Admission Requirements

Additional Admission Requirements

In addition to the University's requirements for admission, applicants to the Master of Arts in Art Therapy Program must provide: 

• 15-20 examples of your own artwork, including work in drawing, painting and clay. These may be submitted electronically.*
• A recent sample of your academic or professional writing (preferably in APA style).
• Preparatory Coursework Form.

*To avoid issues with opening and viewing images, please submit images as PDFs to ensure that they may be universally viewed from any computer.

Admission Deadlines

Please submit completed applications no later than 8 weeks prior to the term in which you wish to enroll: by July 1 for fall admission and by November 30 for spring admission.

International Students

Click here for information about applying to Seton Hill as an international student.

Undergraduate Degree

Applicants seeking admission to Seton Hill's Master of Arts in Art Therapy Program must have completed an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution (majors from art, art education, psychology and other human service fields are preferable, although all undergraduate majors will be considered). 

Coursework in Studio Art

Applicants must have completed 18 semester credits of studio art** including:

• Painting (3 credits).
• Drawing (3 credits).
• Clay sculpture (3 credits).
• Additional coursework (9 credits above introductory level) in at least one of the media listed above.

**Students must have received a grade of B or better in prerequisite courses. Students who have completed studio art training in non-academic settings may petition to have non-academic experiences accepted in lieu of academic coursework. Documentation of participation in non-academic programs must be provided. Petitions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. All applicants, however, must demonstrate proficiency in the areas of drawing, painting and clay sculpture. 

Coursework in Psychology

Applicants must have completed 12 semester credits of psychology courses taken at an accredited academic institution. The following three courses (or their equivalents) are required:

• Introductory/ general psychology (3 credits).
• Developmental psychology (3 credits).
• Abnormal psychology (3 credits).

One of the following courses is highly recommended for the additional 3 required credits of psychology:

• Counseling and/or interpersonal relations.
• Personality theory.
• Human sexuality.

Experience

It is preferred that applicants have experience working with people in a human service capacity. 

Qualifying for Advanced Standing

The Master of Arts in Art Therapy with Specialization in Counseling Program is a 60 credit graduate program. Students entering with a master's degree in a related field (e.g., psychology, counseling, social work) may receive a maximum of 30 credits of advanced standing based on comparability of course requirements. All students are required to complete a minimum of 30 credits in residence at Seton Hill University in art therapy. In addition to the requirements for admission to the graduate program, applicants to the Master of Arts in Art Therapy Program must provide evidence of completion of 18 credits of studio art, including classes in drawing, painting and clay sculpture, and advanced studio coursework in at least one medium.