Latest update, ha. She’s probably going to decline the admission and apply for art therapy programs next year.
9 Likes
She is thinking about this and that is good!
3 Likes
Sorry for your daughter’s situation which developed due to no fault on her behalf.
Hopefully, your daughter will find a suitable program for next year.
1 Like
Art therapy will allow her to get a steady job in her field. If she is concerned with societal issues and the intersection with art, as her original plan leads me to believe, she can find a way to incorporate that interest and art therapy down the road if she chooses.
4 Likes
Glad to hear that your D has found the path she wants to pursue.
2 Likes
Thank you, I appreciate your input. As an engineer, I’m pretty clueless.
I know several people who work in music therapy field. I would suspect that Art Therapy is very similar. It is great and rewarding to help people to get feel better through art.
3 Likes
Depending on her undergrad, she might want to look at getting certified as a child life specialist - could be good overlap with art therapy later.
Thanks, I will ne ruin that to her. One of her current jobs is teaching piano to kids. She’s found she likes working with the ones who have learning or other issues.
2 Likes
An MFA artist I know started teaching studio art to special needs students. He ended up doing a Fulbright to study systems of teaching art to autistic children in countries that don’t prioritize that sort of thing. He now runs his own company providing training and consulting services for individuals and organizations developing and running programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Once inspired, an artist is well positioned to find creative ways to use their talents.
6 Likes
Wow, that is great!
I passed on everyone’s thoughts to DD and she really appreciated them. She has to make her decision today. It’s so hard for her to decide.
4 Likes
Here is a list of the 39 accredited Art Therapy Master’s degree programs (including the now defunct NYU program):
Includes FSU & Loyola Marymount University.
P.S. Consider Syracuse University as it just received accreditation on March 21, 2025. might want to attract students via generous grants.
Drexel University in Philadelphia is a well respected school (arguably the top program in the country).
Pratt Institute (Brooklyn).
U of Louisville (really nice city).
Lewis & Clark (LAC in Portland, Oregon).
Indiana U. in Indianapolis
GWU, but not at the DC campus, but nearby in a great place for young professionals–Alexandria, Virginia (almost certain to offer a great social life for one in his/her 20s to early 30s).
Springfield College in Massachusetts. This is the type of programs that is Springfield College’s strength.
Art Institute of Chicago (arguably one of the best two cities in the country).
Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass.
Hofstra on Long Island.
Small Naropa in Boulder, Colorado. Great location in Boulder, but very small. However, is within walking distance of the University of Colorado.
1 Like
This website is full of relevant information for one seeking a master’s degree and a career in art therapy:
https://research.com/degrees/best-masters-in-art-therapy-programs
FSU (Florida State University) offers stipends and tuition waivers for those in the program seeking assistantships. FSU is a 3 year Master’s program.
I appreciate the resources!
Drexel and NYU would not require her to move. 
1 Like
They are selling the building on the mall that is near CU and will use their other building (alto in Boulder but not near CU campus) and will also do a lot more on line. It is definitely a ‘niche’ school and not large.
1 Like
When my D20 was wrestling with whether to go to grad school or get a job after graduation she was wracked with indecision. One thing that really helped was to reframe the question so that it wasn’t “what do I want to do with my life?”, but rather “What do I want to do for the next year?” All of the sudden, it felt a lot less monumental and high-stakes and the answer became crystal clear for her (she chose to take the year and work and six months in then decided to apply to grad school for this next academic year).
Good luck to your daughter!
8 Likes