MA in Art Psychotherapy

What you'll study 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 Module title Credits. Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 1 Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 1 45 credits This module aims to develop your understanding of art psychotherapy theory and to integrate this with ethical and safe practice as set out in the HCPC Standards of Proficiency. Through lectures, debates and academic supervision consideration is given to the social, cultural, historical and political contexts of art psychotherapy theory and practice. Understanding of human development and the importance of early childhood as described by the British Object Relations and Attachment theorists is covered alongside the importance of working with difference, prejudice and oppression. 45 credits. Experiential Learning 1 Experiential Learning 1 30 credits This module aims to 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 students’ own art practice. 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 and the politics of difference. 30 credits. Clinical Placement 1 Clinical Placement 1 45 credits This module aims to develop safe and professional practice as an art psychotherapist within a placement setting. This includes institutional visits, placement (2 days per week) for 60 days within a particular setting and participation in supervision groups at college throughout the academic year. 45 credits. Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 2 Theory and Practice of Art Psychotherapy 2 60 credits This module builds on Theory and Practice 1 and extends your knowledge of the social, cultural and political contexts of art psychotherapy theory and practice. You will explore in-depth the psychodynamic concepts that inform art psychotherapy and deepens your knowledge of a range of professional practices. Through lectures, debates and academic supervision consideration is given to research and evidence-based methodologies to provide the necessary investigative skills to undertake the Final Clinical Report. 60 credits. Experiential Learning 2 Experiential Learning 2 15 credits This module builds on the experiential learning in part one and continues 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. The aim in part two of the programme is to deepen your relationship to art practice, their understanding of art therapy processes and to integrate your learning across all the areas of the programme. 15 credits. Clinical Placement 2 Clinical Placement 2 45 credits This module aims to extend the development of safe and professional practice as an art psychotherapist within a placement setting. This includes placement (2 days per week) for 60 days within a particular setting and participation in supervision groups at college throughout the academic year. The placement in part two of the programme is usually in a different setting to broaden experience of working with different client groups and contexts. 45 credits. Assessment Assessed by assignment, portfolio, case study, presentation, dissertation, reports and logs. Download the programme specification for the 2018-19 intake. If you would like an earlier version of the programme specification, please contact the Quality Office. Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.