Best for: Students who want to learn about the therapeutic benefits of art and how it is applied in a variety of healthcare settings

In the undergraduate Creative Arts Therapy program, students learn how various creative processes (visual arts, music, dance/movement, drama/theater, poetry/writing, etc.) are used as a therapeutic tool for both personal and professional growth.

Ideal if you want to:

• Complete a 4-year undergraduate degree
• Engage in experiential and service-learning opportunities
• Major classes offered on campus with zoom option, or virtually
• Develop student leadership skills in the Creative Arts Therapy (CAT) Club

Best for: Students who want to learn more about the different therapeutic modalities

The Certificate in Creative Arts Therapy Studio courses offers an experiential introduction to a variety of therapeutic modalities, materials, processes, or techniques. Emphasis is placed on building foundational skills, fostering mindful engagement with the creative process, and exploring how personal experience informs the therapeutic process.

Ideal if you want to:

• Experience hands-on creative arts therapy experiences and reflective practice
• Explore topics in visual, musical, movement/somatic art, and narrative/written expression
• Learn to engage in the arts as a means of inquiry and communication rather than performance or product
• Classes available on campus with zoom options or virtually

Best for: Students who already have an associate degree and want to complete an undergraduate degree and potentially move to graduate studies

Students who are interested in completing an undergraduate degree in Creative Arts Therapy may choose to graduate with their undergraduate degree or continue their studies by applying to the ATC Bridge program into the graduate Art Therapy and Counseling program. This accelerated pathway allows students to save time and money by taking 9-credits in graduate courses and it counts towards both degrees. Once students are cleared for graduation with their undergraduate degree, they are accepted into the graduate Art Therapy and Counseling program and continue their studies. The Bridge courses are rolled into their graduate studies.

Ideal if you want to:

• Save time and money by reducing academic study time
• Expand career options beyond entry-level practice
• At graduate level, pursue professional credentials as an art therapist registered (ATR) with the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) and/or counseling licensure in West Virginia and other States.

Best for: Students who want to save time and money by taking their undergraduate and graduate degrees together

Students in the Creative Arts Therapy or other majors at West Liberty University can apply to the ATC Bridge program. Students can take 9-credits in the art therapy or mental health courses, and it counts towards the major’s undergraduate electives. Once students are cleared for graduation with their undergraduate degree, they are accepted into the graduate Art Therapy and Counseling program or the Mental Health Counseling program and continue their studies. The Bridge courses are rolled into their graduate studies.

Ideal if you want to:

• Save time and money by reducing academic study time
• Cross discipline engagement in graduate education
• Expand career options beyond entry-level practice
• Pursue professional credentials as an art therapist registered (ATR) with the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) and/or counseling licensure in West Virginia and other States.

Best for: Students seeking career mobility, leadership, and expanded opportunities as an art therapist and counselor

The graduate Art Therapy and Counseling is for students interested in a dual credential program. Art therapists are master-level clinicians, utilizing both visual language and talk therapy to work with diverse populations in a variety of settings.

Ideal if you want to:

• Completion in 2 1/2 years (full-time) if all requirements are met
• Expand career options beyond entry-level practice
• Designed for working professionals, 100% virtual program
• Pursue professional credentials as an art therapist registered (ATR) with the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) and as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in West Virginia and other States. 

Best for: Students seeking career mobility, leadership, and expanded opportunities in clinical mental health counseling

Mental health counselors are master-level clinicians who work in a wide range of settings including schools, community services, outpatient, and inpatient facilities. They help individuals, groups, and families work through emotional, psychological, and behavioral health issues. These include medical and mental health problems and addiction challenges.

Ideal if you want to:

• Completion in 2 1/2 years (full-time) if all requirements are met
•  Expand career options beyond entry-level practice
• Designed for working professionals, 100% virtual program
• Pursue counseling licensure in West Virginia and other states. 

Best for: Students to enhance their knowledge about the therapeutic use of art

The Postgraduate Certificate in Art Therapy is for students with a graduate degree (fine arts, education, etc.) interested in enhancing their knowledge about the use of art to facilitate self-reflection, promote healing, and improve health and wellness. It does NOT provide qualifications as an art therapist. Art Therapy is a regulated mental health field that requires specific education and supervised internships (see https://www.atcb.org/) for details.

Ideal if you want to:

• Enhance your knowledge of therapeutic artmaking
• Courses offered in through the graduate Art Therapy and Counseling program
• Designed for working professionals, 100% virtual classes

Best for: Students interested in applying for art therapy credentials (ATR) and have a master’s degree in a mental health profession (counseling, psychology, social work, etc.). See Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) for education requirements including mental health courses and application.

Ideal if you want to:

• Enhance your knowledge of therapeutic artmaking
• Courses offered in through the graduate Art Therapy and Counseling program
• Designed for working professionals, 100% virtual classes
• Pursue professional credentials as an art therapist registered (ATR) with the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB)