Master of Arts (MA) in Arts in Medicine

Transform lives, advance research, and revolutionize health through the evidence-based power of arts in health. This program is designed for students and professionals of all backgrounds interested in leading at the intersection of arts and health. Each of the courses offered through our master's program reflects the best practices in the field of arts in health. 

Use your creativity to transform health through arts programming and research.
Create a healthier world.

As national leaders in the field, the UF Center for Arts in Medicine and its faculty provide a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum that supports you as you advance your arts in health research, administration, and creative facilitation skills. Whether you're switching gears or starting your career, our faculty lay decades of experience as a foundation for you to bridge your passions for the arts, and for health. The curriculum fully integrates the advanced research, ethics, safety, and administration concepts and resources you need to lead today's arts in health programs or start your very own.

Curriculum

The MA in Arts in Medicine requires 35 credit hours of coursework to complete. Students also complete both a hands-on practicum and capstone to gain crucial hands-on experience in practice, research, and evaluation in their own community. You can request more information or start an application to learn more.

If you are a current UF undergrad majoring in Music, Public Health, Biology, Microbiology, Chemistry, or Psychology, you could get a head-start on your MA by applying to our Combined Degree Program.

Curriculum Overview & Learning Goals

The program’s curriculum is designed to help students:

• Develop an understanding of the theoretical foundations that inform the field and practice of arts in medicine
• Understand the roles of the arts in promoting health education, health literacy, and disease prevention in community settings
• Develop an understanding of the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate care environments and to ensure patient safety
• Develop professional-level practical skills in using the arts to address health in healthcare and community settings
• Gain experience in and develop an understanding of the administrative structures that support arts in medicine programs
• Understand core issues, contemporary trends and critical debates central to the arts in medicine
• Identify core competencies including ethical frameworks, program development and assessment, grant writing, and cultural competency

Creativity and Health: Foundations of Arts in Medicine (HUM5357, 8 weeks) - 3 credits

This online graduate course explores the deepest questions at the heart of arts in health. From historical perspectives to theoretical foundations, the course engages at the intersection of the arts, creativity and health promotion to facilitate an understanding of these complex and interwoven disciplines. Lively discussions and all course materials help inform the field and practice of arts in health in a variety of settings. This is the initial core course for the Master of Arts (MA) in Arts in Medicine and the Graduate Certificate in Arts in Medicine. (This course can be taken as an elective by nonmajors.)

Arts in Medicine in Practice (HUM5595, 8 weeks) - 3 credits

This second core course for the Master of Arts (MA) in Arts in Medicine and the Graduate Certificate in Arts in Medicine explores the practice of arts in health in the fields of health and human services. The course provides a dynamic, interdisciplinary overview of the diverse practices and methodologies in the contemporary field of arts in health in healthcare and community settings. Students learn what they need to know to navigate these settings safely and professionally as they prepare for their practicum. (This course can be taken as an elective by nonmajors.)

Prerequisite: HUM5357 Creativity and Health: Foundations of the Arts in Medicine.

Arts in Medicine Professional Seminar (HUM6353, 8 weeks) - 3 credits

This course provides a practical orientation to professional competencies, practice, and ethics for the field of arts in health. Pro Sem is the culminating course in the graduate certificate, or of the first year of the MA in Arts in Medicine. This course focuses on applications of course materials to date in the program and specifically engages in core issues, trends, and critical debates central to practice in arts in health.
*Prerequisite: HUM6942 Arts in Medicine Practicum.

Arts in Medicine Advanced Professional Seminar (HUM6354, 8 weeks) - 3 credits

This course provides advanced consideration of skills, competencies, applications, and ethical frameworks central to professional practice in field of arts in health. Advanced Pro Sem focuses on preparation for research and evaluation in Capstone Proposal and Capstone in addition to considering the contexts of historical and contemporary applications of arts in health. The course is designed to synthesize and integrate student learning in preparation for practice in the field of arts in health.

*Prerequisite: HUM6358 Arts in Medicine Capstone Proposal.

Research and Evaluation for Arts in Medicine Professionals* (HUM6597, 8 weeks) - 3 credits

This online course explores research and evaluation in arts in health. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods will be discussed, with an emphasis on arts informed approaches for use in the healthcare settings, be it the hospital or in the community. Through video lectures, readings, writing assignments, and weekly online discussion, students will learn the basics of developing a research proposal and evaluation plan. The course is designed to provide basic knowledge in evaluation and research to enable the student to effectively evaluate programs and to contribute to the growing body of knowledge in the field arts in health.

*This course must be taken prior to HUM6358 Capstone Proposal.

Graduate Practicum in Arts in Medicine (HUM6942, 16 weeks) - 3 credits

This is the third core course for Master of Arts (MA) in Arts in Medicine and the Graduate Certificate in Arts in Medicine. The course supports students as they engage in focused, professional level practice in an arts in health programming at a healthcare or community health setting in their home communities. Students undertake 96 hours of contact, experiential, and administrative activities over 16 weeks. The goal of this course is to prepare students for professional arts in health practice.

*Prerequisites: HUM5357 Creativity and Health: Foundations of the Arts in Medicine and HUM5595 Arts in Medicine Practice.

Arts in Medicine Capstone Proposal (HUM6358, 8 weeks) - 2 credits

This keystone course prepares students for development of their Capstone projects by focusing on review of the literature, honing writing skills, and engaging with fellow students about best practices for creating and organizing a major research or evaluation project that addresses arts in health in a healthcare or community setting. The course instructor guides and makes suggestions, but by this time in the curriculum students are expected to be proactive and to engage each other with academic rigor. The course covers research, planning, submission, and approval of a Capstone project to be completed in the final semester, which is the culmination of the Master of Arts (MA) in Arts in Medicine.

*Prerequisite: HUM6353 Arts in Medicine Professional Seminar.

Arts in Medicine Capstone (HUM6596, 16 weeks) - 4 credits

This course engages students in advanced practice and assessment in arts in health in a healthcare or community environment. Students design their own ultimate challenge and hands-on learning experience as the culmination of the Master of Arts (MA) in Arts in Medicine degree by implementing and conducting an assessment (evaluation or research) of an arts program or practice with the goal of developing professional-level practice and/or management and assessment skills. The course requirements include a literature review, meetings with an approved on-site supervisor and the course instructor, discussion board posts and comments, program evaluation or research, a presentation to MA in Arts in Medicine program peers, and a culminating paper. The coursework is intended to deepen and integrate the student’s understanding of professional arts in health practice. Note: This course requires a one-time 20-minute synchronous Capstone Qualifier video call with 2-3 faculty members. 

Prerequisite: HUM6354 Arts in Medicine Advanced Professional Seminar.

Art and Design in the Environment of Care (HUM6352) - 3 credits

This online course explores the historical and contemporary uses of art and design in the built healthcare environment. Instructor Tina Mullen, MFA and Director of UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine will guide students through the evolution of imagery and spaces for human health and healing. Along with providing a historical context for art and design in healthcare environments, students will also explore practical applications of current healthcare design and acquisition of art. Course topics will be introduced through video lectures, reading, writing assignments, weekly online discussions, and individual and group presentations. In addition, students share informal thoughts on the class topic through and Instagram journal – a virtual “sketchbook” of ideas, with the class culminating in each student creating their interpretation of a healing environment. This eight week three-credit course serves as an elective toward the M.A. in Arts in Medicine degree program, and can be taken by students at any university.

Art and Compassion (HUM6308) - 3 credits

Arts & Compassion examines the historical and theoretical roots of compassion in philosophy, spirituality, religion, psychology, medicine, and science, including recent scientific research pertaining to the biology of compassion. The course explores the practical ways artists use their work to represent, embody, and enact compassion by considering this character trait in a variety of expressive media including literature, visual art, and movement.

Collaborations Across Disciplines: The Arts Therapies (HUM6365) - 3 credits

This course focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration and teaches students to work with professionals of differing backgrounds, communicate effectively, and clearly identify the unique contributions that each member brings to a partnership. The course specifically explores how these collaboration skills may be applied to work with creative arts therapists. Students learn about each of the creative arts therapies disciplines in greater depth, conduct interviews with creative arts therapists and participate in professional projects designed to enhance communication and collaboration among professionals in both disciplines.

Arts in Medicine Summer Intensive (HUM6355) - 3 credits

The Arts in Medicine Summer Intensive includes two weeks of on-site programming at the University of Florida in May of each year. The Intensive provides students with an opportunity to meet faculty and other students face to face while gaining hands-on experience in arts in health at the University of Florida and UF Health Shands. The program offers clinical practice and administration tracks, and includes 8 weeks of online learning, discussion boards, and assignments.

Blueprints for Leadership in Arts in Health Administration (HUM6930 - 3 credits)

This course will focus on Arts in Health administration and leadership by exploring frameworks and tasks essential to successful program planning, implementation, evaluation and sustainability of programs. Students will learn how to develop viable arts in health programs and practices in a range of settings such as health institutions, nonprofits, and/or community arts organizations, for example. The course will provide an overview of best practices in developing, deepening and sustaining leadership and administrative knowledge and skills.

Arts and the Military (HUM6930) – 3 credits

Arts and the Military leads students through an exploration of how the arts have emerged as an important tool in the military. Students will learn the complexities of military service, the unique stressors, and challenges impacting service members, and how the arts are being used to support well-being in service members, veterans, and military-connected communities.