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M.A. in Expressive Arts Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding

Academic Program/Master Programs (MA)

The Expressive Arts in Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding (EXA-CT) is a three year Master-program concentrating on the use of creative methods through the Arts to address conflicts within teams, communities and across cultures. The EXA-CT program provides students with frameworks for merging the Arts with conflict analysis interventions, trauma awareness and healing, humanitarian responses, and research. In short, EXA-CT students will learn ways to use the Arts for peace and co-existence. Distinguished faculty in the fields of the Expressive Arts and Conflict Transformation will provide instruction throughout the academic experience  along with support and supervision of an internship, thesis and community of practice.

 

Professional artists, peace workers, art therapists, mediators, educators, coaches and humanitarian workers are encouraged to pursue this Master’s Program.

 

Students will spend three summers in residence in Saas-Fee, Switzerland with an additional component of studies at Campus Malta. During the first two summer residency periods, they will follow the foundational courses on the principles and practice of the  Expressive Arts (EXA). They will be taught by faculty members who are active practitioners in diverse disciplines. Within each course, students will be challenged to experiment with the application of the Arts in various settings, along with group discussions and reflective exercises.

 

In between the summer residencies and the Malta program, EXA-CT students will be expected to carry out and complete a portfolio, a supervised internship and a Master’s Thesis supervised by an EXA-CT faculty member. During the last summer session, students will complete oral and written exams and defend the Master’s Thesis.

M.A. in Expressive Arts Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding

Introduction

The Expressive Arts in Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding (EXA-CT) Master Program is a three year program concentrating on the use of creative methods through the Arts to address conflict within teams, communities and across cultures. The M.A. program provides students with the foundations for EXA methodologies.  Participation in the Malta program, along with supervision by faculty within the field of conflict transformation and peacebuilding will provide support for students to merge the Arts with conflict analysis interventions, trauma awareness and healing, mediation, humanitarian responses, and research. The program EXA-CT is specifically (but not exclusively) addressed to health workers, professional artists, peaceworkers, art therapists, mediators, educators, coaches and humanitarian workers.

Plans of Studies

Distinguished faculty in the fields of the Expressive Arts and Conflict Transformation will accompany students during three Summer Schools along with support and supervision of an internship, thesis and community practice throughout the year. The EXA-CT curriculum includes three summer residencies at the EGS Saas-Fee campus and one session at the EGS Malta campus. In the interim periods (fall, winter and spring), students undertake their academic projects, the field-based internship, and do a portfolio.

Expressive Arts, Digital Arts and Media KS 

This module gives the student an in depth introduction to Expressive Arts in relationship to low skill high sensitivity, Intermodal Decentering IDEC® and the intermodal approach. Media today is an integral part of our culture and this module also opens up new channels of exploration where Digital Arts and Media can be used as a source of communication with the Arts and through the Arts. It can be taken on campus during the first period and is required for students who do not have any cooperating institutes in their home country that offer it as K module or for those students who wish to take the module as an intensive training program rather than have it spread out throughout the year.

Expressive Arts Methods - Interdisciplinary Approach P

Students will study the Interdisciplinary Approach through the principles and practices of Intermodal Expressive Arts, learning by working on project design and implementation in the field. Students become familiar with resource and system oriented concepts of counseling and aid. They receive advanced training and methodology of practice, and master the language and discourse with its aesthetic responsibility in Expressive Arts.  Supervision by faculty within the field of conflict transformation and peacebuilding will provide support for students to merge their learning with conflict transformation and peacebuilding frameworks.

Expressive Arts Practice A-P

This 11 days Summer School module is run during the first period and focuses on group supervision from an Expressive Arts perspective. The essential aspects of an arts-oriented session using the method of Intermodal Decentering IDEC® will be introduced and discussed. Students present situations or cases studies from their practice and will also learn how to integrate the Expressive Arts in their work through various demonstrations. Live coaching is an opportunity to recognize and develop professional resources and to transform weaknesses and insecurities into strengths.

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Internship:

Hours adequate to the specialization (minimum 100 hours)

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For student’s doing a concentration in Education or Special Education: 465 h internship in education or special education.

Philosophical and Aesthetic Foundation - Interdisciplinary Approach - Module D

This Summer School module provides an in depth look at the philosophical and aesthetic foundations through intermodal learning, advanced training and theoretical foundations, and by a study of body and movement in Expressive Arts. Students learn to understand the process of change, and how to build resilience through Expressive Arts, an essential practice when working in communities.

Theoretical Foundation and Research - Module F

This module is divided into two parts: Part 1 is the mandatory course at the Malta Campus for Global Health and the Arts.  This program provides didactic learning and practical skills training for artists, peacebuilders, humanitarian workers, health care providers, teachers and change agents from all fields who work with individuals, groups, and communities experiencing traumatic stress and crisis. Theoretical frameworks for conflict transformation and peacebuilding are provided for students to integrate their foundational learning of the expressive arts into the field.  In addition, best practices in the field of psychosocial support for trauma informed care are introduced.

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Part 2 for this module enhances understanding of processes of change in regard to resilience, salutogenesis, professional concepts, and ethical and aesthetic issues such as the "Menschenbild" - in the context of processes of change, specifically with respect to the artistic process. In the process of writing a thesis project, the student will be able to engage with a specific theme and formulation of a question on a practical, theoretical and artistic level to recognize resources that strengthen and broaden one's own professional competence and enrich the field of work. 

Expressive Arts Master Exams - Module E 

During the third and last summer session in residence, students will finish their degree with Final Examination and Graduation. The students will complete oral and written exams on the principles and practices of Intermodal Expressive Arts with a Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding frame through a critical inquiry into a variety of schools of thought, including the polyaesthetics and Intermodal Method. Finally, students will present an Oral Defense of their Masters Thesis. Throughout the first two years, students are required to complete a theoretical foundation and research module (F), a portfolio, a supervised or coached field-based internship, intervision, and a method specific training.

  • Cooperating Universities
    CANADA Langara College Vancouver, BC V5Y 2Z6 Canada Website GERMANY Akademie der Bildenden Künste München Aufbaustudium Bildnerisches Gestalten und Therapie 80799 München Tel. +49 89 5464 34 56 Email Website MSH Medical School Hamburg Fachhochschule für Gesundheit und Medizin 20457 Hamburg Tel. +49 40 3612 26 40 Website PORTUGAL: Universidade de Évora Departamento de Psicologia Prof. Dr. Graça Duarte Santos 7002-554 Évora Tel. +351 266 740 800 Email Website Lesley University Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138 Tel. + 1 617 868 9600 Website
  • EGS List of Course Providing Partner Institutes
    EGS can acknowledge credits from Universities, Colleges and Cooperating Institutes under the terms of the Bologna Educational Treaty. The following courses can be taken between Summer sessions at Cooperating Institutes: AUSTRIA MAC COLLEGE - Multimodale Kunsttherapie Wien - Linz - Salzburg Alexander Eggenhofer 3532 Rastenfeld Tel. +43 676 511 90 97 Website CANADA The CREATE Institute Centre for Expressive Arts Therapy Education Toronto, Ontario, M6G 4A7 Tel. +1 416 539 9728 Website Vancouver School of Healing Arts 300-342 Water St V6B-1B6, Cancouver, BC Website COSTA RICA Asociacion Artistica-ASART Sylvia E. Ketelhohn Gron Escazu, Guachipelin Calle La Ceiba Los Balcones, #1 1126-1250, San Jose, Costa Rica Website DENMARK Danish institute for expressive Arts , Spirituality and Coaching Art Lyngvej 6B 2800 Kongens Lyngby Denmark Website Nordic School of Arts and Health Nordre Frihavnsgade 17D 2100 Kopenhagen Denmark Website FINLAND Institute INARTES 00980 Helsinki Tel. +358 40 770 42 99 Website GERMANY Step ahead Expressive Arts Institute Berlin Barbara Hielscher-Witte 10715 Berlin Tel. +49 30 7870 5693 Website HONG KONG Kunst EXA Academy 322, Strand 50 50 Bonham Strand Sheung Wan 852-97332729 Website TAMALPA GERMANY Dreikönigstrasse 58 79102 Freiburg Website KOREA Expressive Arts Institute Poiesis 05118, the fourth floor,9 Gwangnaru-ro 54-gil, Gwangjin-gu Seoul Website INDIA Swahansa Expressive Arts India Gopika Dahanukar (Founder & Director) Mumbai & Auroville Tel. +91 9323595228 Website IRELAND Expressive Arts Ireland 13 Glendine Court, Kilkenny Tel. +353 86 1910302 Website PERU TAE PERU Lima Tel. +511 2414452 Website PHILIPPINES THE ARTS AND HEALTH INSTITUTE PHILIPPINES (TAHI) Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila Website SPAIN Instituto de Arteterapia Transdisciplinaria de Barcelona - IATBA 08506 Barcelona Tel. +511 2414452 Website TAE BARCELONA Sant Cugat, Barcelona Tel. +34 610 94 24 97 Website Art 21 Studio 07840 Santa Eulalia del Rio Ibiza Baleares Website SWITZERLAND InArtes Josefstrasse 53, 8005 Zürich Website L’ATELIER - Institut de formation en art-thérapie expressive 24 avenue du Mail 1205 GENEVA Website TURKEY Expressive Arts Institute Istanbul Fulya Kurter Musnitsky ( Founder) Website USA Expressive Arts Institute of Oregon Portland Oregon Phone: +1 971 235 6890 Website Expressive Arts Florida Institute Sarasota, FL 34236 Phone: +1 941 366 9595 Website Expressive Arts Institute San Diego San Diego, CA 92106 Tel. +1 619 239 1713 Website Tamalpa Institute San Rafael, CA 94101 Tel. +1 415 457 8555 Website
  • Core-Members of the International Network of EXA Centers
    AUSTRIA MAC COLLEGE - Multimodale Kunsttherapie Wien - Linz - Salzburg Alexander Eggenhofer 3532 Rastenfeld Tel. +43 676 511 90 97 Website CANADA International School for Interdisciplinary Studies Canada Toronto, Ontario, M6G 1CO Tel. +1 416 539 97 28 Website Vancouver School of Expressive Arts Therapy Heather Dawson Tel. +1 604 732 3636 Website DENMARK Danish Institute for Expressive Arts, Spirituality and Coaching Steen Lykke 2300 Kopenhagen Tel. +45 20 432115 Website FINLAND Institute INARTES 00980 Helsinki Tel. +358 40 770 42 99 Website GERMANY Step ahead Institut für Expressive Arts Berlin Barbara Hielscher-Witte 10823 Berlin Tel. +49 30 78705693 Website NORWAY Norsk Institutt for Kunst- & Uttrykksterapi Norwegian Institute for Expressive Arts and Communication 0175 Oslo Tel. +47 22 20 11 30 Website PERU TAE PERU Lima Tel. +511 2414452 Website SPAIN IATPA 08002 Barcelona Tel. +34 69 613 64 28 Website SWEDEN Expressive Arts Stockholm 116 28 Stockholm Tel. +46 8 640 74 47 Website SWITZERLAND Stiftung EGIS 8006 Zürich Tel. +41 44 382 33 09 Website L'ATELIER 1205 Genève Tel. +41 22 320 39 93 Website USA Expressive Arts Institute San Diego San Diego, CA 92106 Tel. +1 619 239 17 13 Website Tamalpa Institute San Rafael, CA 94101 Tel. +1 415 457 8555 Website
  • Members of the International Network of EXA Centers
    GERMANY Langen Institut 40547 Düsseldorf Tel. +49 211 52 02 45 54 Website Institut für Kunst und Therapie München 81476 München Tel. +49 89 72 01 62 36 Website ISRAEL International School for Interdisciplinary Studies ISRAEL Tel Aviv Tel. +972 3 6996369 or +972 3 6996343 Website USA New York Expressive Arts Feura Bush, NY 12067 Tel. +1 518 768 270 Website
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