Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Master in Creative Art Therapies to Strengthen Resilience is a first-level university master's program that helps students acquire cross-cutting skills applicable to various professional contexts where art therapies are used to strengthen resilience. The program focuses on the creative process to care for oneself and others, exploring different expression methods such as dramatic action, photography, music, and writing.

Educational Content

The program is developed through seven modules:

• Introduction to Art Therapies
• Treatment through dramatic action
• Treatment through photography
• Treatment through writing and storytelling
• Treatment through music
• Art Therapies in the developmental age
• Research methodology

Course Target and Career Opportunities

The program considers creative art therapy as an integration for professionals working in the mental health sector who have already acquired specific education in this field. It also supports the social-educational competence of professionals promoting resilience, such as educators, teachers, pedagogues, healthcare professionals, and social workers.

Course Program

The Master in Creative Art Therapies to Strengthen Resilience is structured around core subjects, including:

• The HICAT (Holistic Integrated Creative Arts Therapies) approach: theoretical foundations and evolution of studies
• The importance of dramatic action: drama therapy, psychodrama, playback theatre, theatre of the oppressed, specific performance strategies for adults and the elderly
• Assistance with images: graphic arts, photography, video, and cinema developed with creative phototherapy, photolanguage, photovoice, cinema, and video for training and therapy
• Processes of meaning through writing and storytelling: subjectivity and intersubjectivity discovered through the evocation of myths and fairy tales for every season of life and in every state of health
• The use of music for resilience, well-being, listening, and care through psychology, music therapy, and musical anthropology
• In-depth analysis of the use of HICAT in childhood: individual, group, and parent-child interventions in school, social, and clinical settings
• Japanese self-care: the magic of butoh dance, kintsugi, and haiku
• The integration of HICAT and meditation
• Elements of qualitative analysis of reports

Specific Elements

The course is characterized by interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity, maintaining a cogent unity of knowledge focused on the individual. Contents are dealt with by keeping the essential role of art therapy in well-being and resilience central, to meet individual and collective needs.

Characterizing Elements

The entire curriculum is characterized by interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity, while maintaining a compelling block of knowledge focused on people. The contents are conveyed while keeping the essential role of Art Therapies for well-being and resilience in mind, to meet personal and community needs.

Faculty

The course professors include internationally renowned experts and specialists, such as:

• Prof. Ines Testoni
• Prof. Massimo Grassi
• Prof. Umberto Curi
• Prof. Michela Gatta
• Prof. Michele Biasutti
• Prof. Cristina Marogna
• Prof. Amedeo Boros
• PhD Laura Liberale
• PhD Silvia Piol
• Dott. Gianmarco Biancalani
• Dott. Maria Letizia Cipriani
• Dott. Gloria Garbujo
• Dott. Lucia Moretto
• Dott. Francesca Belgiojoso
• Dott. Riccardo Bononi
• PhD Shoshi Keisari
• Dott. Chiara Acler
• PhD Livia Sani
• Dott. Nina Ferrari
• Prof. Salvatore Pitruzzella
• Dott. Raffaele Schiavo
• Dott. Erika Iacona
• PhD Camilla Mele

General Ranking of Merit

The general ranking of merit for the academic year 2025/26 will be published according to the timing provided in the Call.

Information

• Thematic area: Mind and psycho-physical well-being
• End of classes: 30/06/2026
• Mandatory attendance: 70%
• Minimum available spots: 10
• Maximum available spots: 70
• First instalment: € 2,022.50
• Second instalment: € 610.00

FAQ

How is the Course organized?

The Course is divided into thematic modules, usually held on weekends. Mandatory attendance of in-person lessons is 70%, and it is supported by distance learning on the Moodle platform.

What does the "standard" path include?

The “standard” path is addressed to those who meet the access requirements to the Post-Graduate Course, and consists of the acquisition of a course certificate, based on all attendance and mandatory project work completion requirements.

What does the "listener" path include?

Those who do not meet the access requirements can take part in the Course as listeners; there are 3 spots available. Listeners are exempt from traineeship and project work completion requirements.

Program Details

• Classes start: 19/12/2025
• Duration: One-year
• Venue: Padua
• Language: Italian
• ECTS: 60
• Teaching method: blended
• Total enrolment fee: € 2,632.50
• Pre-enrolment deadline: 24/11/2025

Management

• Prof. Ines Testoni

Administrative Office

• Contact Person: Dott.ssa Laura Liberale

Teaching Method

• ECTS: 60
• In-person lessons:
• Month and year:
• Fee: €