The Diploma of Arts Therapy is a higher education diploma where you will study the significance of arts marking process and symbolic expression for healing outcomes. Arts therapy is effective in engaging people who may struggle to participate in more traditional ‘talking therapies’ such as children, adolescents, people suffering from trauma, those with disabilities, language difficulties or those from other cultural backgrounds. 

Expressing oneself through creative activity has been found to assist in the promotion of physical, emotional, cognitive and social integration and functioning. The consequent insights and personal understandings can be instrumental in facilitating change. The course will introduce to you a range of major arts therapy theoretical perspectives and concepts, including expressive arts, multimodal approaches, and humanistic, cognitive and psychoanalytic approaches.

Through this course, you will develop relational skills and therapeutic presence to help clients explore their inner experience through the creative arts and the art-making process

International applicants must have an English Language Proficiency Score of IELTS 6.5 (Academic) with Speaking no less than 6.5; Listening, Writing and Reading no less than 6.0, or equivalent.

Our admission pathway options include:

1. Applicants with Recent Senior Secondary Education (within the past two years) must have completed an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (Year 12). For guaranteed entry applicants must have achieved an ATAR of 65 (or equivalent).
2. Applicants with Higher Education (HE) study must have a successful completion (or partial completion) of a higher education qualification.
3. Applicants with Vocational Education and Training (VET) study must have completed a vocational qualification at the Diploma level or higher.
4. Applicants with Work/Life experience who left senior secondary education more than two years prior to their application, and have not undertaken VET or HE study since, may gain entry based on professional or work experience and/or any non-formal courses undertaken in preparation for tertiary study or that are relevant to the subject area. Work/Life experience applicants must submit a written admission statement outlining their reasons for undertaking the intended course of study. For more information about writing your admissions statement click here.

All applicants must complete the Learner Questionnaire within the Application Form and demonstrate they have the inherent qualities and motivations to be successful in the course. Applicants may be required to participate in an informal interview with an Ikon representative.

A hands-on deeply rewarding career

You’ll get your hands dirty literally in our comprehensive arts therapy courses, which combine cutting-edge psychology courses with a practical and physical arts program. Be prepared to learn just as much about yourself as you break down walls, then build up confidence and resilience in others.

Your fresh start could also be theirs

There has never been a better time to pursue a more meaningful career. As an art therapist, you’ll help all walks of life, from those who have experienced trauma, to those who struggle to open up by talking alone. You’ll guide them to thrive and in turn, you’ll be rewarded immeasurably.

Be their turning point

As an art therapist, you’ll meet people who may have experienced mental, emotional or physical challenges. Through the medium of art, you’ll help them overcome small and sometimes large hurdles and show them just what they’re capable of. You’ll be right there as they enter an exciting new chapter, facilitating a healing of the heart and mind.

Turn your life experience into your life’s work

The obstacles you’ve overcome will only serve to deepen your ability to connect with and help others. Our Diploma of Arts Therapy degree is designed for those who want to bring out the best in people, of all ages and backgrounds.

The Diploma of Arts Therapy prepares graduates with the skills to attend to the needs of clients in a variety of arts-based settings, ranging from mental health organisations, alcohol and drug centres, and other health centre agencies.

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of major arts therapy theoretical perspectives and concepts, including expressive arts, multimodal, humanistic, cognitive and psychoanalytic approaches.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of ethical issues, cultural and social diversity, and professional responsibility in the context of safe, ethical and reflective practice.
3. Establish relational qualities of empathy, mirroring, attunement and therapeutic presence in working with the arts with clients.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of a range of 2D and 3D art materials, colour and form, and how materials, colour and form can be used therapeutically to develop relationships and work with moment-to-moment experience.
5. Describe and apply the theory, philosophy and processes of the phenomenological method of arts therapy.
6. Assist the client in precisely verbally describing the inner experience represented in the artwork and the art-making process.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of how the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is used to understand client presentations of mental health and distress in clinical settings.
8. Demonstrate self-awareness, self-motivation and personal responsibility for learning, work and emerging professional skills.