A series of birds made out of paper mache.

Teresa Yu, "Birds of Connection," 2019, wire, paper mache, and acrylic paint.

Art Therapy and Counseling

Undergraduate Overview

Art Therapy & Counseling Undergraduate Overview

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) offers several undergraduate courses for students interested in exploring art therapy as a future profession or considering how the approaches and philosophies of the field can inform their artistic development.

While SAIC does not offer a formal undergraduate major in Art Therapy, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) students can combine practical SAIC Internships with psychology classes from the Liberal Arts department and studio coursework as preparation for a graduate education in Art Therapy.

The profession of art therapy requires a master's degree. To learn about the SAIC Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling program, please download the Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling Program Guide [PDF] for detailed information. Undergraduate students interested in eventually applying to graduate art therapy programs in the United States should take the required prerequisite minimums: 12 semester credits in psychology courses, including abnormal psychology and developmental psychology, and 18 semester credits in studio art courses.

Art Therapy and Counseling Department Undergraduate Learning Goals:

  • Understand the core concerns of the field of art therapy and perspectives from related fields
  • Understand how the ideas and practices in the field of art therapy relate to contemporary theories of art and psychotherapy
  • Critically question medical, mental health, care, and wellness discourses in the profession of art therapy and other related clinical or therapeutic professions.
  • Critically explore therapeutic thinking in art disciplines through methods of creative practice and research


The undergraduate courses in the Art Therapy and Counseling Department focus on the following subject areas. 

  • Becoming an Art Therapist 
  • Community Practice
  • Critical Cultural Studies
  • Disability and Mad Studies
  • Materials and Media 

Course Listing

Title Catalog Instructor Schedule

Description

This is an entry-level experiential class which explores and implements concepts from art therapy and related fields. The course presents a blend of approaches including Eastern traditions, Jungian psychology, and other sources. Studio work and writing will be used as tools to understand and cultivate the discipline of self-awareness. The class will be structured as a community of participants engaging in and studying the phenomenon of the creative process. Each class meeting will involve art making and writing as well as discussion of ideas based on readings and experiences. This course is for anyone wanting to explore the relationship between art and life, self, other, and community in experiential and theoretical ways within an art therapy framework. It will be of value to those considering working with others using art, such as teachers or art therapists, as well as for those who may wish to establish art and/or writing as a form of practice and discipline in their lives. Open to all students.

Class Number

1107

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Area of Study

Community & Social Engagement

Location

Sharp 402

Description

This is an entry-level experiential class which explores and implements concepts from art therapy and related fields. The course presents a blend of approaches including Eastern traditions, Jungian psychology, and other sources. Studio work and writing will be used as tools to understand and cultivate the discipline of self-awareness. The class will be structured as a community of participants engaging in and studying the phenomenon of the creative process. Each class meeting will involve art making and writing as well as discussion of ideas based on readings and experiences. This course is for anyone wanting to explore the relationship between art and life, self, other, and community in experiential and theoretical ways within an art therapy framework. It will be of value to those considering working with others using art, such as teachers or art therapists, as well as for those who may wish to establish art and/or writing as a form of practice and discipline in their lives. Open to all students.

Class Number

1108

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Area of Study

Community & Social Engagement

Location

Sharp 404

Description

This course is designed to offer students a didactic and experiential overview of the field of art therapy. Material covered will include history, theory, and practice of art therapy processes and approaches as well as a survey of populations, settings, and applications. Lecture, readings, discussion, audio-visual presentations, experiential exercises, and guest presentations comprise the structure of this course.

Class Number

2229

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Area of Study

Community & Social Engagement

Location

Sharp 409

Description

This course explores the use of ritual and art making for personal and social practice. Students reflect on ritual as part of daily life, familial rituals, cultural rituals, and life-cycle rituals, and examine the process by which art embodies, represents, and transforms them. The exploration of ritual and making as a form of engagement, participation, and collaboration provides context for class discussion, group projects, and individual work. The role that ritual and making play in encouraging personal well-being, and fostering community is discussed and explored both in class and through off-campus visits.

Class Number

2512

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Location

Sharp 404

Description

What is disability? How do we see, read, hear, smell and feel about disability? How does society represent disability and illness? How do artists theoretically and conceptually engage disability in their own practices? This course offers students critical thinking tools to examine the meanings of disability created by current social, cultural, economic and political systems. Over the course of the semester, students develop artistic vocabulary in relation to visual and cultural representations of disability found in mainstream society and in Disability Culture/Disability Art contexts.

Readings include the following topics: disability frameworks, disability as intersectional identity, and representations in art, media, fashion, and design . Students learn about the range and complexity of disability representations through the works of contemporary artists such as Riva Lehrer, Laura Swanson, and Christine Sun Kim, and through the work of dance and performance art groups. Students also read the work of disability scholars including Carrie Sandahl, Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Eli Clare, Alison Kafer, and Petra Kuppers.

Coursework includes bi-weekly writing responses, a disability culture event paper, a media report, and a final art and writing project.

Class Number

2101

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Area of Study

Politics and Activisms, Gender and Sexuality, Narrative

Location

Lakeview - 1427

Description

This course explores nonviolence through the nexus of contemplative reflection and people powered direct action. Research includes identifying personal, local and global exemplars of creative nonviolence through arts based inquiry. The history of nonviolence, the role of arts in nonviolent movements, mindfulness practices and nonviolent communication are foundations for the culminating project of the class. Students will engage in shared collaboration of artistic practices with an existing social action group in exploring love and protection or Gandhi?s soul force or Satyagraha.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: Must have completed one Art Therapy, Art Ed or Artsad class prior to enrolling.

Class Number

1111

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Area of Study

Politics and Activisms, Collaboration, Interaction and Participation

Location

Sharp 404

Description

This course focuses on the intersecting ways artists engage people individually and collectively through the arts, including activism, education, therapy and social practice. Students will partner with galleries and organizations to realize a collectively developed project. Throughout the course close attention will be given to critical practices and methods, the ethics or working with community participants, self-reflexivity, the nature of professionalism within arts contexts, and the goals and impacts of art made with a participating public.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: Sophomore seminar course

Class Number

2230

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Area of Study

Community & Social Engagement

Location

Sharp 402

Description

This course explores narratives of illness, stigma, and marginalization told through comics and graphic novels. Students engage in reading, discussing, and making comics dealing with topics of physical and psychiatric illness, caregiving, and recovery. The current 'graphic medicine' movement, applications of comics in art therapy, and graphic novels and comics dealing with narratives of illness outside of a therapeutic or medical context are discussed and used as inspiration to generate content for student projects.

Class Number

1109

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Area of Study

Gender and Sexuality, Comics and Graphic Novels, Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 403

Description

This experiential class is designed for artists who wish to develop a studio practice with a focus on the deviant bodymind histories and the representation of disability/illness narratives. Including perspectives both inside and outside of an artistic, therapeutic, and/or medical context. Students will learn to integrate disability aesthetics (Sieber, 2010), critical 'knowing-making' (Hamraie, 2017), crip technoscience (Hammraie and Fritsch, 2019), Crip Couture (Yi, 2020) and other disability art and design concepts and practices in their work. Students who are interested in the following area of practice/discipline might benefit from taking this course: art therapy and counseling, design object, fashion design, visual critical studies and fiber and materials studies.
Artists/designers/theorists that may be referenced in the course include Panteha Abareshi, Kristina Veasey, Laura Splan, Rebecca Horn, Harriet Sanderson, Sins Invalid, Daniel Moraes, Lisa Bufano, Aimi Hamraie, Kelly Fritsch, Tobin Siebers.
Students will create artworks that serve as an 'extension' of their bodymind state. 'Extensions' can include but are not limited to body adornments; wearable designs; physical, emotional or psychological aids; relational/interactive performances. Students will explore and choose media that reflect the wearer's (and or participant's) haptic memories and experiences of deviancy. Light reading, lectures, class discussions, gallery visits and visiting artist's talk will provide inspiration for students to develop their project.

Class Number

2100

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Area of Study

Class, Race, Ethnicity, Costume Design, Gender and Sexuality

Location

Sharp 404

Description

In this course the student will explore the theories, principles, methods, and techniques used for conducting research in art therapy. Various models of qualitative and quantitative research from art therapy and related fields will be presented and discussed.

Prerequisites

You must be a Masters of Art in Art Therapy student or have instructor consent to take this class.

Class Number

1930

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Location

Sharp 402

Description

This course provides group supervision to support the internship component of the Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling program. Internship students participate in a minimum of one hour of weekly individual supervision with a qualified fieldwork site supervisor in addition to 1.5 hours of weekly group supervision with a faculty supervisor per the MAATC fieldwork supervision agreement. Over the course of the semester, students complete 250 service hours which must include approximately 100 hours of direct service with clients and contribute to the development of basic to intermediate skills for a specialized area of art therapy and counseling practice. This professional practice course builds on the skills acquired in the practicum experience. Students must demonstrate an applied understanding of assessment, treatment approaches, and the therapeutic relationship in art therapy and counseling. Students also become familiar with a variety of professional activities including referral sources, case review, record keeping, preparation, staff meetings, and other administrative functions. Prerequisite: ARTTHER 5020 ¿ Art Therapy Fieldwork I

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: ARTTHER 5020.

Class Number

1918

Credits

1.5

Department

Art Therapy

Location

Sharp 402

Description

This course provides group supervision to support the internship component of the Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling program. Internship students participate in a minimum of one hour of weekly individual supervision with a qualified fieldwork site supervisor in addition to 1.5 hours of weekly group supervision with a faculty supervisor per the MAATC fieldwork supervision agreement. Over the course of the semester, students complete 250 service hours which must include approximately 100 hours of direct service with clients and contribute to the development of basic to intermediate skills for a specialized area of art therapy and counseling practice. This professional practice course builds on the skills acquired in the practicum experience. Students must demonstrate an applied understanding of assessment, treatment approaches, and the therapeutic relationship in art therapy and counseling. Students also become familiar with a variety of professional activities including referral sources, case review, record keeping, preparation, staff meetings, and other administrative functions. Prerequisite: ARTTHER 5020 ¿ Art Therapy Fieldwork I

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: ARTTHER 5020.

Class Number

1917

Credits

1.5

Department

Art Therapy

Location

Sharp 404

Description

This course is a follow-up to Ethics in Art Therapy I, with a focus on deepening the clinical understanding and application of legal and ethical standards of practice in art therapy and counseling. The application of these principles in art therapy settings forms the basis for discussion. ARTTHER 6001/6003 Co Req, students must enroll in the same section.

Prerequisites

You must be a Masters of Art in Art Therapy student or have instructor consent to take this class.

Class Number

1920

Credits

1.5

Department

Art Therapy

Location

Sharp 402

Description

This course is a follow-up to Ethics in Art Therapy I, with a focus on deepening the clinical understanding and application of legal and ethical standards of practice in art therapy and counseling. The application of these principles in art therapy settings forms the basis for discussion. ARTTHER 6001/6003 Co Req, students must enroll in the same section.

Prerequisites

You must be a Masters of Art in Art Therapy student or have instructor consent to take this class.

Class Number

1919

Credits

1.5

Department

Art Therapy

Location

Sharp 404

Description

This course engages the student in examining career development from both personal and professional perspectives. Readings, lectures, discussions, and experiential learning address the theory and methods of career counseling, including educational and career histories; evaluation of occupational interests and aptitudes; and the development of skills for gaining and maintaining employment.

Prerequisites

You must be a Masters of Art in Art Therapy student or have instructor consent to take this class.

Class Number

1921

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Location

Sharp 404

Description

This course begins with an examination of normative substance use and an exploration of cultural and therapeutic conceptualizations and attitudes toward substance use. This course presents information on the epidemiology and etiology of substance use and reviews the impacts of substance use disorders on physical, psychological, social, and vocational functioning. The various categories of substances will be discussed along with fundamental assessment methods and art therapy intervention skills for work with people who use drugs.

Prerequisites

You must be a Masters of Art in Art Therapy student or have instructor consent to take this class.

Class Number

1927

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Location

Sharp 403

Description

This course is focused on the development of cultural competency in the art therapist. Aspects of culture including gender, race, ethnicity, class, religion, sexual orientation, and disability are addressed as they relate to the socio-cultural context of the therapy relationship.

Prerequisites

You must be a Masters of Art in Art Therapy student or have instructor consent to take this class.

Class Number

1916

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Location

Sharp 403

Description

This course provides group supervision to support the internship component of the Master of Arts in Art Therapy and a Counseling program. Internship students participate in a minimum of one hour of weekly individual supervision with a qualified fieldwork site supervisor in addition to 3 hours of weekly group supervision with a faculty supervisor per the MAATC fieldwork supervision agreement. Over the course of the semester, students complete 250 service hours which must include approximately 100 hours of direct service with clients and contribute to the development of basic to intermediate skills for a specialized area of art therapy and counseling practice. This professional practice course builds on the skills acquired in the practicum experience. Students must demonstrate an applied understanding of assessment, treatment approaches, and the therapeutic relationship in art therapy and counseling. Students also become familiar with a variety of professional activities including referral sources, case review, record keeping, preparation, staff meetings, and other administrative functions. Prerequisite: ARTTHER 6001 ¿ Art Therapy Fieldwork II

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: ARTTHER 6001

Class Number

1922

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Location

Sharp 402

Description

This course provides group supervision to support the internship component of the Master of Arts in Art Therapy and a Counseling program. Internship students participate in a minimum of one hour of weekly individual supervision with a qualified fieldwork site supervisor in addition to 3 hours of weekly group supervision with a faculty supervisor per the MAATC fieldwork supervision agreement. Over the course of the semester, students complete 250 service hours which must include approximately 100 hours of direct service with clients and contribute to the development of basic to intermediate skills for a specialized area of art therapy and counseling practice. This professional practice course builds on the skills acquired in the practicum experience. Students must demonstrate an applied understanding of assessment, treatment approaches, and the therapeutic relationship in art therapy and counseling. Students also become familiar with a variety of professional activities including referral sources, case review, record keeping, preparation, staff meetings, and other administrative functions. Prerequisite: ARTTHER 6001 ¿ Art Therapy Fieldwork II

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: ARTTHER 6001

Class Number

1923

Credits

3

Department

Art Therapy

Location

Sharp 404

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