Arts in health master's degree: Blending creative therapies with health services

An arts in health master's degree prepares professional artists to use music, visual art, dance, theater, and writing to support health and wellbeing in hospitals, clinics, and community settings. Unlike a creative arts therapy degree, which trains clinicians to deliver therapeutic treatment, an arts in health degree prepares artists to work alongside care teams in non-clinical roles. At Ohio University, the online Master of Applied Arts in Health is a 30-credit-hour program that students can complete in as few as 12 months, culminating in a supervised professional internship of at least 180 hours.

What is arts in health?

Arts in health is a field that integrates the arts into healthcare and public health settings to improve quality of life for patients, families, caregivers, and communities. Practitioners are artists first, and they apply their creative discipline safely within environments shaped by medical and public health priorities.

The field's national professional association is the National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH). NOAH was established in 2016, and its roots trace back to a 1989 convocation of arts administrators in Durham, North Carolina, along with predecessor groups such as the Society for the Arts in Healthcare.

Arts in health professionals work in hospitals, healthcare facilities, mental health programs, schools, veterans' facilities, and community centers. Our Arts in Health program at Ohio University prepares artists for all of these environments.

How arts in health differs from art therapy

Arts in health and creative arts therapies both use the arts to support wellbeing, but they are distinct professions with different training and scope. Arts in health professionals use arts-based interventions in medical and community settings to improve quality of life and reduce stigma in healthcare. Creative arts therapists, by contrast, receive clinical training in specific therapy techniques in art, music, dance, or drama and serve as members of clinical treatment teams.

Where art and therapy professions connect

Because the Master of Applied Arts in Health is not a clinical therapy program, it does not prepare graduates for licensure or board certification as creative arts therapists. Instead, it prepares artists to complement the work of therapists, physicians, nurses, and public health professionals. Our Director of Arts in Health, Sharon R. Boyle, D.H.Sc., LPMT, MT-BC, is herself a board-certified music therapist, reflecting how closely the two fields collaborate.

Arts in health professional opportunities

Arts in health work is hands-on, collaborative, and different from day to day. Practitioners bring live music, visual art, movement, theater, and creative writing into places where people are healing, learning, or caring for others. Because the work is non-clinical, it complements medical treatment rather than replacing it.

Partnering with hospitals and healthcare facilities

Hospitals are among the most visible partners for arts in health professionals. Cleveland Clinic Arts & Medicine, for example, integrates "the visual arts, music, performing arts and research to promote healing and to enhance the lives of our patients, families, visitors and employees." Cleveland Clinic formed an Aesthetics Committee in 1983 to address art and design, showing how long major health systems have invested in the arts.

Ohio University collaborates with Cleveland Clinic Arts & Medicine to bring its experts into our virtual classrooms, including Dr. Lisa Gallagher. In healthcare facilities, arts in health professionals may serve as artists in residence who foster healing environments, or as hospital art curators who select artwork and displays that promote wellness.

Partnering with schools and universities

Schools and universities are another important setting for arts in health programming. Ohio University's own Bobcats ArtsCare initiative aims to connect every OHIO student to arts-based experiences that reduce stress, create social connections, improve mood, and support overall mental and physical wellness.

Campus partnerships can also link the arts directly with the health sciences. Our Vocal Wellness Program, a collaboration between the Voice Division and the Division of Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences, provides free voice examinations to eligible fine arts students. The Clinic for Science and Health in Artistic Performance (SHAPe Clinic) supports dancers, musicians, actors, and members of the Marching 110 with wellness guidance tailored to the physical demands of performance.

Building community health programs

Arts in health professionals also design programs that reach people beyond clinical walls. Ohio University's Ohio Valley Center for Collaborative Arts (CoArts) connects the university's creative and cultural resources with community development efforts across Appalachian Ohio. Graduates may lead similar work as community program developers or arts in health program managers, expanding equity and access to arts-based health programs.

Why arts in health careers stand out

Unlike many healthcare roles, arts in health positions keep artistic practice at the center of the job. The work is also deeply interdisciplinary, connecting artists with nurses, physicians, therapists, educators, and public health teams. Some professionals contribute to collaborative research on how the arts affect health and wellbeing.

What you study in Ohio University's online Master of Applied Arts in Health

The Master of Applied Arts in Health launched in fall 2024 through the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts. The program combines asynchronous online coursework with required in-person, synchronous volunteer and internship hours. Students typically begin as a cohort in the fall semester, and spring or summer starts are available with program approval.

Required arts in health courses

The master's curriculum includes 17 credit hours of required coursework:

• IART 5801 – Introduction to Arts in Health (3 credits)
• FAR 5403 – The Artist in Healthcare (3 credits)
• FAR 5901 – Special Topics of Arts in Health (3 credits)
• IART 5802 – Arts in Health Community Project (3 credits)
• FAR 5911 – The Arts in Health Professional Internship (9 credits)

The professional internship and capstone

The program culminates in a supervised internship of at least 10 weeks and 180 contact hours completed during the summer semester. Students develop a capstone final project and present a project defense.

Internship sites can include community programs, healthcare settings, or arts organizations. With approval from the Director of Arts in Health and appropriate supervision, students may complete the internship where they live or work.

Admission requirements for the Master of Applied Arts in Health

Our arts in health admission requirements include:

• A bachelor's degree in fine arts from an accredited U.S. institution, or an undergraduate degree in another field with equivalent lived or academic fine arts experience
• Official transcripts showing a 3.0 GPA
• A resume or curriculum vitae
• A letter of interest describing how the degree aligns with your professional and personal goals
• An arts-based portfolio, video audition, or example of artistic work
• One letter of recommendation
• A $50 application fee, plus English language proficiency for international applicants

Priority deadlines are December 7, 2026, for spring 2027; April 12, 2027, for summer 2027; and August 2, 2027, for fall 2027. Current costs are listed on the Ohio University graduate tuition page.

Career paths for arts in health professionals

Graduates are prepared to work in hospitals, healthcare facilities, mental health programs, schools, veterans' facilities, and community centers. Career roles could include:

• Artist in residence
• Hospital art curator
• Arts in health consultant
• Arts in health program manager
• Community program developer

Unlike creative arts therapies, arts in health does not currently have a single required national credential. NOAH's Essentials of Arts in Health Certificate exam registration is temporarily paused while the organization conducts an internal evaluation. As a result, a graduate degree with supervised field experience is one of the clearest ways to demonstrate professional preparation.

Frequently asked questions about arts in health master's degrees

• Is an arts in health degree the same as an art therapy degree? No. An art therapy degree prepares clinicians for clinical credentialing and state licensure. An arts in health degree, such as the Master of Applied Arts in Health, prepares artists to work in non-clinical roles within healthcare, school, and community health settings.
• How long does Ohio University's online arts in health master's take? Full-time students can complete the 30-credit-hour Master of Applied Arts in Health in as few as 12 months.
• Do I need a fine arts degree to apply? A bachelor's degree in fine arts is preferred, but applicants with an undergraduate degree in another field may qualify with equivalent lived or academic fine arts experience.
• Is the program completely online? Coursework is asynchronous and online, but the program requires in-person, synchronous volunteer and internship hours, including the 180-hour professional internship.

Start your arts in health career at Ohio University

If you are an artist who wants to bring your practice into hospitals, clinics, and communities, the online Master of Applied Arts in Health offers a focused, 12-month path. Review the full program details, then start your application to join our next cohort.