The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville art therapy counseling graduate program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (caahep.org) upon the recommendation of Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE). SIUE is one of 12 accredited schools nationally to offer art therapy counseling.
The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE) and CAAHEP’s board of directors recently conducted a peer review that recognized the program’s substantial compliance with the nationally established accreditation standards. The CAAHEP, ACATE and American Art Therapy Association (AATA) establish the standards. The next program evaluation is scheduled for no later than 2024.
“CAAHEP accreditation means SIUE art therapy counseling can ensure that our educational practices meet standards in order to provide high-quality, entry-level art therapists for the region,” said Megan Robb, ATR-BC, LPC, NCC, associate professor and director of the Art Therapy Counseling Graduate Program. “During the past five years, approximately 95 percent of SIUE art therapy counseling graduate students have jobs within six months of graduation. In 2018, 100 percent of the alumni, who took the board certification exam for art therapy, passed.”
Housed in SIUE’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), the master’s in art therapy counseling program combines classroom instruction, practicum experience and research. “Our mission is to provide experiential learning to foster socio-culturally attuned, creative practices in the theory, reflection and application of art therapy counseling,” Robb said. “Our vision is that art therapy counselors cultivate creative, just and healthy communities. Our goal is to prepare competent, entry-level art therapists in the cognitive, psychomotor skills and affective behavior learning domains.”
Because the program is based in the Department of Art and Design, there is an emphasis on art-making. Classes are small and experiential learning is integral to the program. In order to ensure individualized instruction, only 10 students are accepted into the program each fall.
“Our students annually provide 13,000 hours of mental health services to the St. Louis and Metro East areas through practicum, programming and curriculum,” Robb said. “Retention rate for students is 98% during the last five years. We strive for a completion rate of three years, and 98% of our students graduate on time.”
Central to SIUE’s exceptional and comprehensive education, the College of Arts and Sciences offers degree programs in the natural sciences, humanities, arts, social sciences and communications. The College touches the lives of all SIUE students helping them explore diverse ideas and experiences, while learning to think and live as fulfilled, productive members of the global community. Study abroad, service-learning, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities better prepare SIUE students not only to succeed in our region's workplaces, but also to become valuable leaders who make important contributions to our communities.
Photo: SIUE art therapy class in progress highlighting art-based learning.