MAART4200 Assessment and Intervention Methods in Art Therapy Course description

Assessment in art therapy is a two folded process that focuses both on assessing the complexity of the client’s problem and those art-based treatment qualities, materials and tools that are applicable and suitable for reaching the set goals. This course will focus on both aspects. Students will learn to consider how the complexity of psychological and developmental aspects such as attachment and trauma effect on their choice of art therapy approach and methods.

During the course, students will study in theory and practice how to assess different client needs, set individually relevant goals and tailor art therapy interventions that match these requirements. Students learn to use different tools for assessment and developing interventions, based on different theories, methods and guidelines that enable them to describe practice in a systematic manner both for clinical and research purposes.

The course includes practice that is conducted in the form of simulation where students will test the effects of the developed interventions and can further iterate and co-design them with the study group. Students also begin practice training outside university according to individual agreements.

Passed course MAART4100 Introduction to Methods and Ethics of Art Therapy.

Admission to the program

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence: 

Knowledge

The student:

• can assess the complexity of the client’s problem and tailor art therapy interventions that match with the set goals

• has knowledge of different art-based and clinical tools that can be used to assess artistic and psychological elements of suitable interventions for different cases
• has developed knowledge of attachment theory and principles of trauma treatment within the context of art therapy

 Skills

The student:  

• can develop and use both contact and digital distant art therapy interventions targeted on specific needs of a client or group of clients

• can flexibly apply different methods of art therapy on clients’ problems and communicate the aims of specific interventions
• can develop and use research-based interventions and describe practice in a systematic way that enables further research and analysis of the intervention

  Competence

The student:

• can develop novel solutions and applications of art therapy tailored to the needs of different clients and client groups
• can flexibly apply practical methods of art therapy to answer varying problems based on researched principles of assessment and intervention development

The course is combining seminars and distant learning. Teaching and learning methods include lectures, workshops, skills training and supervision of practice training. The course will use varied art-based and student-active learning methods. The course includes various art-based and student active learning methods.

Between the seminars, there will be digital lectures and the students will work on the intervention development assignment that will be simulated and discussed in group. The results of this work will be presented in the exam.

Skills training takes place in workshops. In professional experiential workshops, the focus is on simulating art therapeutic interaction to enable learning and reflection from the therapist perspective. In personal experiential workshops, students will explore and reflect upon art making and their own creative process from the client’s perspective.

Practice

The course includes at least 20 hours of practice training in the form of intervention simulations of with at least 2 hours active leading of the simulation.

In addition the course includes 20 hours of practice training outside the university. The art therapy practice can be conducted both in live and in distant interventions depending of the context of practice and client group. Practice can be individual or group art therapy in pedagogical, clinical or community service context such as special school, elderly home, hospital, patient organisation, rehabilitation clinic, housing unit, institution or community. For more detailed descriptions of practical training, see separate plan for practical training.

The following coursework must have been approved in order for a student to be permitted to take the exam:

• participation in seminars, compulsory attendance of 80 %
• minimum 90% participation on the 40 practice hours that include 20 hours participation on the simulation practice and 20 hours at the practice outside the university

Oral exam up to 30 min in pairs either at the campus or digitally, which consists of:

• presentation of the results and theoretical base of the intervention development project (20 min) and discussion (10 min)

The exam answer can be given in English or a Scandinavian language.

A new or postponed pair exam may be arranged as an individual oral exam.   

All aids are permitted.

Pass/Fail

All exams are assessed by two examiners. External examiner is used regularly.