Modes of study
The MA in Art Psychotherapy is a course that leads to successful applicants becoming eligible to apply for registration as an Arts Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the body which regulates and monitors standards of practice in the public sector. The programme can be studied in two modes - full-time for 2 years or part-time for 3 years. A clear indication of the mode chosen should be stated on application forms.
Full-time study
Year 1: all day Monday and Tuesday in college. Clinical placement days are usually Thursday and Friday. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible
Years 2: all day Tuesday in college plus two days clinical placement to be arranged on other days – usually two consecutive days and these are negotiated with your placement. There are also three two day blocks of time for experiential groups (Mondays and Tuesdays). One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible.
Part-time study
Year 1: all day Monday and Tuesday in college. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible.
Year 2: all day Tuesday in college plus two days clinical placement to be arranged on other days – usually two consecutive days. There are also three two day blocks of time for experiential groups. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible.
Year 3: Half a day in college on Tuesdays with some full-time Tuesdays (the yearly timetable will have details of which Tuesdays are half day or full day), plus, two days clinical placement to be arranged on other days – usually two consecutive days. One day should be set aside for on-going studio practice where possible.
Most Mondays will run from 9.00am to 4.00pm; Tuesdays in year one vary but can be from 9.00am to 7.00pm. Times at placement are arranged with the particular organisation. The programme follows standard university terms; Term 1 – late September to early December. Term 2 – early January to late March. Term 3 – late April to early July.
The part-time programme allows trainees to continue with some paid work. However, the environment where such paid work is carried out cannot be used as a training placement, because of the inherent differences in role, expectations and responsibilities. Placements are arranged by art psychotherapy staff and placement allocation for both part-time students is made after discussion with staff.
Enquiries have sometimes been made about module-based study and correspondence study or distance learning. Because a large proportion of the course is based upon experiential learning in groups, these options are not possible. However, for students living outside London, it may be possible to arrange the clinical placement part of the course in other areas, if local supervision is available.
Personal therapy
It's a mandatory aspect of the course that all students must be in personal therapy for the duration of their training. It is usual for therapists to expect attendance throughout the calendar year except for usual holiday breaks; this may entail attendance outside term time.
Therapy may be on a group or individual basis and can be art therapy or verbal psychotherapy. Attendance must be at least once weekly. It must be stressed that it is not acceptable for a student to be in therapy with a trainee; all personal therapists should be qualified and registered with a relevant professional organisation. Students’ therapists will also be expected to register their professional details with the college. Contact is made with students' therapists at various points in the training to ensure that consistent attendance is being maintained.
Modules
All students will complete the following compulsory modules on either a full-time or part-time basis:
| Module title |
Credits |
Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 1 A
Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 1 A
0 credits
This module includes lectures on safe and professional practice, the practical aspects of arts psychotherapeutic practice and working in organisational settings plus the wider social frame. Preparatory reading and discussions are expected to focus on these topics.
Through studying this module, you’ll be able to:
- Demonstrate the potential to become a safe and effective practitioner.
- Describe the process and content of art psychotherapy clinical practice with reference to its organisational context.
- Convey an understanding of art psychotherapy through its practical application.
- Show understanding of how individual client, art, art therapist, team, organisation, and the wider social frame are interrelated.
- Show understanding of the cultural, ecological, social, racial, and political context of art psychotherapy practice.
|
0 credits |
Clinical Placement 1 A
Clinical Placement 1 A
0 credits
This module contributes to the development of safe and professional practice as an art psychotherapist.
You’ll learn alongside other students, taking part in independent reading and study groups.
By the end of this module you’ll be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the various therapeutic skills in art psychotherapy and the necessity of becoming a safe and effective practitioner.
- Recognise the necessity for safe and professional conduct in clinical work and at placement locations, as well as adherence to GDPR regulations.
- Recognise and reflect on the importance of an understanding of the cultural, ecological, social, political, and organisational contexts of clinical work.
- Reflect on the integration of art psychotherapy theory and practice.
|
0 credits |
Experiential Learning 1
Experiential Learning 1
30 credits
This module will develop your understanding of art psychotherapy through various experiential learning forums which include small art psychotherapy training groups and a large art psychotherapy group where the entire student and staff group meet. It also includes your own art practice and personal therapy.
These experiences teach about:
- art therapy processes
- the dynamics of action and speech
- engagement with art materials
- psychodynamic processes
- the relation between the individual, the family, the institution, and society
- power relations
- ecological challenge
- the politics of difference
The classes include an introduction to Dance Movement Therapy given by the MA team who work in that area.
|
30 credits |
Clinical Placement 1 B
Clinical Placement 1 B
45 credits
This module develops your knowledge and understanding of safe and professional practice as an art psychotherapist within a placement setting. This includes lectures on safe and professional practice, institutional visits, placement (2 days of clinical work per week) for 60 days within a particular setting and participation in supervision groups at college throughout the academic year.
A number of lectures, for instance the session on Safeguarding, are delivered across department, in this case in conjunction with the social work area. The Careers office session will support you with applications and interview preparation. In the classroom, topics related to the world of work such as establishing your practice, the practicalities of tax, insurance and GDPR will be addressed.
|
45 credits |
Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 1 B
Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 1 B
45 credits
This module will develop your understanding of art psychotherapy theory and how to integrate this with ethical and safe practice as set out in the HCPC (Health & Care Professions Council) Standards of Proficiency.
Through lectures, debates and academic supervision consideration will be given to the social, cultural, historical, and political contexts of art psychotherapy theory and practice. We’ll cover the understanding of human development and the importance of early childhood as described by the British Object Relations and Attachment theorists alongside the importance of working with difference, prejudice, and oppression.
|
45 credits |
Clinical Placement 2
Clinical Placement 2
45 credits
This module extends the development of safe and professional practice as an art psychotherapist within a placement setting developed during previous modules to a more sophisticated level. It includes a clinical placement (2 days per week) for 60 days within a particular setting and participation in supervision groups at college throughout the academic year.
As you prepare for life after graduation in a very practical manner, a graduate panel of alumni will share their own journeys with you.
|
45 credits |
Experiential Learning 2 A
Experiential Learning 2 A
0 credits
This module will help you continue to develop understanding of art psychotherapy through various experiential learning forums, which include continuation of the small art psychotherapy training groups and the large art psychotherapy group where the entire student and staff group meet. It will also include your own art practice and personal therapy.
After successfully completing this module, you’ll be able to:
- Link together the differing aspects of learning from different forums of experiential learning, clinical practice, and theoretical studies.
- Develop a capacity for on-going reflective clinical practice and continuing professional development.
- Establish a sophisticated ability to use art making as a tool for learning.
|
0 credits |
Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 2 A
Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 2 A
0 credits
This module extends your knowledge of the social, cultural, ecological, and political contexts of art psychotherapy theory and practice. You’ll explore the psychodynamic concepts that inform art psychotherapy in depth and deepen your knowledge of a range of professional practices, contributing to the development of safe and professional practice as an art psychotherapist.
After successfully completing this module, you’ll be able to:
- Demonstrate understanding of the need for a capacity to be a safe, professional, and effective clinical practitioner of art psychotherapy.
- Evidence a sophisticated capacity for critical reflection about clinical work and wide-ranging knowledge of psychodynamic concepts.
- Demonstrate knowledge of research methods and Evidence-Based Practice appropriate to the clinical practice of art psychotherapy.
- Demonstrate detailed and advanced understanding of the practice of art psychotherapy and integrate this with theory relevant to case/topic.
- Evidence in depth understanding of the influence of organisational, social, ecological, racial, and political and cultural issues on art psychotherapy practice.
|
0 credits |
Experiential Learning 2 B
Experiential Learning 2 B
15 credits
This module builds on the experiential learning in part one and the part 2 preparation module, continuing to develop understanding of art psychotherapy through various experiential learning forums which include continuation of the small art psychotherapy training groups and the large art psychotherapy group where the entire student and staff group meet. It also includes your own art practice and personal therapy.
The aim in part two of the programme is to deepen your relationship to art practice and understanding of art therapy processes and to integrate your learning across all the areas of the programme in preparation for launching into independent practice after graduation.
|
15 credits |
Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 2 B
Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 2 B
60 credits
In this module, you’ll explore in-depth the psychodynamic concepts that inform art psychotherapy and lead to a sophisticated level of knowledge of a range of professional practices as well as further extending your knowledge of the social, ecological, cultural, and political contexts of art psychotherapy theory and practice.
Through lectures, debates and academic supervision consideration is given to research and evidence-based methodologies to provide the necessary investigative skills to undertake the assessment element of the Final Clinical Report. This report is expected to include a substantial Literature review section.
|
60 credits |
Assessment
Assessed by assignment, portfolio, case study, presentation, dissertation, reports and logs.
Download the programme specification.
Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.
Between 2020 and 2022 we needed to make some changes to how programmes were delivered due to Covid-19 restrictions. For more information about past programme changes please visit our programme changes information page.
