Colleges that Offer Dance Therapy Programs
If you are interested in helping people heal through dance and movement, it might be time to consider a degree in dance therapy. A subsection of recreational therapy, dance therapy uses drama, movement, music and the arts as therapeutic tools for people who are ill or who have special needs. Read on to learn more about bachelor's degree programs in the field. Schools offering Allied Health degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
What Undergraduate Schools Offer Dance Therapy?
If you want to have a career in dance therapy, you may consider enrolling in an undergraduate degree in expressive arts therapy or therapeutic recreation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a bachelor's degree is typically the standard requirement for entry-level work in the field (www.bls.gov). As part of a 4-year program, you may study psychology, visual arts, dance and theater to explore the theoretical side of the arts and its role in counseling. By the end of the 4-year program, you are likely to take part in an internship to apply your classroom skills.
What Are Graduate Programs in Dance Therapy Like?
If you want to further your studies, you can enroll in a graduate school that offers a Master of Arts in Dance or Movement Therapy. In the 2-year and 3-year programs, you can combine classroom learning and lectures with hands-on studio work and clinical experience providing dance therapy to people in need. Some graduate schools will also require you to complete a thesis project.
What Will I Learn in Graduate School?
While studying dance therapy, it's common to take classes that combine the arts, dance, psychology and counseling. Some of the classes you may take include:
- Group dynamics and therapy
- Human psychological development
- Theories of psychotherapy
- Movement observation
Can I Earn a Certificate?
There are certificate programs available if you want additional studies and guided internships that add to your master's degree. Post-graduate certificate programs can cover movement pattern analysis and movement analysis, for example. There are also undergraduate certificate programs if you want to gain an introduction to dance/movement therapy.
What Else Should I Consider?
When looking at schools, you should consider programs that are supported by the American Dance Therapy Association. In 2009, four U.S. states required recreational therapists to be licensed to practice, the BLS reports.
Along with your degree, you may have to be certified by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification to pursue a career, the BLS reports. Some dance therapists become Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists depending on their backgrounds and career intentions, according to the BLS.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:
Subscribe to RSS feed for
Psychology and Behavioral Science FAQs
