An art therapy certificate requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in studio art and psychology, as well as coursework in studio art and psychology. Acceptance into an art therapy master’s degree program and completion of the core curriculum requirements are another option for earning a certificate. The Art Therapy Credentials Board in the United States sets the rules (ATCB). Applicants who completed their undergraduate course work at an American Art Therapy Association (AATA)-approved institution have lower hourly requirements to qualify for a certificate than those who did not graduate from an AATA-approved institution.
An applicant will be formally recognized as a Registered Art Therapist after receiving his or her art therapy certificate from the ATCB. Prior to receiving this honor, the candidate must meet prerequisites that are typically met during undergraduate education or equivalent art therapy training for those outside of the United States. The applicant must have completed 15 semester hours of studio art and 12 semester hours of psychology to be considered.
An applicant must enroll in a master’s degree program that offers art therapy classes in addition to meeting the studio art and psychology requirements. In the United States, most master’s degree programs require an undergraduate degree; however, some exceptions may apply to international applicants. The typical study period is two years.
The coursework and internship components of the program do not fully satisfy the requirements for an art therapy certificate. If a candidate completed the prerequisites for studio art and psychology at an AATA-approved institution, he or she is required to work with patients for an additional 1,000 hours, 100 of which must be observed by a Registered Art Therapist. Candidates who did not complete the prerequisites at an AATA-approved institution must have 1,500 hours of direct patient contact, with 150 of those hours supervised by a Registered Art Therapist.