In the Drama Therapy program, support and collaboration in small, action-oriented classes are central features of the first year of this two-and-a-half-year concentration. An integral part of the program's second year is on-site clinical training and group supervision. Throughout the program, students are encouraged to pursue individual interests, goals, and orientations that may lead to innovative contributions to this burgeoning profession. The program periodically invites guest speakers from around the world to conduct workshops and presentations in drama therapy and related disciplines.

Pedagogy and clinical training emphasize the multidimensionality of the person and reflect the program's commitment to validating and integrating the emotional, spiritual, mental, creative, and social aspects of individual and communal experience. Students explore the ritualistic, dramatic, and shamanistic practices of ancient and non-Western cultures that are at the root of drama therapy. As a result, they become acutely aware that, as tools of consciousness and as sources of healing and liberation, art and therapy are intersecting enterprises.

A minimum of 60 semester units is required for graduation. Courses are divided into two categories: Master's in Counseling Psychology and Drama Therapy concentration courses. For more complete curricular information, please see the online catalog or call the Admissions Office at 415.575.6152.

Required Master's in Counseling Psychology Courses (36 units)

• Professional Ethics and Family Law
• Human Development and the Family
• Psychopathology
• Group Dynamics
• Family Dynamics and Therapy
• Therapeutic Communication
• Human Sexuality
• Alcohol and Chemical Dependency Counseling
• Cross-Cultural Counseling and the Family
• Psychological Assessment
• Research Methods
• Child Therapy
• Advanced Family Therapy: Action-Oriented Approaches
• Supervised Clinical Practicum (3 semesters)
• Elective

Drama Therapy Concentration Courses (24 units)

• Drama Therapy Theory
• Drama Therapy Process and Technique
• Drama Therapy Practice
• Theater Lab — Advanced Improvisation and Group Process
• Psychodrama
• Special Methods in Drama Therapy I: Developmental Drama Therapy
• Theories of Individual and Family Therapy
• Theater Lab — Playback Theater
• Theater Lab — Drama Therapy and Social Change
• Special Methods in Drama Therapy II: Transformations
• Integrative Seminar: Final Project

In order to qualify for MFT licensure in the State of California, applicants are required to fulfill the following two requirements, which are not included in the program's required curriculum for graduation. These requirements are not required by the BBS to be fulfilled prior to graduation, but must be fulfilled prior to application for licensure:

Psychopharmacology (30 hours)
Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting (7 hours)

Classes and workshops are offered through CIIS Public Programs and other educational institutions to meet these requirements.