Master’s Program · In partnership with the European Graduate School (EGS)
Master’s in Expressive Arts Therapy
A three-year, hybrid graduate program combining weekly online learning, monthly in-person intensives in San Diego, and a summer residency in Switzerland — designed to fit around your professional life.
3 years
Duration
San Diego + Switzerland
Residency
1 weekend/month + 1 class/week
Schedule
Accredited MA
Credential
REAT eligible
IEATA registration
A graduate program built for working professionals
This hybrid, low-residency program combines weekly online learning and monthly intensives offered online and in person in San Diego. The program runs September through May and includes a required 5-day summer intensive in San Diego and three summer study periods in Switzerland, 23 days each, through our partnership with the European Graduate School.
What you’ll study
Our modular coursework is completed over three years and integrates hands-on creative practice with theory and reflection.
Module K+ — Intermodal and Polyaesthetic Arts Foundations
The entrance-level training shared by all programs.
- Community Art, Intermodality & Polyaesthetics
- Intermodal Dance & Embodied Practice
- Intermodal Theater, Storytelling & Narrative
- Intermodal Music & Sound
- Intermodal Visual Arts (2D & 3D)
- Intermodal Poetry & Oral Tradition
- Biography as Resource
- Eco-Poesis & Site-Specific Practice
- Final exam
Module F+ — Theory and Philosophy
Prerequisite: Module K+ completion + 60 hours of master artist training.
- Trauma Informed Practice
- Philosophy & Menschenbild
- Aesthetic Development of the Child
- Human Development Adulthood to Death
- Medical Knowledge & Diagnostic Literacy
- Salutogenic & Resource-Based Approaches
- Social & Political Dimensions of Practice
- Therapeutic Relationship
- Law & Ethics (online only)
- Final exam
Module P+ — Practicum & Thesis
The final phase: supervised practice and original research.
- 500 supervised practicum hours
- Individual + group supervision throughout
- Thesis: 75–120 pages integrating expressive arts theory, artistic practice, clinical/cultural/social context, and scholarly literature
Thesis & advanced study
After completing coursework, students enter the advanced supervision and thesis phase — a period of integration, original research, and professional voice development.
Guided thesis process
Faculty supervision throughout the writing and research process.
Group seminars
Up to 5 group thesis meetings plus individual support from your advisor.
Monthly supervision
Advanced supervision continues monthly during the thesis year.
Personal integration
Synthesize practice, research, and your own professional voice.
Hands-on experience
Students complete supervised, real-world practice in community settings — building the practical foundation that theory alone can’t provide. Hours can be completed gradually alongside your studies, in a variety of community settings.
Additional training requirements
Method Specific Training
8 hours
Work one-on-one with an approved expressive arts practitioner to deepen your personal experience of the work.
Master Art Studio
60 hours per year
Deepen your identity as an artist alongside your therapeutic training by studying a chosen art discipline.
Our academic partner
Rooted in the birthplace of the field
The Expressive Arts Institute partners with the European Graduate School in Saas Fee, Switzerland — the institution founded by Paolo J. Knill, pioneer and co-founder of the field of expressive arts therapy. The accredited MA is granted through EGS, and Master’s students complete three summer study periods on campus in Switzerland, 23 days each.
- Founded by Paolo J. Knill, pioneer of expressive arts therapy
- Fully accredited Swiss university
- MA credential granted through EGS
- Three summer residencies in Saas Fee, Switzerland, 23 days each
Admissions & prerequisites
Required before applying
- Completion of the two-day online Introduction to Expressive Arts Therapy course
Preferred qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in human services, arts, or related field
- Alternative pathways may be available — contact admissions
Application materials
- Completed application form
- Letters of recommendation
- Admission interview (scheduled after application review)
A separate application to EGS is required for the Master’s credential.
The admissions process
Complete the intro course
Attend the two-day Introduction to Expressive Arts Therapy.
Submit your application
Complete the application form and provide letters of recommendation.
Interview
Your application is reviewed and an admission interview is scheduled.
EGS application
Complete the separate European Graduate School application for the MA credential.
Enroll
Program runs September–May. Begin your first year.
Is this program for you?
You feel called to integrate creativity and healing
You value experiential, embodied learning
You want both personal growth and professional training
You’re seeking a program that works with your life
Not sure if this is the right fit? Take the program quiz or book a free info session.
Program faculty
Judith Greer Essex
PhD, LMFT, REAT, ADTR
Founding Director
Trained as a dancer, Judith is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, and Academy of Dance Therapists Registered practitioner. A pioneer in the art-based therapy movement and author of Mastering the Practice of Expressive Arts Therapy: A Practitioner’s Guide (2025).
Elizabeth McKim
Poet Laureate of EGS
Visiting Fellow & Co-Founder of the Field
A co-founder of the expressive arts movement and Poet Laureate of the European Graduate School, Elizabeth is senior lecturer in Lesley University’s Arts in Learning program. She has performed internationally, published seven books of poetry, and is a recognized expert in the oral tradition.
Ready to take the next step?
Book a free info session with our team — we'll answer your questions about the Master's program, the EGS partnership, and whether this path is right for you.
Prefer to explore first? Download the program guide
