and Adolescent Psychology (Cr: 3)

    Second Year - Credits: 32

    • Expressive Arts Elective (One must be 200 Level) (Cr: 6)
    • General Education Elective (Cr: 3)
    • VLP Elective (Cr: 6)
    • World Cultures General Education Requirement (Cr: 3)
    • AMS 150 - American Sign Language I (Cr: 3)
    • AET 200 - Methods and Materials in Arts and Expressive Therapy (Cr: 3)
    • AET 201 - Specific Populations: Arts and Expressive Therapy (Cr: 3)
    • INT 200 - Internship II (Cr: 2)
    • PSY 203 - Adulthood and Aging (Cr: 3)

    Third Year - Credits: 33

    • General Education Elective (Cr: 3)
    • VLP Elective (Must be 200/300 level) (Cr: 6)
    • Expressive Arts Elective (Cr: 3)
    • Global Issues General Education Requirement (Cr: 3)
    • Literary Perspectives General Education Requirement (Cr: 3)
    • Values and Ethical Reasoning (recommended: PSY360 Psychology of Spirituality) (Cr: 3)
    • ART 302 - Portfolio (Cr: 3)
    • AET 300 - Counseling Practices in the Expressive Therapies (Cr: 3)
    • ART 240 - Imagination and Creativity (Cr: 3)
    • PSY 212 - Psychopathology and Clinical Science (Cr: 3)

    Fourth Year - Credits: 30

    • Expressive Arts Elective (Cr: 3)
    • General Education Elective (Cr: 6)
    • Science and Technology General Education Requirement (Cr: 3)
    • ART 480 - Semester Internship (Cr: 12)
    • ART 489 - Senior Research (Cr: 3)
    • ART 490 - Senior Thesis (Cr: 3)

    Expressive Arts Electives

    Students must select 5 from this category:

    • AET 205 - Music Therapy Foundations (Cr: 3)
    • AET 206 - Guitar for Expressive Therapies (Cr: 3)
    • AET 207 - Global Percussion and Therapeutic Drumming Techniques (Cr: 3)
    • AET 210 - Therapeutic Writing (Cr: 3)
    • AET 215 - Dance/Movement Therapy Foundations (Cr: 3)
    • AET 225 - Jung and Art Therapy (Cr: 3)
    • AET 305 - Cross Cultural Practices of Art Therapy (Cr: 3)
    • AET 306 - Drama Therapy and Psychodrama (Cr: 3)
    • HMS 100 - Introduction to Human Services (Cr: 3)
    • HMS 310 - Crisis Intervention (Cr: 3)

    Visual, Literary and Performing Arts Electives (VLP)

    Students must select 5 from this category:

    DANXXX any 1 cr. course x3

    • ART 105 - Drawing and Composition I (Cr: 3)
    • ART 121 - Ceramics I (Cr: 3)
    • ART 201 - Painting I (Cr: 3)
    • ART 255 - Creative Bookmaking (Cr: 3)
    • DAN 235 - Mind and Body Awareness (Cr: 3)
    • DAN 240 - Global Dance (Cr: 3)
    • DRA 200 - Acting Techniques I (Cr: 3)
    • DRA 205 - Acting Techniques II (Cr: 3)
    • DRA 220 - Introduction to Theater Production (Cr: 3)
    • ENG 108 - Introduction to Creative Writing (Cr: 3)
    • ENG 207 - Creative Non-Fiction I (Cr: 3)
    • ENG 208 - Writing Poetry I (Cr: 3)
    • ENG 209 - Writing Short Fiction I (Cr: 3)
    • ENG 228 - Writing the Novel I (Cr: 3)
    • ENG 229 - Playwriting and Screenwriting I (Cr: 3)
    • ENG 307 - Creative Non-Fiction II (Cr: 3)
    • ENG 308 - Writing Poetry II (Cr: 3)
    • ENG 309 - Writing Short Fiction II (Cr: 3)
    • MUS 106 - Private Music Instruction (Cr: 0.5 or 1)
      x3
    • MUS 120 - Guitar I (Cr: 3)
    • MUS 160 - Performance Workshop (Cr: 3)
    • MUS 201 - Music Theory I (Cr: 3)
    • MUS 216 - Songwriting I (Cr: 3)
    • MUS 220 - Studio Audio Production I (Cr: 3)
    • MUS 260 - Piano Styles (Cr: 3)
    • MUS 316 - Songwriting II (Cr: 3)
    • PHT 116 - Introduction to Photographic Imaging (Cr: 3)

    Visual, Literary and Performing History/Theory Electives (VLP)

    Students must select 1 from this category:

    • ART 102 - Visual Art and Cultural Values II: Early Fourteenth Century to the Present (Cr: 3)
    • DAN 225 - Dance History (Cr: 3)
    • MUS 111 - History of Western Music (Cr: 3)

    Learning Outcomes

    Upon completion of the Expressive Arts Therapy program, students will:

    • Demonstrate the critical inquiry and analysis skills needed to engage constructively in intellectual discourse within the art fields.
    • Demonstrate knowledge of and competency with computer technology as it is used in the artistic processes.
    • Develop technical and creative skills in multiple expressive arts modes; literary, performing, or visual arts.
    • Work with a variety of different written, performing, and visual arts media to communicate feelings, thoughts, and emotions.
    • Apply the use of an integrated arts approach in pre-clinical settings. 
    • Develop a studio practice in a chosen expressive arts modes; literary, performing, or visual arts .
    • Discuss and write about theoretical perspectives in expressive arts therapy.
    • Engage verbally in intellectual discourse within the discipline.
    • Draw upon imagination, play, and improvisation to engage groups and individuals in creative learning experiences. 
    • Demonstrates willingness to go beyond original parameters of assignment, introducing new materials and forms, including tackling controversial topics. 
    • Discuss and present an awareness of personal creative process. 

    View academic catalog and learning outcomes
  • Internships & Careers

    Recent Expressive Arts Therapy Internship sites include:

    The Artful Life Counseling Center and Studio LLC.
    Boston Children's Hospital
    Care Dimensions Hospice
    Express Yourself, Inc.
    Mass General Hospital
    The May Institute
    The North Shore Education Consortium