Art Psychotherapy

Why study at Roehampton

Build a rewarding career as a professionally-qualified and State registered art psychotherapist. Graduates are able to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professional Council (HCPC).
Follow a syllabus informed by Carl G. Jung’s pioneering theories on analytical psychology.
Benefit from our established network of art psychotherapists and gain work experience in supervised clinical placements.
In the Research Excellence Framework 2014, the leading national assessment of quality, 100% of the research we submitted was rated “world leading” or “internationally excellent” for its impact.

This course is designed for experienced artists and professionals who have worked within a clinical setting and would like to build a rewarding career as an art psychotherapist.

You will be taught by leading experts who will equip you with the skills, experience, and confidence to work as an art psychotherapist in challenging, yet rewarding environments. Our graduating students are eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC). Registered practitioners work in a variety of different settings including psychiatric hospitals, social services departments, special education, prisons and the voluntary sector.

Our comprehensive programme is divided into three areas covering theory, experiential learning and work placement experience. The theoretical aspect covers child developmental and psychodynamic principles alongside art therapy theory and Jungian analytical psychology. This perspective is located within the larger field of analytical psychotherapy and provides you with an in-depth theoretical underpinning that informs clinical practice.

A vital part of the programme is a supervised clinical placement which allows you to complete one hundred mandatory days of practice during your training. Placements are available in a variety of settings that include mental health (both in the NHS and other psychiatric hospitals and day centres), disabilities services or in hospitals or social services, special education, or a range of other settings.

The course is divided into three distinct areas; theory, which will develop your understanding as it relates to clinical practice, experiential learning where you will engage in art therapeutic processes to develop an understanding of the discipline from the inside while developing your identity as an artist, and lastly, a work placement. You will also get the opportunity to collaborate with the other students within the arts and play therapies in workshops and shared modules.

Our full-time course starts with an intensive week followed by two taught days, two further days of clinical placement and one day for studio practice per week. The part-time route starts with an intensive week followed by one day per week in University and a minimum of one further day on clinical placement. You will need to complete one hundred days of supervised clinical practice over the duration of the programme. You will also attend weekly personal therapy which is compulsory to become a professional registered practitioner.

See answers to frequently asked questions about the MA Art Psychotherapy.

We also offer introductory courses which provide a useful background in related professions. For more information on our Introduction Courses, Summer Schools and Foundation Course in Art Psychotherapy, see our Psychology Short Courses.

Full-time mode (2 years)

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Human Development and Growth

Process Group
Theory 2: The Therapeutic Relationship and its Experience and Expression

Art Psychotherapy Workshop 1: Placement Preparation
Art Psychotherapy Workshop 2: Symbols as the Language of the Unconscious
Art Psychotherapy Clinical Placement 1

Year 2

Compulsory modules
Research Methods
Research Portfolio
Art Psychotherapy Process Group 2
Art Psychotherapy Clincial Placement 2
Art Psychotherapy Workshop 3: Introduction to other Arts Therapies

Part-time mode (3 years)

Year 1

Compulsory modules
Human Development and Growth
Process Group
Art Psychotherapy Workshop 1: Placement Preparation
Art Psychotherapy Clinical Placment 1

Year 2

Compulsory modules

Theory 2: The Therapeutic Relationship of its Experience and Expression

Art Psychotherapy Workshop 2: Symbols as the Language of the Unconscious

Art Psychotherapy Process Group 2

Art Psychotherapy Clinical Placement

Year 3

Compulsory modules

Research Methods

Research Portfolio

Art Psychotherapy Workshop 3: Introduction to other Arts Therapies

Art Psychotherapy Process Group 3

Art Psychotherapy Clinical Placement 3

Compulsory and Required modules
Compulsory and/or required modules may change when we review and update programmes. Above is a list of modules offered this academic year.

Optional modules
Optional modules, when offered as part of a programme, may vary from year to year and are subject to viability.

Career options

Graduates go on to work as art therapists within school adult mental health, community, third sector or NHS day service providers. Most art psychotherapists work within institutions as members of multidisciplinary teams and collaborate with psychiatrists, psychologists and other professionals.

As part of the usual governance for this degree, the MA Art Psychotherapy programme will complete an internal revalidation and external HCPC re-approval process this year. This means that delivery and assessment of the programme may change slightly in order to provide an enhanced learning experience.

Short Courses

We also offer weekend introductory courses, 5 day Summer Schools, and 20 week part time evening Foundation Courses which provide a useful background in related professions. For more information, see our Psychology Short Courses.

The University is currently undertaking a review of the curriculum of this programme to ensure it continues to reflect the latest updates and new developments in the subject area. This will mean that the content and structure of the programme will be different from that described above. Please contact us for more information.