How to Apply

We encourage you to be actively engaged in the admission process. Once you have submitted your application, log into your application account to check the status of your application and what requirements may still be outstanding.

When all application requirements have been submitted, including all letters of recommendation, you will receive an email notification that your application is complete. 

Naropa University requires transcripts from any and all institutions where undergraduate coursework was completed. Transcripts for coursework beyond the undergraduate level are not required. An official transcript of a conferred bachelor’s degree must be received by the Office of Admissions prior to beginning graduate coursework.

Transcripts that are uploaded as part of your application are not considered official. However, to expedite the admissions process, we encourage you to upload copies of your transcripts when possible.

If mailing, official transcripts should be sent to:

Naropa University
Office of Admissions
2130 Arapahoe Ave
Boulder CO 80302

Electronic transcripts from your university may be emailed to admissions@naropa.edu.

Electronic official transcripts are acceptable if submitted through a secure transcript service used by your university. If you submit your transcripts by email as an attachment or upload them via your application account, they will not be accepted as official.

If you completed any coursework at a foreign college or university (other than a study abroad program), an international education evaluation is required.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of a 2.9 or higher. Applicants with a cumulative GPA lower than 2.9 must submit Miller Analogies Test (MAT) results taken within the last calendar year. Note that the MAT is only required for these applicants, and is optional for all others.

In a three-to-four page typed, double-spaced, 12 point font essay, please respond to the following three questions. Directly refer to Introduction to Art Therapy:  Sources and Resources (J.A. Rubin, 2009) and Psychotherapy and Spirit:  Theory and Practice in Transpersonal Psychotherapy (B. Cortright, 1997) when writing your essay. When pulling information from either book, paraphrase the author rather than lifting direct quotes.

1. Concisely define and clarify your understanding of:
   • • Art therapy
     • Transpersonal psychology
     • The benefits of contemplative practice. Why does contemplative practice resonate with you?
   Note: If invited to an interview, you will be asked to summarize the above three points.
2. First, in general, describe your personal relationship to art as a personally transformative process. Then choose one piece from your portfolio, and where relevant refer to both books and consider how your art reveals healing and transpersonal themes.
3. In your conclusion, discuss why you are interested in attending the MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Transpersonal Art Therapy program at Naropa University.

Your resume/CV should detail all pertinent academic, employment, and volunteer history with exact dates of participation.

Two letters of recommendation are required. Recommendations must be from pertinent academic or professional sources, and may not be from family members, spouses, friends, or current or former therapists or spiritual advisors.

Applicants are required to submit a well-rounded portfolio of 20 different pieces of original art. Your portfolio must include both 2D and 3D work as well as any other areas of specialization. The portfolio needs to demonstrate two primary skill sets:

• Applied knowledge and exploration of a wide range of art materials and processes.
• Transformative depth of work as an artist, showing maturity with form, content, materials, and processes. Note: if invited to an interview, you will be asked to summarize your artwork from the above two perspectives.

   

The portfolio needs to be accompanied by a portfolio summary that lists the following for each piece:

• Title
• Brief descriptive comment
• Media used
• Dimensions
• Date completed

Portfolios may only be uploaded in the following file formats: GIF, JPG, PNG, PDF, PowerPoint or Word.

After submitting your application form, you will receive an invite by email to RSVP for an interview day. All application requirements need not be submitted in order to interview. However, programs have limited capacity and it is highly recommended that you complete your application as soon as possible to give yourself the best chance at securing a spot if accepted.

Admissions interviews are a required part of the admissions process and will be offered at our campus in Boulder, Colorado, and remotely via Zoom. They are full-day events and consist of two group interview sessions – one in the morning and one in the afternoon – and additional programming designed to help inform your decision to enroll at Naropa.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: Any registrant who fails to attend all mandatory portions of their Admissions Interview Day or notify the Admissions Office of their absence in advance, will have their application scored accordingly, resulting in a denial. 

All courses are subject to approval and may require additional documentation such as a syllabus or course description.

A grade of “C” or above is required for all prerequisite coursework. All prerequisites are to be completed at accredited academic institutions for credit (not pass/fail or audited).

*Coursework need not be completed before applying. Applicants must submit an official transcript showing proof of completion of the prerequisite coursework and bachelor’s degree prior to the start of the program.

Psychology Prerequisites (12 semester credit hours)

• One 3 semester credit course in Abnormal Psychology
• One 3 semester credit course in Developmental Psychology
• Two 3 semester credit courses in psychology electives (example courses:  Introduction to Psychology/General Psychology, Theories of Personality)
  
  

Studio Art Prerequisites* (18 semester credit hours)

• One 3 semester credit art studio course in Drawing
• One 3 semester credit art studio course in Painting
• One 3 semester credit art studio course in a 3D medium (Sculpture or Ceramics)
• Three 3 semester credit courses in studio art electives
  
  

*Note for applicants wishing to waive a college-level studio art requirement: In order to be considered for a waiver of a studio art prerequisite requirement, a separate, additional portfolio is required. To learn more, please contact the Admissions Counselor for the Art Therapy program.

Domestic applicants: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Learn more about how to apply for financial aid.

International applicants: Complete Naropa’s Financial Aid Application for International Students. Learn more about financial aid for international students.

In addition to other requirements, international applicants must also submit:

• Proof of English proficiency
• Evaluations of non-U.S. education records
  
  

If accepted to Naropa University, international students are required to submit the following for their student visa application:

• Copy of a valid passport
• Proof of funding for the first year of the program
  
  

Please see the International Students webpage for more information.