Notre Dame de Namur University Reviews of Master's in Health Sciences

"I appreciate and am so grateful for my masters experience in the Art therapy/psychotherapy department at NDNU. I gathered a solid clinical base and an expertise in the field of art therapy. The professors were all knowledgeable and passionate about the field."

"Before attending NDNU I felt questionable about my chosen path in life. I never felt as if I fit into the communities attached to my chosen majors at my previous campus, therefore I had my doubts going into my masters program. Those doubts vanished the day I attended open house at NDNU and the first day stepped foot into the Art Therapy program to attend class. I was welcomed with such warmth and open arms by my professors and fellow colleagues. It is at NDNU I realized that Art therapy is the path that I want to be on in life and it is a path that I hope to continue on with the help of NDNU."

"As an alumni, my experience with Notre Dame de Namur’s Art Therapy Psychology program was one that I will forever cherish. The amount of knowledge gained, support given, and community created by the staff and it’s members is incomparable. I am incredibly grateful to be given the opportunity to not only study with Notre Dame de Namur’s Art Therapy Psychology program, but to remain connected beyond the classroom walls, as well. If you are passionate about the field of Art Therapy, Notre Dame de Namur’s Art Therapy Psychology program is a place where that passion will be nourished and will flourish."

"I graduated from NDNU (dual majored in Marriage and Family therapy and Art Therapy). The program is great if you're interested in becoming a dual-licensed Marriage and Family Therapy and Art Therapist. The program offered: support from staff, professors and peers, engaging ways to use art in therapy sessions, an inviting community that has stayed with me through my transition from student to therapist, smaller class sizes that make learning and making connections easier, and encourages creativity, self-discovery, and self-growth."

"I highly recommend the art therapy psychology program to anyone with an interest in the field. I gained so much from the program, and I have been sharing the tools I’ve learned with clients throughout the Bay Area for the past 10+ years. I cannot speak highly enough about the quality of the program and the way it prepared me to enter the workforce. I use skills I learned at NDNU on a daily basis with my clients and am so glad there is a program like this one out there. A+++"

"The MFT/Art Therapy program is a wonderful program. It is created to set graduating students up for success in the field and success within community. The program provided a strong foundation in theory and clinical skills. The education provided on art therapy is built into every course and sets graduating students up with wonderful knowledge around the power of art."

"I am a pediatric hematology/oncology Art Therapist at Stanford Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, CA. I have my dream career all thanks to the Art Therapy Psychology Department. The dedication of the faculty in the Art Therapy Psychology department is unparalleled. I am proud to be an alumni. Thank you to all my professors: Dr. Gwen Sanders, Dr. Jo Wallace, Dr. Richard Carolan and Dr. Arnell Etherington. You are valued and invaluable. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!"

"The art therapy psychology department stands out as a program of distinction, and has gained local recognition at agencies and schools in the field of mental and behavioral health, not just for its stellar education and training toward MFT and LPC licensure, but for its additional specialization in art therapy. It provides a balance of rigorous academic learning with hands-on, experiential fieldwork that has better prepared me to enter the field, and sets me apart from other applicants with similar degrees of study. In my Traineeship, I have encountered few other MFT students who possess the same depth of applied knowledge in theory and practice, methods, mechanisms of change, and cross-cultural learning. I am so grateful to this program and the combined knowledge, wisdom, and experience of the directors, advisors, professors, and staff."

"My time in the Art Therapy Psychology department is filled with fond memories of learning, growth, community service, and strong community. The professors are top-notch and formed such a close knit community that many students and staff are still in touch, which is so helpful when it comes to career networking. It’s incredibly exciting to graduate from the first University to have a PhD program in Art Therapy in the country."

"NDNU professors are leaders in their field, and share a tremendous amount of applicable experience with their students. The academics are skewed heavily, as it is in many counseling programs, towards self reflection and personal growth of the students as therapists."

"Overall, I really love it here at NDNU. It's my first semester here. The campus is beautiful. The campus is small and easy to get around. Class sizes are relatively small, which can be rather helpful. I do wish there was a little more variety to the food in the cafeteria. I also wish the laundry service here didn't cost money. I also was shocked when the arts undergrad programs were cancelled. I ran into trouble when the bookstore on campus was closed, I think for renovations but I'm not sure. I still am having a couple issues with returning a book that is missing pages. Other than the things I mentioned, I really enjoy it here."

"The Art Therapy major is inclusive and fun. You will learn a lot about using art to help support clients. The draw back is the campus who focus more on supporting undergraduate than graduate students. The Art Therapy major has the worst building on campus."

"Overall I think it's a great program. The classes were small so there were lots of opportunities for discussion and interaction. Art-making was part of many classes which is crucial in learning to do art therapy, understanding the process from the inside out, and developing one's own relationship to the practice and the field of art therapy. Many art therapists who work in various settings in the community presented as part of the classes. This was a great way to get a sense of different styles, of work with various populations and issues, and to start to build networks. The professors were friendly and supportive as were fellow students. The things I would have liked would be studio art therapy on campus as part of the learning and to learn more about depth-oriented psychodynamic art therapy. Also, at the time the Program was not strong in terms of cultural competence, but my impression from interactions with Program staff and students since then is that that has changed. I feel lucky have an education in the field of therapy. As someone who came into the Program already licensed as a therapist, my art therapy education and training opened opportunities to me that I wouldn't have without it (contract work providing art therapy groups in various settings) and has deepened and expanded my work with individual clients. It's also connected me to a great community of peers and mentors."

"This is a great program if you're interested in combining a Marriage and Family Therapy licenser and an Art Therapist credential. The two go hand-in-hand, and provides the student with fun and engaging ways for doing therapy. It is an innovative field, that offers creativity, discovery, and self-growth as you learn about how to become the best therapist you can be."

"This program has been outstanding. Working in the field for practicum, attending classes and writing my thesis i have been truly been supported. The classes are small and intimate. The professors teach in depth, are inspiring, helpful, and hands on. I couldn't ask for a better education, professors, or colleagues. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in the field. Everyone is very welcoming. There are many opportunities to test out art directives in class before you make it into the field. There are also many opportunities for self evaluation and growth. Check it out, talk to the advisors, get ready for the experience of a lifetime."

"This art therapy program has been transformative on a personal and professional level. The University staff that assist students in other departments seem to hold a grudge against every other department, which they don’t hold back from sharing with the students. This environment impedes student progress and rappers school spirit. Due to internal bickering in these supportive departments, our art therapy department receives improvements last. We were the last to obtain a new water fountain, often have issues with our heating, and often experience water difficulty. Should the university evolve to put students first, and smooth inner turmoils, this university could really shine. The location, nature, and Spirituality on campus are unique and amazing. I picked this school with great influence from the woodlands and the nuns. The professors on campus in the art therapy department are incredibly committed, very open to feedback, and always working to better themselves. They help students to focus on their internal process, a practice we will carry as therapists. And constantly encourage us to think bigger. I have felt so supported in this program, and have made life long connections in both friendship and collegiate forms. I’m grateful I went to NDNU."

"RED FLAGS. In regards to the Masters in Arts in Art Therapy and Marriage and Family Therapy, if you are looking for a program where standards are consistently high across all areas of learning, curriculum is current and designed thoughtfully and rigorously to prepare students, teachers are passionate and accountable for their duties, then LOOK ELSEWHERE. NDNU delivers an incredibly spotty and disappointing experience. Facilities are severely lacking - poor wifi connections, run down classrooms, child grade art supplies, zero air conditioning. Professors are inconsistent - a couple are excellent but most are disorganized, have low standards for achievement, or are too busy with other obligations beyond teaching (private practice, conducting research, writing books, etc.). The director of the program fails to stay abreast of student evaluations and student feedback that would alert her to making the program better, let alone hold the professors accountable for failing their teaching duties. They enroll some students that are not a good fit and some that are mentally unable to do the work but take their money anyways. Class offerings are limited, unflexible and cater to the professors schedules. Curriculum is out dated - you will not find coursework in cutting edge psychology practices from 1980 onward, with the exception of a mention of virtual reality. Curriculum is unduly weighted in the psychopathology model versus the wellness model. Research component is laughable - you will be required to write a thesis and conduct research without having proper instruction on how to do any of this. How does NDNU's Art Therapy program think that they are going to contribute to the field of Art Therapy by setting such low standards? Lastly, if you are an artist, you will be dumbfounded that they have stripped away the very things that naturally contribute to the therapeutic qualities of art making. The program assumes you will have knowledge of research methodology, which most art majors do not. Interview some recent graduates before you commit. Do not get sold by one of their admissions advisors. This program fails to deliver."

"The diversity and support that the Art Therapy Department has enables a mature student like myself to achieve a Masters degree in a relatively short time. I am extremely pleased with all aspects of the program and am considering furthering my education with the PhD program."