The B.S. in Expressive Arts in Mental Health is a multi-disciplinary program which integrates many areas of study, including Psychology and the Arts. Art Therapy is designated as a mind-body approach by the National Institute of Health. Students of Expressive Arts in Mental Health are trained to help people find or maintain their own mind/body solutions. They work with individuals, groups, and families to facilitate creative growth. In addition to fundamental skills, students gain the theoretical background and applied experience necessary for graduate studies or employment in human services. In order to be registered and board certified in Expressive Arts in Mental Health/Creative Arts in Therapy it is necessary to acquire an advanced degree. [63-64 credits]
Students in the Expressive Arts in Mental Health program may pursue an accelerated track (3+2) or a linked track (4+2) for the Occupational Therapy (M.S.) program. Please see the links below for eligibility criteria. Students in the 4+2 linked program complete the undergraduate degree before moving on to occupational therapy graduate coursework.
• Occupational Therapy 3+2 *
• Occupational Therapy 4+2
* Note: the 3+2 accelerated option is only open to new first year freshman students who have 20 or more completed college credits prior to enrolling at Russell Sage College.
Core Requirements
Complete all of the following:
Degree Completion Notes
- Total credits required for a bachelor's degree (minimum): 120 credits
- Cumulative GPA required for graduation (minimum): 2.000
- Major GPA required for graduation (minimum): 2.200
- 1/2 of major requirements must be completed at Sage (minimum)
- Completion of 60 liberal arts and sciences credits (minimum)
- Completion of all required General Education coursework
Suggested Program of Study
The following is a general schedule for the Expressive Arts in Mental Health major. Please check with your faculty advisor or the EMH Program Director about course availability and two-year rotations.
• Practicums and internships: students are responsible for transportation arrangements to and from practicum and internship settings. Yearly physical examinations and immunizations are required by most practicum and internship sites. In addition, many of these settings require students to be fingerprinted and undergo a criminal history review. Students are responsible for the costs of these processes. Information regarding how to meet these requirements is provided by the program director.
Year 1 - Fall
EMH 201 Intro to Expressive Arts in Mental Health
EMH Major - Visual Arts Course
PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology
RSC 101 Thriving at Sage
WRT 101 Writing in Community
Year 2 - Spring
EMH 211 Intro to Art Therapy
EMH Major - Visual Arts Course
WRT 201 Researching in Community
General Education course
General/open Elective Course
Year 2 - Fall
EMH 207 Pract I: EMH with the Individual
EMH 330 Child Dev & Expressive Arts
EMH Major - Visual Arts Course
RSC 201 Intercultural Perspectives
General Education Course
Year 2 - Spring
EMH 307 Practicum II: EMH in Groups
EMH Major - Visual Arts Course
PSY Dev Science, PSY 202 or PSY 208
General Education Course
General/open Elective Course
Year 3 - Fall
EMH Major - Therapy course
EMH Major - Visual Arts Course
PSY 308 Abnormal Psychology
General Education Course
General Education Course
Year 3 - Spring
EMH Major - Visual Arts Course
RSC 301 Innovating to Impact
General Education Course
General/open Elective Course
General/open Elective Course
Year 4 - Fall
AEM 421 Capstone I: Studio Theory
EMH 430 Seminar II: Elements of Therapeutic Flow
PSY 406 Personality Theory
General Education Course
General/open Elective Course
Year 4 - Spring
EMH 442 Seminar III: Expressive Arts in Mental Health
EMH 407 EMH Integrated Experience
EMH Major - Visual Arts Course
General Education Course
General/open Elective Course