BA MAJOR & MINOR

What You’ll Study

The expressive arts therapy major emphasizes the creative process as healing. You’ll integrate psychology, social work and the expressive arts, such as music and art, while exploring the cultural, historical, and global context of these artistic expressions. Through this pre-professional program, you’ll be exposed to creative processes that help individuals improve their well-being – psychosocial, emotional, physical, and neurological.

Preparing for Your Future

While our Expressive Arts Therapy major does not provide certification, it gives you a solid and competitive background that prepares you for graduate training, certification, and careers in in expressive arts therapy or art therapy.

In addition to a direct path to MA in Art Therapy programs, you’ll be prepared for several other types of graduate programs by combining the Expressive Arts Therapy major or minor with specific other majors or minors, including:

  • MA in Music Therapy (when combined with Music)
  • MA or PhD in Counseling or Clinical Psychology (when combined with Psychology)
  • Masters of Social Work (when combined with Social Work or Psychology)

Hands-On

Applied music, art, and movement courses are an integral part of our expressive arts therapy program.

Music

Explore Classes in This Program

SWK 2020

Skills of Helping Others

This course helps you develop the skills necessary to establish and build helping relationships. Active listening and empathetic communication are emphasized. You’ll enhance your learning with 10 hours of service learning that involves direct interaction with others and reflection on your experience.

ART 1040

Introduction to Handbuilding

The focus of this studio course is on sculptural and vessel concepts using hand-building techniques, emphasizing the development of construction skills and an understanding of form, surface and firing possibilities.

PSY 3260

Theories and Techniques of Counseling and Psychotherapy

This course explores major theories and techniques utilized in psychotherapeutic settings. Through a combination of readings, discussion, and active role-playing, you’ll examine behavioral, cognitive, existential, humanistic, interpersonal, and psychodynamic approaches to treatment.

Still curious? See the Curriculum
Meet Our Faculty

I am committed to co-creating a rich and meaningful experience for students. Whether in the classroom, on a field course, or on the dance floor, I love to help students learn, grow, connect, and thrive.

Robert Swoap, Ph.D.
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Robert Swoap
Robert Swoap, Ph.D.
Martha Knight-Oakley

My students love complexity. They want to understand people in all our beautiful, gory detail. They want to have an impact on quality of life. They absolutely inspire me with their questions and research and action.

Martha Knight-Oakley, Ph.D.
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Martha Knight-Oakley
Martha Knight-Oakley, Ph.D.
Faculty Member Kevin Kehrberg sits behind a instrument outside of Kitteridge.

As a professor, I love that Warren Wilson students are unafraid to take risks, to challenge themselves, and to engage a topic or a work of art despite whether it aligns with their opinions or preferences.

Kevin Kehrberg, Ph.D.
Meet Kevin Kehrberg See all Social Sciences Faculty
Faculty Member Kevin Kehrberg sits behind a instrument outside of Kitteridge.
Kevin Kehrberg, Ph.D.
Robert Swoap

Hands-on, All-in

Weave 
Rebecca Pahoresky ‘22, used her skills from fiber arts crew to look at the effects of fiber arts work with brain injury survivors
Sculpt 
The Ceramics Studio Assistants maintain the outdoor kilns and work on personal projects.
Intern 
Monica Razo Villaseca ’23 worked with the elderly at Stonecreek Health and Rehabilitation for her internship.

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