Receive culturally responsible training to use improvisation and theatre techniques to promote health and wellbeing with individuals and groups. In addition to taking rigorous clinical course work, you’ll intern throughout New York City with leading drama therapists who work with people with a range of mental health, rehabilitation, and social concerns.
Request InfoFounding Director Robert Landy discusses the Drama Therapy program
Degree Details
Official Degree Title
Master of Arts in Drama Therapy
Format
Full-time or Part-time
Credits
50-60
Start Date
Fall
Application Deadline
This degree is ideal for people who have a background in improvisation and theatre, educators, therapists, social workers, and those working in healthcare or special education. Your peers will come from diverse cultural and academic backgrounds to study and apprentice with leading professionals in the creative arts therapies.
Throughout your program of study, you will develop your strong commitment to doing good in the world by learning:
- How to identify and apply theories and methods of drama therapy and psychology in treatment and prevention
- How to research effectively
- How to develop your professional identity as a drama therapist and a future licensed professional in the mental health field
- How to exercise cultural and ethical responsibilities
You’ll also gain real-world experience through clinical internships at hospitals, rehabilitation centers, private and community clinics, and facilities for people who are in their senior years, incarcerated, have varied abilities, experiencing unstable housing, or in recovery, amongst others.
Graduates of the 50-credit track will have met the academic requirements for New York State licensure as a creative arts therapist (LCAT) and, once licensed, will be eligible to practice drama therapy throughout New York State.
Graduates of the 60-credit track will have met the academic requirements for licensure for most states outside of New York. This track allows you to do advanced training in role theory and method, psychodrama, or arts-based research, or to pursue other electives in Applied Theatre or Applied Psychology.
Each graduate of the Drama Therapy master's program meets the educational requirements for licensure as a creative arts therapist (LCAT) in New York State and for credentialing as a drama therapist with the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA).
Credentialing
For information regarding credentialing versus licensure and to learn how to obtain a Registered Drama Therapist (RDT) credential please explore NADTA’s Educational pages.
New York Licensure
After you graduate, you will need to continue accruing hours toward your licensure as a creative arts therapist (LCAT). During that time you will hold a provisional license. You are granted a two-year period of time after graduation during which you must complete the hours, licensing exam, and application necessary for your license.
For information on New York’s Office of Professions and the procedures to earn licensure through New York State please visit the New York Office of Professions website.
Professional Licensure
Drama Therapy is an on-campus program that places students in supervised field experiences both within and outside of New York State (NYS). NYU is authorized pursuant to the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) to enroll students in supervised field experiences in the SARA states and territories. For further details regarding NYU's SARA membership please visit the NYU State Authorization website. SARA requires universities to disclose to applicants and students whether programs that lead to professional licensure meet the educational requirements for licensure in those states in which students are doing learning placements.
Our program prepares students to pass the New York State Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) exam and to fulfill the associated education and experience requirements after 1500 hours of post-graduate supervised practice. The Licensure for a Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) is a license unique to New York State.
Steinhardt Drama Therapy conducts placement activity in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
If you are interested in having a placement in a different state or gaining licensure in a different state other than what is listed above, please contact nyudramatherapy@nyu.edu to discuss if this is possible.
Note: State regulations change frequently, and the information posted here may have changed at the time of your specific application to or enrollment in our program of study. Please email nyudramatherapy@nyu.edu if you have specific questions about whether our program meets other licensure requirements in a specific state.
The NYU Steinhardt Drama Therapy Program meets the educational and professional licensure requirements for licensure as a Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) in New York state. NYU Steinhardt has not made a determination with respect to educational and professional licensure requirements for the following states and territories:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- American Samoa
- Guam
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Puerto Rico
- US Virgin Islands
Program Benefits for International Students
If you’re an international student, you may be able to work in the United States after graduation for an extended period of time. Most students studying on F-1 visas will be eligible for 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) off-campus work authorization. F-1 students in our program may also be eligible for the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) OPT extension, allowing you to extend your time in the United States to pursue degree-related work experience for a total of 36 months or 3 years. For more information on who can apply for this extension visit NYU’s Office of Global Services: STEM OPT.
Questions
For additional information, please contact nyudramatherapy@nyu.edu.
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