Art Therapy Diploma

The Canadian Art Therapy Association indicates art therapy “combines the creative process and psychotherapy, facilitating self-exploration and understanding. Using imagery, colour and shape as part of this creative therapeutic process, thoughts and feelings can be expressed that would otherwise be difficult to articulate.”

With clear awareness of two-eyed seeing and intersectional identities, the WHEAT art therapy diploma engages students in a creative, experiential, transformative, and embodied learning experience, to develop capacity in the core competencies required to become art therapists within a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive framework. Our art therapy program gently bridges clinical foundations, Indigenous knowledge, humanistic values, and personal and collective healing, while engaging students in art-making, personal reflection, art therapy practice, and action on issues of identity, relationship, and social transformation.

The program runs 2.5 years from start to finish and includes two in-person summer immersions and one spring immersion, as well as online coursework over 16 months, 600 hours (300 direct client contact hours) of supervised practicum experience, and academic support to develop a culminating research project in your particular area of interest.

New diploma cohorts launch annually in July, with program completion anticipated at the end of December of a student’s third year, and convocation following in February.

Our program meets the Educational Standards of the Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA). Graduates will have the necessary requirements to work as art therapists, join CATA as professional members, and work towards registration as Registered Canadian Art Therapists (RCAT). The College of Registered Psychotherapists recognizes art therapy as a valid form of psychotherapy.

Current CATA Educational Standards require that art therapy program applicants have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in the areas of psychology, fine arts, social work, or counselling or complete a Prior Learning Assessment (PLAR) to reflect related capacities and training. Please note that a master’s degree may be required by certain agencies in order to bill as a therapist and by some provinces in order to register as a psychotherapist or counselling therapist. Some colleges accept our diploma programs as a Master’s equivalent, post-graduate programs in arts therapies. Master’s level candidates are welcome to apply to the program to augment existing training in psychotherapy from an arts-based perspective. Information about requirements for Professional and Registered membership in CATA can be found here.

For students interested in a comprehensive immersion in art therapy and expressive arts therapy, we offer a 1000+ hour dual diploma including comprehensive training in both domains. See more information about our Dual Diploma program page.

For more information about Art Therapy training, contact WHEAT Institute at info@wheatinstitute.com or register here. A copy of our course of study schedule and fee schedule is available upon request.

Application Deadline

There are a limited number of seats available and spots will be reserved as applications are received. 

Register now for the 2026 cohort launching July 2026. 

You can find more details about our admission requirements and application process on our Programs page.

Current Fees

There is no GST on any of our fees or tuition. All fees are listed in Canadian (CAD) dollars. Training is tax deductible, see more information here.

Tuition Fees for Art Therapy Diploma: $25,490.00 CAD

• $225.00 CAD Non-refundable Registration Fee due upon registration (part of the application process)
• $200.00 CAD Non-refundable Supply Fee due upon acceptance
• $127.45 for Non-refundable Training Completion Fund (TCF) fee due upon acceptance. See details of the purpose of this fund here.
• $50.00 CAD Graduation Fee due in final term

Land Acknowledgement

WHEAT Institute and Painted Sky Studio are located on Treaty Territories and Ancestral Lands of Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anisininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Dene, and Inuit, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.

 

We acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past and respect the spirit and intent of the Treaties and Treaty Making. We dedicate ourselves to working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people in the spirit of truth, reconciliation, and collaboration.