Pursue your passion for art and mental health
The Bachelor of Fine Arts program in art therapy offers a unique opportunity for undergraduate student artists to merge and expand their growing passion for and commitment to art and mental health.
The art therapy program at ASU is the one of the only Bachelor of Fine Arts programs with a concentration in art therapy in the Southwest region of the United States.
Unlike many undergraduate paths to art therapy that require students to pursue psychology first and art second (or vice versa), ASU’s BFA in art therapy places both disciplines at the core of a single degree. Students complete more than 40 credit hours of studio art—including drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, digital media and interdisciplinary practices—alongside 18 credit hours in psychology.
Courses you'll take:
Create your own career
The BFA in art therapy from ASU can lead to many dynamic and rewarding career choices and academic pursuits, within the field of mental healthcare, contemporary and fine art, and beyond.
Want to become a board certified art therapist?
The courses in this program meet the requirements for entry into credentialed American Art Therapy Association art therapy graduate programs, and students who are in pursuit of becoming licensed (and board certified) art therapists will graduate ASU with the necessary prerequisites to apply to many of the nation’s premiere graduate art therapy programs.
Want to pursue other healthcare roles?
Students will also have the skills needed to enter a number of adjacent professional roles within healthcare, including entry level art therapy positions such as an assistant, clinical case management, behavioral health specialist, mental health counselors and outreach coordinator.
Want to focus on art and community outreach?
Graduates of the BFA in art therapy degree from ASU are well positioned to work in community art programs, youth programs and other entry-level social service program positions. Students develop a broad skill set that has value in community arts roles, individual studio and social practice, and learning and growth spaces where self care, wellness and creativity merge.
Graduates also have the guidance and tools to advance their academic careers and pursue professional opportunities, including exhibitions, residencies and grants.
Art Therapist
12% job growth
$65,010 median salary
Courses offered in the ASU art therapy
BFA meet the requirements for entry into credentialed American Art Therapy Association art therapy graduate programs.
Mental health counselor
19% job growth
$59,190.00 median salary ($63,830.00 in AZ)
Mental health and substance abuse social worker
12% job growth
$60,060 median salary
Salary numbers and projected job growth from 2023–33 are accurate as of August 2025 from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration.
A creative self-care practice
Engaging mental health, wellness and art will involve some self-reflection of one’s own lived experiences and intersection of identities. This program demonstrates and teaches a trauma-informed approach that privileges student safety (emotional, psychological, physical), choice (consent, options), student collaboration (co-creating, peer support), trustworthiness (transparency, consistency), student empowerment (strength-based learning), and culture, historical and gender awareness (tacit and cultural knowledge).Through this approach, students will be encouraged to safely honor themselves and their academic journey through developing a creative self-care practice that promotes healthy boundaries, consent-based feedback, and ongoing growth, exploration and learning.
Connect with us
If you have any questions, please reach out to us! The quickest way to reach us is through email. Our admission representatives in the Herberger Institute can provide admissions guidance and support to prospective students.