Art therapy students can now earn their master’s degrees sooner with the accelerated five-year bachelor’s to master’s (BA2MA) program.

Undergraduate students who have 90 credits and a 3.0 GPA or higher may be accepted into the five-year track, according to Art Therapy Program Director Stephanie Wise.

“It’s a seamless transition from the bachelor’s program to the master’s program,” said Art Therapy Graduate Assistant Kiley Moesta. “Undergrad students have the opportunity to accelerate through their undergraduate degree within three years and then be able to receive their master’s in two years.”

The BA2MA program incorporates graduate level courses between studio arts and mental health while students complete a bachelor’s degree.

“When [undergraduates] go into the graduate program, they are very familiar with how the studio is integrated in the mental health aspect of the work of art therapy,” said Wise. “They have a working knowledge of how the theory and application work together.”

According to Wise, students who enroll in the accelerated track can save about $9,000 in cost.

The accelerated track helps students begin their career in the field sooner, according to Moesta.

“As an art therapist, you are required to have a master’s degree to practice art therapy,” Moesta said.
“The quicker you get through a master’s program, the quicker you are able to work toward being a credentialed art therapist, which will allow you to advance in your career.”

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