GRADUATE ADMISSION
Build Your Future in Art Therapy Through Accredited Graduate Training
Prepare for a rewarding career in art therapy with Hofstra University’s CAAHEP-accredited Master of Arts (MA) in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling. Designed to prepare students for professional practice, the program integrates art therapy and counseling with coursework in ethics, cultural humility, human development and aging, and career counseling.
Experiential learning is central to Hofstra’s art therapy master’s program. Students apply what they learn through hands-on coursework and supervised clinical experiences, beginning with a practicum in the first year.
The MA in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling meets the educational requirements for New York State licensure as a Creative Arts Therapist and prepares graduates to pursue registration and board certification through the Art Therapy Credentials Board.
Students can complete the program in as little as two years of full-time study or three years of part-time study. No GRE is required, and scholarships are available to qualified candidates.
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I am interested in learning more about Hofstra’s MA in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling.
Program Highlights
Program Details
Visit the Hofstra campus or connect with the graduate admission team. We will answer your questions and put you in touch with program faculty or degree candidates to learn more. Contact us at graduateadmission@hofstra.edu, or call 516-463-4723.
To be considered for Hofstra University’s MA in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and demonstrate proficiency in art through a portfolio of original artwork. Portfolios may be presented in person or submitted through an online platform and should feature a range of media, including drawing, painting, and three-dimensional art.
Applicants must also have completed at least 18 semester credits in studio art and 12 semester credits in psychology, including coursework in developmental psychology and abnormal psychology. These prerequisites provide the foundation for graduate study in art therapy and counseling at Hofstra.
Start your application online where you can upload the following documents:
- Transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities, including those documenting your prerequisite coursework. You may initially submit unofficial copies for application review, but official transcripts will be required once you are accepted into the program.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Personal statement describing your professional intent and pertinent background.
- Personal interview with the program director.
Visit the creative arts therapy counseling program page to learn more. International students: Please review additional admission requirements.
Adelphi to Hofstra Pathway
Hofstra University and Adelphi University have launched a streamlined partnership to expand student success to a Master’s in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling.
Learn About the Adelphi to Hofstra PathwayThe preferred application deadline for the fall semester is August 15 and for the spring semester is January 15. All others will be reviewed based on available space.
The MA in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling is awarded to students who successfully complete 60 hours of coursework.
Financial Aid
Applicants are encouraged to speak with representatives in the Office of Student Financial Services, at 516-463-8000, to inquire about need-based aid and other resources to finance their degree. Matriculated students may also apply for a variety of campus jobs, which are continually updated on the Hofstra portal.
Program Outcomes
January – December 2025 Retention Average
| Graduation Year | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
| # Initially Enrolled | 45 | 19 | 28 |
| Attrition Due to Non-Academic Reasons | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Attribution Due to Academic Reasons | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| # Graduated | 11 | 11 | 7 |
| Retention Percentage | 84.4% | 73.7% | 76.9% |
Positive Placements for 2025 Graduation Year
| Graduation Year | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
| Total Graduates | 11 | 11 | 12 |
| # Employed | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| # Continuing Education or Active Military, but NOT Employed | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Positive Placement | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Placement Percentage | 80.0%* | 90.9% | 83.33% |
| Knowledge Rate Percentage | 90.9% | 81.8% | 66.67% |
* NOTE: 90% of graduates ready to seek employment were positively placed in 2025
Student Spotlights
Meet Students in the Creative Arts Therapy program and hear what it’s like to be a grad student at Hofstra.
Read Student Stories
Alumni Spotlights
Where does the Hofstra Creative Arts Therapy program take you? Find out from alumni who know best.
Read Alumni Stories
Career Preparation in Creative Arts Therapy
Faculty
FAQ
The preferred application deadline for the fall semester is August 15 and for the spring semester is January 15. All others will be reviewed based on available space.
We request that you include 12-15 pieces in a variety of media, particularly drawing, painting and 3D work. You may submit your portfolio in digital format or bring original work or a USB with you at the time of your interview.
Students may be admitted conditionally and begin the program while completing some undergraduate prerequisites within the first 12 months in the program. This decision is made upon meeting with and at the discretion of the program director.
Since art therapy is on a large continuum from “art as therapy” to “art psychotherapy,” across the lifespan, and with a variety of populations and locations, Hofstra believes that students should be exposed to all theoretical approaches. This allows each student to choose which approach(es) fit best into their developing art therapy identity. Our faculty comes from diverse backgrounds and professional experiences, and we offer a variety of field placements with a number of diverse focuses. Students can concentrate on a specific theoretical approach or population in their electives and field placement or choose to experience a variety of areas.
We know that no two students are alike. Every student who enters the Creative Arts Therapy Counseling program will be assigned one of the full-time faculty as an academic advisor. Together, the student and advisor will discuss the interests and needs of the student, including registration, elective selection, field placements, completion time frame, etc., and develop a personal plan of study for the student to follow.
We offer diverse electives that expose students to a variety of expressive therapies and specific populations to enhance the art therapy process. This includes music therapy, dance therapy, play therapy, sand tray therapy, art therapy with grief and loss, art therapy with elders, art therapy from a neurological perspective, as well as a study abroad option in Ireland.
The internship placement process is a collaboration between the program’s practicum/internship coordinator and the student. Together, populations and facilities of interest are identified, and students are then encouraged to contact the site supervisor to set up an interview and solidify placement. The coordinator works closely with the student to assure a placement is appropriately secured.
About the Program
Program Director
Sojung Park, PhD, LCAT, ATR-BC
Hagedorn Hall 251
The Hofstra University Creative Arts Therapy Counseling program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE), 9355 113th St N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775; 727-210-2350; www.caahep.org.
Take your next bold step with graduate programs that blend academic excellence and valuable experiences to elevate your professional journey.