FAQS

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree, preferably in fine arts or psychology, but that is not a requirement. However, required prerequisites include 12 credits in psychology (to include Introduction to Psychology / General Psychology, Lifespan / Developmental Psychology,  Abnormal Psychology / Psychopathology, plus a psychology elective), and 18 credits in studio art (to include coursework in drawing, painting, and three-dimensional media). All prerequisite courses may be taken on an undergraduate level, and must be taken from a recognized, accredited institution for academic credit. 

Applicants for the art therapy program can be accepted with a maximum of 6 credits of prerequisites outstanding, but you must complete all prerequisites before the start of the second year in the program. Applicants must submit a portfolio of 12-15 images that will be uploaded to the application. A personal interview is required.

All prerequisites must be taken for credit at an accredited institute of higher learning. Most people will take outstanding psychology credits at the community college level to reduce expenses and increase flexibility. 

18 Studio Art credits are required for this program. We like to see proficiency across a range of arts-based media, to include drawing, painting, and sculpture. Non-academic studio art may be accepted upon evaluation. We review applications holistically and will consider academic history as well as professional experience.

In this program, students will earn a Masters of Professional Studies (MPS). A master’s degree is the required entry level for the Art Therapy vocation. Pratt’s MPS in Art Therapy is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education, and approved by the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Pratt graduates are eligible to obtain registry as an Art Therapist (ATR) by the Art Therapy Credentialing Board, which also oversees the pathway to become board certified (ATR-BC), showing that one is highly trained and competent.  Pratt graduates are eligible to obtain licensure as a Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) by the New York State Office of the Professions. 

Licensure requirements for Creative Arts Therapy and related mental health professions vary by role and state. While Pratt’s programs include courses required by many states, we cannot guarantee that every state will accept a Pratt education for licensure. Each state determines its own educational and clinical requirements. This is not a counseling degree, and Pratt CAT is not accredited by CACREP (The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs).

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree, preferably in dance or psychology. Prerequisites include 6 credits in psychology to include Abnormal and Developmental Psychology, plus 1 credit in Anatomy/ Kinesiology. All prerequisite courses may be taken on an undergraduate level, but must be taken from an accredited institution for academic credit. Applicants may start classes with half of the psychology credits, but all other prerequisites must be completed before starting the program. Additional credits may be taken concurrently with the program, and must be completed by the beginning of the student’s second year. Movement experience can be gained from formal college credit or studio experience. Applicants must also have in-depth and dedicated experience in at least two idioms of dance, one of which must be modern dance. Applicants must have experience in body/ mind modalities, such as meditation, yoga, and body therapy. A personal interview will be required, part of which will include movement. 

All prerequisites must be taken for credit at an accredited institute of higher learning. Most people will take outstanding psychology credits at the community college level to reduce expenses and increase flexibility. We generally refer prospective DMT students to Laban / Bartenieff Institute for Movement Studies (LIMS) for the Anatomy & Kinesiology requirement.

We like to see comfort and fluency with movement. While technical skill is not necessarily a primary focus, we are looking for applicants who demonstrate: awareness of their bodies in space, a sense of how they use movement expressively, insight into their own movement preferences and patterns. Non-academic dance / movement background may be accepted upon evaluation. We review applications holistically and will consider academic history as well as professional experience.

In this program, students will earn a Masters of Science. A master’s degree is the required entry level for the Dance/Movement Therapy vocation. Pratt’s MS in Dance/Movement Therapy is approved by the Committee on Approval by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) and registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Pratt graduates are eligible to obtain registry as a Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT) by the ADTA. The pathway to become board certified (BC-DMT) is overseen by the Dance/Movement Credentials Board (DMTCB) and shows one is highly trained and competent. Pratt graduates are eligible to obtain licensure as a Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) by the New York State Office of the Professions. 

Licensure requirements for Creative Arts Therapy and related mental health professions vary by role and state. While Pratt’s programs include courses required by many states, we cannot guarantee that every state will accept a Pratt education for licensure. Each state determines its own educational and clinical requirements. This is not a counseling degree, and Pratt CAT is not accredited by CACREP (The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs).

Our Academic Year programs are for students who want a diverse skill set, balanced with a strong theoretical framework. Pratt’s Academic Year programs can be completed in 4 semesters of full-time study for 60 total credits. All courses are offered on the Pratt Brooklyn campus.

Low Residency is a part-time program, also 60 credits but completed over 8 semesters. The low residency option is best suited for students who are working, cannot relocate for graduate studies, or would like to complete their degree part-time. This is not an asynchronous program. You may learn more about the Low Residency format here. Note to international students: The Low Residency Format is not eligible for an I-20 to be issued or to get an Fl Visa.

Small, cohort-based classes are held two days per week in classroom studio spaces at Pratt’s Brooklyn campus, with class days scheduled either Tuesday and Wednesday or Wednesday and Thursday. Class days generally run from morning through early evening, with scheduled breaks throughout the day. Experiential exercises and verbal discussions are an integral part of every class. Select courses are held with students from both the CAT Department’s art therapy and dance/movement therapy programs, providing opportunities for integrated teaching and learning. Students engage in clinical training on two of the remaining weekdays each semester.

The Low Residency format is an adult-learning, intensive model. Many students in the program live outside of New York. All classes, except supervision, are offered in intensive formats: over nine consecutive days in March (online via Zoom), over nine consecutive days in June (in Brooklyn), and over three consecutive weeks (week days only) in June/July (in Brooklyn). Class days generally run from morning through early evening, with scheduled breaks during the day.

Papers and final assignments are generally due at the beginning of the fall semester, allowing students to integrate their readings, classroom experiences, and clinical training experiences. Clinical training is completed over two years of scheduled academic study, following the traditional academic-year calendar and taking place during the fall and spring semesters. Students complete their clinical training in their home locale, supported by a weekly evening supervision course conducted online via Zoom. Summer internships are not available.

Internships are a vital part of Pratt’s hallmark experiential learning process. All Creative Arts Therapy students complete 2 years of clinical training from September through May, resulting in 960 total hours. Students intern at 2 different settings in each of the 2 years, receiving clinical supervision from at least 4 professional ATs or DMTs. Students will work with the Assistant Chair for Clinical Training to identify and secure these clinical training placements, including those that are out-of-state. In accordance with accreditation standards, clinical training placements are unpaid.