Woman painting with watercolors

Art Therapy

Minor

Course Requirements

  • ART 100: Drawing I (3 credits)
  • ART 102: Ceramics I (3 credits)
  • ART 128: Basic Computer Design (3 credits) OR ART 101/105 Painting 1: Watercolor or Acrylic (3 credits)
  • ARTH 125: Art Therapy: Introduction I (3 credits)
  • ARTH 225: Art Therapy II: Materials and Methods (3 credits)
  • ARTH 325: Art Therapy III: Practices (3 credits)
  • PSYC 101: Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)

Learning Outcomes

  • Developing perception, skill, and creativity, including demonstrations, practice, and projects in various techniques from gesture to final form renderings.
  • Taking a 3-dimensional art course designed to present a foundation for the technical and aesthetic aspects of ceramic art, emphasizing lecture, demonstration, discussion, and studio experience; this includes hand building, wheel throwing, glazing, and firing kilns.
  • Taking an introduction to basic design concepts, computer literacy, and software competency, as well as experiencing three of the basic types of publishing tools used by designers -- Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign OR gaining studio experience designed to develop skill and creativity, including demonstrations, practice, and projects in various techniques from transparent watercolor to gouache/alla prima to hard edge. 
  • Presenting therapeutic qualities through art therapy's origins, history, occupational applications, and therapeutic approaches.
  • Creating works that exemplify an interaction of creativity, healing potential, and cognitive awareness, emphasizing comprehension of aspects through the student's written and verbal explanations, as well as testing.
  • Exploring artistic methods and materials that lend themselves to psychological reflection and insight, as well as use in therapeutic settings.
  • Realizing the factors that can encourage therapeutic art making through art therapy experientials, discussion, historical reference, service learning opportunities, and assessment of acquired knowledge.
  • Studying various community and agency settings, as well as therapeutic art-making approaches.
  • Preparing students for an art therapy internship through studies, previously attained information, and service learning.
  • Taking a general introduction to the science of behavior and mental processes, including learning, memory, perception, motivation, personality, psychopathology, and social interaction.
     

An Artistic Approach to Therapy

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  • Art Therapy students and faculty
  • Art Therapy students making works of art
  • Art Therapy students and faculty at an event