Back to top

Graduate Diploma in Expressive Arts Therapy

Graduate Diploma
(Postgraduate)

Serves a wide range of professionals in the educational, health and social service sectors.

Graduate Diploma in Expressive Arts Therapy


Overview

Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) is in a unique position to offer an expressive arts therapy programme as it serves a wide range of professionals in the educational, health and social service sectors, and it is set up to deliver courses for adults already in practice. For many years, requests have been forthcoming for a part-time arts therapy course for those unable to pursue it full-time. Hence, our Graduate Diploma in Expressive Arts Therapy (GDXAT) programme offers not only a part-time and more flexible option, but also includes different art forms like play, art, mind and body work, narrative and storytelling. Through these in-depth opportunities, professionals could employ expressive arts therapy to combine psychology and the creative process to promote emotional growth and healing. This multi-arts approach uses our innate desire to create - via play, art, music, dance, poetry or any other artistic form - as a therapeutic tool to help initiate change.

Our GDXAT creates new connections with emerging Asian models of expressive arts therapy in India and Hong Kong. It presents a psychological approach that is humanistic in orientation. As a Graduate Diploma, graduates will not meet the requirements for full registration as an expressive arts therapist or qualify them to practise as therapists. However, it may form the basis for the eventual development of a full master's programme which will qualify graduates to register as International Expressive Arts Therapists with IEATA (International Expressive Arts Therapy Association) that is based in the US.

Admission Requirements

Refer to general admission criteria for graduate programmes.

In addition, applicants will need to meet the following requirements:

Additional Admission Requirements

  • Competencies in at least two expressive arts form
  • Training and certification in at least one therapy modal
  • Should be in the helping profession for at least 2 years, OR volunteering for at least 2 years in the capacity of using the expressive arts forms in the context of therapeutic work
  • Willing to undergo at least 12 hours of personal counselling or therapy during their study at SUSS

Application Submissions (Essay, Portfolio and Certificates)

  • Evidence of competencies in the two expressive arts form
  • Evidence of training in said therapy modal
  • Essay: Why the interest in this programme? What would you like to do with the qualification upon graduation?

Admission Audition and Interview

  • To perform and or showcase the two expressive arts form works
  • To present and or clarify the said therapy training and works
  • To discuss interests and aspirations in the expressive arts therapy field of work

This programme is currently unable to take in international students, i.e., you must be a Singapore citizen, permanent resident or a resident in Singapore (e.g., Employment Pass holder) in order to apply for admission.

Financial Assistance

The University offers course fee concession for selected graduate programmes. Please click here for more details.

Programme Structure

Students of our GDXAT programme are required to complete 30 credit units (cu) consisting of six core courses, inclusive of a personal creative practice with reflective journalling and some supervised practice, before they graduate. All courses are 5 cu unless stated otherwise.

GDXAT is also stackable towards the Master of Social Sciences, subject to meeting programme requirements

ProgStruc_GDXAT

Practitioners in counselling, social work, teaching, special education, eldercare.

This Graduate Diploma enhances the skill-sets of the abovementioned practitioners to bring about more efficacious therapeutic outcomes in their work with their clients.

  1. How many intake(s) are there in a year for Graduate Diploma in Expressive Arts Therapy (GDXAT)?
    We have only one intake a year, in every July

  2. What is the maximum candidature to complete the GDXAT?
    The maximum candidature period is 2 years.

  3. How many courses do students take in each semester?
    Students are recommended to complete 3 courses per semester.

  4. What is the assessment structure?
    There will be two assignments and a written examination or end-of-course assessment for every course. Student will need to achieve a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.5 to be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Expressive Arts Therapy.

  5. When are the lessons scheduled?
    Lessons are scheduled on four Saturdays per course from 8.30am to 5.30pm, with a lunch break of an hour.
Back to top