2nd Cycle Master Study Programme Arts Therapy The post-graduate master study programme of ArtsTherapy is based on the existent specialist programme; the prior undergraduate study programme thereof is non-existent. The programme was triggered by the needs of practice, covering the areas of special and rehabilitation pedagogy, social pedagogy, educational and therapeutical work in kindergardens, schools, hospitals and other institutions. Regarding the goals and competences of the study programme the focus is on developing specific abilities and skills, and that is why the study is carried out in the form of interactive experiential workshops with theoretical justifications of the addressed study contents, further in form of individual study and study practice in institutions. As in Slovenia the study of artstherapy is a rather new one, its theoretical and applicative areas, and the realization of the study shall depend on international cooperation, envisaging the modules of the professional programme contents to largely attract visiting lecturers and acknowledged experts of individual areas of artstherapy. Artstherapy (in international terminology called arts therapies ) is a young, applicative and scientific discipline, which started to develop systematically in the world in the second half of the 20th century. At this kind of therapy assistance is provided in the processes of experiencing, expressing and creating through artistic means of expression. Its objective is not a perfect work of art, but the focus is on the process directed towards personal growth and self-realization of an individual. Arts therapy is designed for individuals suffering from various disorders in their personal and professional lives. As regards the artistic medium through which artstherapy is conducted, nowadays the therapies utilising art, dramas, music and dance - movement activities prevail. Through an individual medium each of the areas has a specific impact. In the world there are numerous directions of artstherapy drawing on various psychological theories and practices. Practical application is in the domain of the artstherapy expert, developing his/her own method of work. Experts from various areas, who combine their prior knowledge and experience with the knowledge of artstherapy, can develop and examine new quality approach to individuals and groups at their professional work. The study programme comprises 120 ECTS credits and lasts two years. The 2nd cycle master study programme ArtsTherapy qualifies students to carry out practice and theory of arts therapy, taking into account descriptors for the the second cycle study programme. The programme is aimed at the following fundamental objectives and intended learning outcomes of students: - to qualify students to implement contemporary programmes, including arts thereapies drama, dance - movement, music, fine arts, as supporting or independent therapy forms; - to qualify students for systematic development of this kind of psychosocial assistance, contributing to activation, rehabilitation, psychosocial integration of various disabled persons; - to qualify students for work in the areas of special and rehabilitation pedagogy, social pedagogy, educational work in kindergardens, schools, hospitals and other institutions, rehabilitation of physically impaired persons, etc 1
- to enhance personal growth of students, to develop specific abilities and personal characteristics and to contribute to personal development - to qualify students for systematic monitoring and examining the process and the effect of their work in arts therapy; - to qualify students for the application of science reaarch methods within a broader range of problems and in new circumstances, and for inclusion in research teams in the field of arts therapy and beyond; - to enable students to continue the 3rd cycle study in the fields of arts therapy. The expected learning outcomes comprise knowledge and understanding, application, reflection, transferable skills of the contents of the study programme ArtsTherapy. Assessment of the learning outcomes takes into consideration knowledge and understanding, application, reflection, transferable skills and is carried out in many ways, such as: a written examinaton, an individual written report on own research work, a presentation of the research report with a reflection of the research process and the obtained results, the seminar paper with a topic of the student's choice with the theoretical background, and the presentation of a case study from the student's practice of artstherapy, supported by theory, a portfolio of the student's practical work, participating in experiential workshops in the field of the selected professional module of the programme of arts therapy. The assessment scale is in line with the Statute of the University of Ljubljana. Apartsfrom general competencies (students know and use appropriate methods of research and development of own practice; students are able to assume responsibility for own professional developement and learning with evaluation and reflection of own work (experiential learning, intervision, supervision); they develop leading and organisational abilities; they are able to establish partnerships with users and other groups; they are able to transfer research cognitions in practice; they develop new knowledge and understanding of the area. Participants also acquire the following subject-specific competencies: - perceiving arts therapy as a component of psychosocial assistance to the individual, covering a wide range of various approaches and the application of these in individual and group form; - linking the acquired knowledge of arts therapy with the knowledge of wider professional areas of psychology, social anthropology, sociology of culture, interpersonal communicology, social, special and rehabilitation pedagogy, psychopathology and psychotherapy, theory of arts therapy and research methodology; - ability to carry out arts therapy in the chosen artistic medium, which is closest to the student and which he is most comfortable with; - ability to include other artistic areas apartsfrom own selected area in the process of arts therapy in order to ease or facilitate the therapy process; - obtaining practical experience with the methods of arts therapy at work with various special needs clients, and with individual and group work as a participant and a facilitator; - ability to develop and establish the relationship with a client and to establish and ease the processes of interpersonal relationships within groups; - ability to provide a safe environment for the wellbeing of a client and for the arts therapy course; 2
- awareness of the need for the regular supervision with a view to efficient implementation of own practice of arts therapy and for the prevention of own burn-out. The planned quality of learning outcomes and competencies: The study programme ArtsTherapy is formulated taking into account the fundamental principles of the European Higher Education Area, as they were adopted in the Bologna process, thus following the 2nd cycle allowing for the possibility to continue the study or startswork or get employment. As the 2nd cycle programme it provides for independent performing of professional work in education in the area of psychosocial assistance to individuals and groups with disorders in their personal and professional lives. After the completed 2nd cycle the participants may remain in their work places, developing a higher quality of their professional work. By introducing the areas of arts therapies and by classifying the master of arts therapist in the list of professions in the Republic of Slovenia also appropriate primary work places shall be created. In the year 2004 the Slovenian Arts Therapists Association was founded, with one of the priority tasks to establish arts therapists as the profession, for which the second cycle degree is needed Master of ArtsTherapy. The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia has already recorded the arts therapist profession (Master of arts therapy) that can be classified independently when the classification changes. The graduates of this study programme shall be able to continue their studies at the appropriate 3rd (doctoral) cycle study programme, thus qualifying for the most advanced research work in education. The study programme reflects the employment needs of the business and non-business sectors: Business sector: The educational activities of the Faculty of Education indirectly influence the business sector, as by training teachers and professionals for work in various educational institutions they influence creating career paths of individuals that our graduates teach. The same goes for the programme Arts therapy, as candidates are qualified to influence and improve communication and communication culture, respectively, among the employees in the business and non-business sector, with various artistic means apartsfrom other competences. At this place only some of the activities are listed, that have already been pursued to this effect: programmes with groups and individuals in business and non-business sector have been implemented using the methods of arts therapy (the authoress and implementor was Alenka Vidrih, Zavod G.G.A.V.Lj, www.komunikativa.si). Programmes comprised the following themes: - New paradigms in communication, - Communication training with arts therapy, - Programmes of personal and professional development and communication with arts therapy, - Programme of neutralisation of relationships establishment of communication culture with arts theapy. Non-business sector: Some programmes, such as the antistress programme, the communication trainings programme, and the programmes of personal and professional development for educational 3
institutions in the business sector, in private organizations and in the public administration, as well as in public institutions were undertaken at: - the Ministry of Defence; - Health Insurance Institue of Slovenia; - Municipality of Ljubljana. In the scope of these programmes the following themes were highlighted: Creative stress neutralisation, Theatralisation of stress, Non-violent communication, Drama workshops for groups at risk (socially deprived, the elders, youngsters), Drama workshops for people with special needs (mild, severe disabilities of mental development, the blind and visually impaired). We have sought out the opinions of employers and relevant associations on the relevance and demand for graduates of this programme, qualifying the canidates for providing arts therapy with individuals who are disadvantaged in a certain way or included in the process of rehabilitation. The opinions thereof enclosed in Annex 10 approve of the 2nd cycle programme ArtsTherapy highlighting that it: - follows the guidelines of the Bologna process; - provides for active implementation of the programme and of the active forms of the work of students; - provides for sufficient practical training of students, enabling them to profile their professional career apartsform gathering professional and practical experience already during teir studies; - provides for elective contents; - provides for professional immersion and consequently for the ability to delve into special areas of knowledge; - ensures study achievements and the acquisition of competences for a wide range of working areas and for intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of arts therapy; - takes into account various employment options for graduates; - enables further research and development of this multidisciplinary area; - enables the students to progress to the 3rd cycle study programmes; - allows for the possibility of further education for special and rehabilitation pedagogues in Slovenia, for which knowledge of arts therapy is extremely important in every area of their work. According to the aforementioned opinions the proposal of the 2nd cycle study programme Arts Therapy is extensive in expertise covering a wide enough range of theoretical and practical knowledge, which is also crucial for the work in education, training and rehabilitation. Obligatory and elective subjects: Obligatory subjects: Methodology of Pedagogical Research, Psychology Contents, Culturology and Communicology Contents, Applicative Contents of Social and Special pedagogy; Practical training, Integration of Various fields of Arts in Arts Therapy. Professional elective subjects: Drama Therapy, Dance Movement Therapy, Music Therapy, Fine Arts Therapy. 4
Common elective subjects: students select two modules from the set of elective subjects provided by all the members of the University of Ljubljana. Share of elective subjects per years (ratio of ECTS credits obtained by the student from compulsory and elective components) Year Compulsory components Elective components Practical training Thesis 1st year 24 ECTS (20%) 36 ECTS (30%) 2nd year 6 ECTS (5%) 24 ECTS (20%) 30 ECTS (25%) Total 30 ECTS (25%) 36 ECTS (30%) 24 ECTS (20%) 30 ECTS (25%) Study practice comprises 720 working hours of students, out of which 160 hours are performed in various institutions and are related to the selected module of arts therapy under the guidance of a mentor specialist in arts therapy, master of arts therapy or also a coordinator (a coordinator-mentor is an expert, who has undertaken at least 300 hours of training in the Arts therapy programe and has introduced the elements of one or more areas of arts therapy in his/her work) or another similar expert or a responsible person in the institution. The students introducing, testing and developing the elements of arts therapy at their working places can be recognized such work in the scope of 500 hours of study practice. The Faculty of Education of the University of Ljubljana signed contracts with various organizations that will facilitate practical training to this effect, yet agreements regarding practical training shall be negotiated with individual candidates regarding their interests and needs in terms of arts therapy. The list of schools and institutions as appropriate is enclosed in ANNEX 11. The study of arts therapy is a novelty in the world and in Slovenia, and that is why many a graduate of various professions is interested in undertaking it, who has already qualified or has already worked with persons with disorders in their personal and professional lives and would like to upgrade and delve in professional and theoretical knowledge thereof. The opinions of appropriate institutions on the programme are enclosed in ANNEX 2. Planned number of announced study places totals 30 regular and 30 part-time study places. Conditions for enrolment in the programme: In the study programme candidates can enrol that completed: a) the university 1st cycle study programme of appropriate professional areas (1st clause of Article 38.a of Organisation and Financing of Education Act) comprising at least 180 ECTS credits: special and rehabilitation pedagogy, social pedagogy, fine arts pedagogy, music pedagogy, musicology, arts and humanities, primary teaching, psychology, pedagogy, social work, pre-school education, health (occupational therapy, physiotherapy, etc.). b) the 1st cycle study programme from other professional areas comprising at least 180 ECTS credits if prior to their enrolment these candidates fulfill study obligations that are 5
essential for further studies. Obligations are determinated by the Commission for postgraduate level of 2 nd cycle of the Faculty of Education regarding to the sutdy and professional field, ranging from 10 to 60 ECTS credits. Candidates may undertake these study obligations while studying at the graduate level 1 st cycle, in study programmes of continuing education or by passing examinations prior to enrollment in the Master's program. c) higher proffesional study programme, adopted under the legal provisions in force before 11 th of June 2004, of appropriate professional areas: special and rehabilitation pedagogy, social pedagogy, fine arts pedagogy, music pedagogy, musicology, arts and humanities, primary teaching, psychology, pedagogy, social work, pre-school education, health (occupational therapy, physiotherapy, etc.). d) higher proffesional study programme, adopted under the legal provisions in force before 11th of June 2004, from other professional areas if prior to their enrolment these candidates fullfill study obligations that are essential for further studies. Obligations are determinated by the Commission for post-graduate level of 2 nd cycle of the Faculty of Education regarding to the sutdy and professional field, ranging from 10 to 60 ECTS credits. Candidates may undertake these study obligations while studying at the graduate level 1 st cycle, in study programmes of continuing education or by passing examinations prior to enrollment in the Master's program. e) The applicants who completed equivalent education abroad and are enroled under the same requirements that apply for the applicants who have finished their education in Slovenia, fulfil the enrolment requirements. The faculty adopts the decision on limited enrolment in case the number of the applicants fulfilling all the general enrolment requirements substantially exceeds the number of the available study places. In this case the selection of the applicants is performed on the basis of the following criteria: a) the average grade of the first cycle study (60%) b) the grade of the diploma or of any other form of study completion (10%) c) the elective exam* (30%)., at which the applicant proves genral and specific knowledge in the field of the selected study programme Provided that the applicant did not complete his previous studies with a diploma or any other form of study completion, the average grade of the 1st study cycle is taken into account amounting to 70%. *On the elective exam is possible to achieve 30%, which consist of: - 20% interview with the candiadate about their research guidelines and proffesional development; - 6% work experiences or praxis on one of the arts filed (theatre, music, body expression and dance, fine arts), each year of experience is 3%; - 4% of additional training (continuing professional training, lifelong learning), 8 hours of this training represents 1%. Recognition of knowledge and skills, acquired prior to the enrolment in the programme is obtained on the basis of the Rules of the University of Ljubljana on the procedure and criteria for recognizing informally acquired knowledge and skills, adopted by the Senate of the University at its 15th session on 29 May 2007 and of special Rules of the Faculty of 6
Education (adopted by the Senate of the Faculty of Education of the University of Ljubljana at its session on 18 May 2006 and announced on the websites of the faculty). The key principle thereof are, as follows: Every candidate can apply for the recognition of informally obtained knowlwdge and experience. The candidate is to submit all the relevant documents to assess the informally obtained knowledge and experience. The assessment of the achieved competences is based mainly on the educational goals and admissiion conditions of the study programme in which the candidate would like to enrol, The proven competencies that are appropriately documented and relevant are recognized regardless of the place and date of their obtaining by the candidate. The applied methods provide for reliable assessment The results of the assessment are documented by issuing a relevant certifcate There can be recognized a maximum of _60_ ECTS knowledge acquired outside of the study program: a) candidates who have completed the 1 st cycle study program of appropriate professional areas* assigned with 240 ECTS. b) candidates who have completed university study program, under the legal provisions in force before 11 th of June 2004, of appropriate professional areas*. c) candidates who have been involved in informal education in the field of study. * Appropriate professional areas are defined under section of conditions of enrolment. Conditions for progression through the programme: A student can enrol in the second year of the study programme if he/she has fulfilled at least 54 ECTS credits of the first year of the study programme. A student can repeat the year, provided that he/she has fulfilled at least 50% of all the requirements of the 1st year. The extension of the status is proceeded pursuant to the provisions of the Statute of the University of Ljubljana (Articles 152 and 153). Students are directed and counselled in form of a mentorship (not long after the student's enrolment he/she decides on the topic of his/her master's thesis according to his/her selected artistic medium and the elective professional contents of artstherapy, whereby he/she is advised by a mentor as to the manner of linking the relevant theoretical knowledge with experiential knowledge and the study practice experience, with a view to address the professional research problem of his/her master's thesis). As regards the conditions for progression to a higher year and as regards the methods of work with students (supervision, mentorship, experiential workshops) 90% of students are expected to progress to a higher year. Conditions for transferring between programmes Transfer is possible according to the Criteria for Transfers between programs (Official Journal, No: 95/2010): a) Transitions are possible between programs, which at the end of the study will ensure the provision of comparable skills, among which may be according to the criteria for recognition of liabilities recognized at least half of the ECTS credits of the first study programmeand which are related to the compulsory subjects in the second study program (Criteria for Transfers between programs, Official Journal, No.95/2010, Article 6.a) 7
b) If the candidate is in the process of recognition of the transition recognized with 60 ECTS, candidates can to enrol in the second year of the 2 nd cycle study programme Arts Therapy. In this case the transfer is possible: B.1. form the 2 nd cycle study programmes from appropriate professional areas, that are determined under the section of enrolment conditions; B.2. from the university programs, which were adopted under the legal provisions in force before 11 th of June 2004, from appropriate professional areas, that are determined under the section of enrolment conditions; c) c) The applicants who completed equivalent education abroad and are enroled under the same requirements that apply for the applicants who finished their education in Slovenia, fulfil the enrolment requirements. Conditions for completion of the course: In order to complete the studies the applicant should gather all the envisaged credits from all the relevant parts of the study programme and successfully defend the master's thesis, whereby also the credit points gathered in other domestic and foreign (mobility) higher education institutions achieved on the basis of the recognized knowledge and skills may be taken into account provided that they were gathered pursuant to the Act, the Statute of the University of Ljubljana and the Rules of the Faculty of Education and recognized by the relevant bodies of the Faculty The programme contains parts which can be completed singly: The study programme Arts Therapy is structured in a way that its individual parts do not qualify the candidate to practice arts therapy, as for successful performance in this area it is important and needed for the applicant to undertake the whole programme. Professional or academic title: Professional title awarded upon completion of the 2nd cycle master study programme of Arts Therapy: Master of Arts Therapy (M.A. of Arts Therapy). 8