Please note that this course will not be recruiting for September 2025 entry. Please see the Summary for further information.
The next intake for this course is expected to be for September 2026, with applications opening in early 2026.
This course is currently being revalidated and it is possible that there will be some changes to the course as described in this prospectus.
The MSc Art Psychotherapy course is a two-year part time training programme approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the regulating body for the health and care professions in the UK.
The course combines experiential learning, clinical placements, seminars, and studio practices. Art Psychotherapy trainees also attend clinical supervision to support their learning and professional development within a variety of practicum settings.
Art psychotherapists work with children, young people, adults, and older people in a range of health, education, social care, advocacy, and community services.
As a career Art Psychotherapy offers an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. It combines therapeutic expertise, evidence based research, social engagement and creative ingenuity. The course integrates HCPC professional clinical training requirements along with practice-based learning in conjunction with cultural partners, advocacy organisations, and social enterprise initiatives.
The training in art psychotherapy is life changing for both the student and the service user. Art in the service of wellness creates opportunities for making both with art media and the materials of our lives.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
In this section
The MSc Art Psychotherapy is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the statutory regulator of the profession of Art Therapy/Art Psychotherapy and other allied health and care professions in the UK. The MSc Art Psychotherapy is a pre-registration clinical training course run by the Belfast School of Art and validated by Ulster University. The course is recognised by the British Association of Art Therapists, the UK professional body, and also by the Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists, the Irish professional body.
The programme encompasses seminars, tutorials, peer learning groups, reflective practice and art making. The MSc Art Psychotherapy course also includes practicum components, with students undertaking approved placements in diverse organisational settings. These will be supported by training and mentoring within the placement and also by ongoing supervision from experienced HCPC registered arts therapists and art psychotherapists.
These will be supported by Practice Education within the placement and also by ongoing supervision from experienced HCPC Registered Arts Therapists/Psychotherapists, clinical seminars and personal therapy. To maximise student clinical and multi-disciplinary team experience and potential for employment, placements will be with approved agencies across statutory and voluntary settings and with clients across the lifespan.
Successful completion of an HCPC approved programme provides eligibility to apply for HCPC registration. It is a legal requirement that anyone who wishes to practise using a title protected by the Health & Care Professions Council Order 2001 (e.g. "Art Therapist" or "Art Psychotherapist") is on the HCPC register. Therefore, HCPC Registration permits practice of Art Therapy / Art Psychotherapy in the UK and use of the legally protected titles: “Art Therapist” or “Art Psychotherapist”.
MSc Art Psychotherapy is delivered in part-time mode over 2 years. The course is based in Belfast School of Art, Belfast campus.
Attendance must be in compliance with the University’s attendance policies.
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study.
In Masters degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
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Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module will examine the history nature and parameters of art psychotherapy and effective practice within professional, ethical, legal boundaries and requirements. It aims to develop understanding, skills and attitudes relevant to working within an evidence-based framework, adapting practice to suit client need. Understanding will be developed about relevant theories and art-making/experiential techniques and theoretical learning in groups will explore art processes and theories of group work and the management of group process and diversity in groups.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module will examine the history, nature and parameters of art psychotherapy and effective practice. It aims to develop understanding, skills and attitudes relevant to working within an evidence-based coherent integrative pluralistic framework, adapting practice to suit client needs. Building on this, the art psychotherapist's practice needs to be tailored to the needs of the client and adapted in a culturally competent way. Understanding will be developed about relevant theories and techniques and the relationship between research and practice.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module will introduce the Practicum component of the programme. It will enable students to begin the practice of art psychotherapy under clinical supervision and with the support of the placement and practice educator. It will introduce students to professional practice within professional, ethical, legal boundaries and requirements. This module will run alongside the academic module(s), training groups and studio group module. Students will be in personal therapy and this must run concurrently with placements.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module explores skills and attitudes relevant to working with cultural diversity and fostering art psychotherapy multi-cultural competency. Understanding will be developed in distinguishing between human health and illness. We explore diverse cultural perspectives on areas such as; mental health difficulties, special and additional needs, age and generational influences, developmental and acquired disabilities, religion, ethnicity (and race), social status, sexual orientation, indigenous heritage, national origin, and gender.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module will continue the Practicum component of the programme. It will enable students to develop and continue the practice of art psychotherapy under clinical supervision and with the support of the placement and Practice Educator. Students will further explore professional practice within professional, ethical, legal boundaries and requirements. It aims to continue to develop understanding, skills and attitudes relevant to practice and to working within an evidence-based coherent integrative pluralistic framework, adapting practice to suit client needs. Students will be in personal therapy and this must run concurrently with placements.
Year: 2
Status: C
This module will examine reflexive practice, routine systematic evaluation of practice, evaluating practice, collaboration, clinical audit and career-long learning - all within a culture of quality assurance and clinical governance and also within professional, ethical, legal boundaries and requirements. The art psychotherapist must be committed to reflexive practice, and to improve services. Understanding will be developed about relevant theories and techniques, art-making, experiential and theoretical learning in groups.
Year: 2
Status: C
This module will examine art psychotherapy research - within a culture of research governance, clinical governance and quality assurance and also within professional, ethical, legal boundaries and requirements. It aims to further develop understanding, skills and attitudes relevant to research and to working within an evidence-based coherent integrative pluralistic framework, adapting practice to suit client needs.
Year: 2
Status: C
This module will continue and conclude the practicum component of the programme. It will enable students to gain further experience of the practice of art psychotherapy under clinical supervision and with the support of the placement and practice educator. It aims to increase understanding, skills and attitudes relevant to practice and to working within an evidence-based coherent integrative pluralistic framework, adapting practice to suit client needs. This module will run alongside the academic module(s), training groups and studio group module.
Year: 2
Status: C
This module will continue the practicum component of the programme. It will enable students to develop and continue the practice of art psychotherapy under clinical supervision and with the support of the placement and practice educator. Students will further explore professional practice within professional, ethical, legal boundaries and requirements. It aims to continue to develop understanding, skills and attitudes relevant to practice and to working within an evidence-based coherent integrative pluralistic framework, adapting practice to suit client needs. The module also aims to develop the following programme components—supervision groups and clinical seminars. This module will run alongside the academic module(s), training groups and studio practice. Students will be in personal therapy and this must run concurrently with placements.
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
In this section
Criteria leading to selection for interview:
All successful applicants are required to complete an enhanced Access NI security check.
Applicants will be required to submit references from two referees relating to their academic and professional performance.
This course is currently under review.
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 7.0 with no band score less than 6.5.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
In this section
"Art Psychotherapy graduates typically combine sessional, part time and full time employment. They work with people of all ages living with a wide range of emotional or physical conditions in the context of mental health, education, arts and health, community, and voluntary settings. Art Psychotherapists need to be flexible and resourceful. Within the current context in health and social care, entrepreneurial skills are also needed, and most art psychotherapists start their career on a self-employed basis and establish art therapy provision in a wide variety of settings. Many Art Psychotherapists work in partnership with allied professionals to develop innovative approaches to practice" (British Association of Art Therapists).
Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for the purpose of providing eligibility to apply for registration with the HCPC as an arts therapist.
Postgraduate fees are subject to annual review, 2025/26 fees will be announced in due course.
See our tuition fees page for the current fees for 2024/25 entry.
Students must be prepared to enter personal therapy, with a university approved therapist for a minimum of 75 hours throughout their training. This is paid for by the student, in addition to their course fees. Personal therapy provides an experience of learning about the therapeutic relationship and supports the emotional demands of training. Personal therapists are required to submit reports confirming hours completed and noting any concerns about a student practicing as an art psychotherapist. This is paid for by the student, in addition to the course fees. The costs of this vary significantly and may range between £25 to £80 per session. This provides a personal experience of learning about therapy and also supports the emotional demands of the training. Whilst the content of this therapy work is confidential within normal parameters, personal therapists are required to submit a report regularly confirming the hours completed and noting any serious concerns about the student practising.
Whilst students are covered by University insurance, students are strongly encouraged to take out their own additional professional indemnity cover and this may be required by some placements.
The additional cost of travel to and from placements and the University should be taken into account.
Studio fee for specialist art equipment may be required and is normally up to £100 and contributes to additional materials used by students.
Students purchase materials for their own coursework.
Northern Ireland, Great Britain and EU Fees
£6,270.00
It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.
There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.
See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with our staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.
At Ulster every person, course, research project, and professional service area on every campus either does or can contribute in some way towards the global sustainability and climate change agenda.
We are guided by both our University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our work in this area is already being recognised globally. Most recently by the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rating where we were recognised as Joint 5th Globally for Outreach Activities and Joint Top 20 Globally for Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.
Visit our Sustainability at Ulster destination to learn more about how the University strategy and the activities of Ulster University support each of the Sustainable Development Goals.
