Marywood’s Art Therapy program has been an awesome experience to be apart of so far! I chose this program because it’s ranked one of the best in the country. I b...
Marywood University’s Art Therapy master’s program in Scranton, Pennsylvania is a high-quality, 60-credit graduate program designed to prepare students for professional practice through an art-based, therapeutic approach. As one of the region’s leading art therapy programs, the curriculum integrates art therapy theory and techniques, psychology, supervised clinical practicum, and personal artistic development, creating a comprehensive educational experience for aspiring art therapists. Students benefit from small class sizes, hands-on learning, and guidance from experienced faculty, positioning them for success in a variety of professional settings.
For students exploring how to become an art therapist, Marywood’s Master’s in Art Therapy prepares graduates to work in healthcare facilities, residential and long-term care environments, educational institutions, and private practice. The program emphasizes both clinical competence and the therapeutic power of creative expression.
Marywood also encourages students to build a strong foundation through undergraduate study. Those interested in starting at the bachelor’s level can explore our Art Therapy Bachelor’s Program, which introduces students to the profession, art-making, and the social and behavioral sciences necessary to advance to graduate training.
The Marywood University Graduate Art Therapy Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education. Graduates leave prepared for professional credentials, including:
ATR registration
National Board Certification
Pennsylvania LPC licensure
Marywood students excel in their field: the retention rate for the 2024–2025 cohort is 90.9%, and in a recent survey of the 2023–2024 cohort, 100% of graduates reported employment as art therapists within their first year of graduation.
Marywood is ranked #14 Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings for 2026, making Marywood a great, centrally located option for students in Northeastern Pennsylvania who want to stay closer to home.
Graduate Art Therapy students complete either a Professional Contribution (PC) or a Research Thesis (RT) that demonstrates their competency within their graduate education necessary for attainment of the Masters Degree in Art Therapy. Students are asked to consider areas of interest within the field of Art Therapy, using academic research, critical thinking, rigorous writing, and artistic endeavors to further explore their topic and present their ideas with clarity. Students complete their projects over the course of 3 semesters, allowing for a more comprehensive study.
Sandtray and Sandplay are forms of therapy beneficial for a range of ages and populations that allow clients to create their own representations of their inner world or experiences using miniature figures and sand. These creations can become metaphors of the client’s life and serve as a means for the client to reflect on conflicts, obstacles, and self-acceptance. The sandtray room at Marywood University enables students to directly experience and learn about the process of incorporating sand and miniatures into therapy.
Marywood’s Art Therapy program has been an awesome experience to be apart of so far! I chose this program because it’s ranked one of the best in the country. I b...
Visit campus during one of our admissions events specially designed for you to learn more about your degree program, or schedule an individual appointment with a graduate admissions counselor by clicking on the Weekday Visits link.
Weekday Visits »Marywood University hosts three academic Centers of Excellence on campus; The Center for Law, Justice and Policy, The Center for Urban Studies, and The Mother Theresa Maxis, IHM Center. Each center provides students with the tools and resources to excel in their academic endeavors, fostering a dynamic environment where they can engage deeply with their respective fields of study and make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond.
Marywood University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSHE).
The Marywood University Graduate Art Therapy Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (caahep.org ) upon the recommendation of The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education.
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775
Also accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS / Association of Arts Administration Educators / College Art Association / National Art Education Association / Pennsylvania Art Education Association / Society of Illustrators
The Graduate Art Therapy Program at Marywood University is built upon artistic, ethical, and spiritual values within a tradition of service to humankind. Our art therapy program provides a supportive framework for the enhancement of students’ capacity to utilize the therapeutic qualities of art making with a wide variety of populations. With this focus, there is an ongoing commitment to the integration of students’ learning domains in the areas of personal artistic growth, academic study, multicultural awareness and development of clinical skills to prepare competent entry-level Art Therapists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the job market.
Housed within the Art Department of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Art Therapy Program at Marywood University offers the an art based, humanistic approach taught by faculty who have wide ranges of expertise, are deeply committed to the profession of art therapy and strive toward the development of compassionate and competent future practitioners. The Graduate Art Therapy Program educates students so that they may serve as therapists with a profound appreciation of each human being in our interdependent world.
* All activities required in the program must be educational and students must not be substituted for staff.
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