How to Apply
application guide
admission prerequisites
Matriculation requirements include a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university. The undergraduate prerequisites are a minimum of 18 credits in studio art, 12 credits in psychology (in addition to Intro to Psychology), and 30 credits in the behavioral or social sciences and/or liberal arts disciplines. Applicants are expected to show proficiency in the basic area of the visual arts: figurative drawing, painting and clay modeling. The preferred choice of prerequisite psychology courses include: Abnormal Psychology, Theories of Personality and Child Psychology (or Developmental Psychology). Deficiencies in course credits may be made up either prior to admission or during the first semester that courses are available.
Students may participate in the program on a full or part-time basis. A
two-year period is required for full-time completion. The Graduate Art
Therapy Program welcomes students from diverse cultural and national
backgrounds.
application procedures
Follow the instructions outlined by The NYU Steinhardt Office of Graduate Admissions for filing your application form. The following is a list of all items that must accompany the completed application form.
All applications must be submitted to the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development Office of Graduate Admissions. Follow the instructions outlined by Office of Graduate Admissions for completing your online application.
The following is a list of all items that must accompany the completed application form.
- Transcripts: Must be obtained from all undergraduate and graduate institutions, if applicable.
- Three Letters of Recommendation: Should be obtained from academic and professional sources.
- Current résumé
- Statement of Purpose (500-words): Must describe your interest in the field and the professional direction you wish to pursue.
- Portfolio: Your Portfolio will be uploaded as part of the online application process. You will be instructed to submit 20 digital images of recent work in JPEG FORMAT ONLY, sized no larger than 1280 x 1024 pixels (maximum 4MB). Each image must be numbered, titled (if applicable) and include your name. Please do NOT submit PowerPoint or Keynote presentations.
Videos for time-based work can be submitted in place of digital images (maximum 60MB). Videos can be a compilation of various works but the total running time cannot exceed five minutes per video. Genres appropriate to video documentation include video art, performance, and kinetic art, NOT documentation of sculptures or exhibitions. For portfolios combining digital images and videos the total number submitted should not exceed 20.
Please include an inventory of images (PDF format) with your name in the top right hand corner with a list of images numbered in the order of viewing, include title, if any, medium, dimensions, and date. Also include an artist statement and resume in PDF format as part of the Portfolio upload. - Interview and Workshop: A select number of applicants will be invited to attend an interview and workshop. The workshop is comprised of three art tasks assigned for the purpose of getting to know the applicants' styles of expressing their thoughts and ideas pictorially. The Art Therapy program will contact those select applicants by phone or email to set a date.
- TOEFL Scores: We require the TOEFL exam from all applicants whose native language is not English and did not receive the equivalent of a 4 year U.S. undergraduate education from an institution where English is the official language of instruction. Applicants holding or completing only a graduate degree from an English speaking institution are still required to submit a TOEFL score unless the graduate program was four or more years in duration.
Send application materials to The NYU Steinhardt Graduate
Admissions Office. For general information pertaining to admission and
financial aid, and/or to download an application (PDF file),
visit the graduate admission's Web site.
for further information
Email the Art Therapy Program Assistant with any questions about the program, admission prerequisites, and/or application procedure.
Or, attend our Graduate Programs Information Session on Wednesday, October 26 at 6pm. Take advantage of this opportunity to
meet with the Art Therapy Program Director and faculty, as well as representatives from the
NYUSteinhardt Graduate Admissions Office.
34 Stuyvesant Street, Barney
Building
The Commons
New York, NY 10003
Please RSVP
Prof. Ikuko Acosta, PhD, ATR-BC, LCAT
Director, Art Therapy Program
212 998-5726/5727
Email: ia4@nyu.edu