Art Therapy Major Meets Career
Graduates of Naropa’s Art Therapy program will be prepared to pursue a master’s degrees in studio art, counseling and mental health fields, and art therapy, as well as careers as art instructors, caseworkers, art coaches, mental health workers, recreation specialists, and more. In addition, knowledge of art therapy and visual literacy can be applicable in many careers…ie marketing, human resources, journalism, and both web and product design fields.
Discover Career Pathways for Art Therapy Graduates
Meet Art Therapy Graduate Fern Deininger
Art Therapy graduate Jennifer “Fern” Deininger discusses how the Mentorship program, which pairs graduate Art Therapy students with undergraduate Art Therapy students, was instrumental in helping her forge her path.
Career Options
Human Services
- Mentorship
- Coaching
- Elderly Care
- Crisis Work
- Rehabilitation Services
- Advocacy
- Grant Writing
- Policy Reform
- Non-Profit Fundraising
- Testing / Assessment
- Case Management
- Physical Health/Wellness
- Residential Treatment
- Hospice
- Homeless Shelter
- Prisons
Research
- Neuroscience
- Social Research
- Market Research
- Data Analysis
Education
- Art Teacher in private or independent schools
- Art Teacher in public schools after pursuing a licensure program
- Teaching Assistant
- Tutoring
- Higher Education: Admissions, Advising, Alumni, Study Abroad, Financial Aid
- Summer Camp Counselor
Human Resources
- Coordination/Recruitment
- Training and Development
- Benefits and Compensation
- On-boarding/Training
- Diversity and Inclusion
Art Therapy
- Mentorship
- Coaching
- Collaborating with nonprofits
- Working in schools
- Supporting underserved populations and human service programs
- Graduate degree is advisable
Somatic/Dance Therapy
- Mentorship
- Coaching
- Working in schools
- Collaborating with nonprofits
- Supporting underserved populations and human service programs
- Graduate degree is advisable
Business
- Strategy/Audience Profiles/Personas
- Market and Behavioral Research
- Client Management
- Sales
- Public Relations
- Product Design
- Advertising, Marketing
Technology
- User Experience
- Client Management
- Product Design
Potential Employers
Human Services
- Federal/State/Local Governments: Health and Human Services, Veteran/Justice Services, State hospitals
- Nursing/Retirement Homes
- Outpatient Clinics
- Rehabilitation clinics
- Testing Centers
- Mentorship Organizations
- Start Your Own Coaching Business
Research
- Market Research Firms
- Federal / State / Local Government
- Consulting Firms
- Universities and Colleges
- Nonprofit Organizations
Education
- Public, Private, Charter & Waldorf schools
- Colleges and Universities
- Non profits re: College Prep
- Tutoring agencies
- Art Teacher in private or independent schools
Human Resources
- Any organization you are interested in that has a human resource department
- Government
- Nonprofits
- Hospitals
- Higher Education
Business
- Marketing Agencies
- Advertising Agencies
- Consulting Firms
- Retail stores
- Real Estate companies
- Sales Firms
Career Path Preparedness
Strategies for Success
- Sign up for the Internship class and complete an internship related to the psychology/counseling field. See the Career & Life Development office on MyNaropa for the full internship site list and for a variety of different organizations to get involved in.
- Get involved in school leadership groups & resources i.e. SUN, the Naropa Community & Student Counseling Centers, residence halls, CARE team, CReST, conflict / mediation support, leadership groups, etc.
- Complete a service learning project aligned with your career goals/path. See your COR professors & advisors for details.
- Align your classes, curriculum, research projects and thesis/capstone projects with your career goals/path.
- Volunteer at community organizations that align with your career goals & provide the opportunity for hands-on training—think: crisis hotlines, youth support, homeless population services, LGBTQIA+ organizations, eating disorder foundations, elderly care, mentorship, tutoring, etc.
- Earn a minor in a specialized field of interest.
- Participate in community training opportunities offered by various organizations i.e. Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, ASSIST suicide training, Crisis Training, Right Use of Power, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, among others.
- Become fluent in a foreign language to serve a variety of populations.
- Familiarize yourself with partner organizations/community resources that can best serve those populations that you want to work with.
- Get started in an entry-level position in clinical counseling setting, private counseling and/or agency environment.
- Pursue a graduate degree in psychology, counseling, or social work.
Continuing Education
If you plan on continuing your education in counseling/psychology in terms of a graduate degree, there are several things you will want to keep in mind while in your undergraduate studies:
- Academic work and the way you show up is VERY important. Put in your best effort academically and aim for a high grade point average.
- Relationships matter. REALLY matter. Build positive connections while in the Naropa community with faculty, staff, colleagues, etc. These relationships will continue to support you, and you can ask those same people to provide recommendation letters for your graduate degree applications!
- Get experience! A lot of it. Either through academic, internship, volunteer, or work opportunities. This will bolster your application and CV immensely!
Alumnx Spotlight
Getting connected with Naropa Alumnx is a great way to build your professional network and resources. Some ways to get involved are:
Connect with Naropa’s Office of Development and the Alumnx Relations Officer at 303-546-3594 or nualumni@naropa.edu.
Visit the Alumnx & Resources page.
Reach out to Naropa Alumnx on Linkedln
Attend Career & Life Development events and Alumnx panels
