Creative Arts and Mental Health

Creative Arts and Mental Health at Queen Mary University of London offers an innovative interdisciplinary programme designed to explore the intersection between creative arts practices and mental health disciplines. This course aims to equip students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to understand how creative arts can be used as tools for promoting mental wellbeing, healing, and social inclusion. Throughout the programme, students will engage with a range of topics including psychology, psychotherapy, art therapy, expressive arts, mental health policies, and the therapeutic benefits of various creative modalities such as visual arts, music, drama, and dance. The curriculum emphasizes a combination of academic study and practical application, encouraging students to develop their creative talents while critically examining their role within mental health contexts.

Participants will have opportunities to learn from leading academics, mental health practitioners, and creative arts professionals through lectures, seminars, workshops, and hands-on projects. The programme also includes placements and collaborations with mental health organizations and creative arts initiatives, providing invaluable real-world experience. Graduates of this course will be prepared for careers in arts therapy, mental health advocacy, community arts projects, clinical settings, and further research. The programme fosters an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives and innovative approaches to mental health care. By integrating arts-based methods into mental health practices, students will gain insights into how creative expression can facilitate emotional healing and social engagement. The course aims to develop compassionate, reflective practitioners equipped to contribute meaningfully to mental health and arts sectors. This interdisciplinary approach ensures graduates are versatile and capable of working across different settings, promoting wellbeing through creative interventions.

Structure

The MSc programme consists of five modules. Completion of the first four modules is accredited for exit with a PGDip in Creative Arts and Mental Health. Completion of all five modules leads to the MSc award.

In term 1 students take Module 1- Critical Mental Health Sciences and Module 2- Performing Mental Health. In term 2 students take a choice of two existing Module 3 options offered by the Department of Drama (Cultural Industries or Independent Practical Project) and Module 4- Critical Encounters in Arts and Mental Health.  In term 3, students completing the MSc award also take Module 5 and undertake a dissertation on an original topic in the field.

Term 1

Module 1: Critical Mental Health Sciences

This module sets out the existing state of mental health care and practice, taking account of the historical legacy and the place of power and identity in contemporary practice. Students hear about assessment and diagnostic practices, their strengths and limitations, and about traditions of evaluation and research methods ranging from medical to social sciences. The module is based on seminal readings and textbooks that investigate the philosophy, social and anthropological perspectives on mental health practice, and the place of representation and stigma in modern policy and practice. The scientific method and research methods found in psychiatric and medical practice is critiqued. The taught component of this module consists of lectures delivered by specialists and intercalating workshops, running for 12 weeks.

Module 2: Performing Mental Health

This module explores the performance of mental health and mental illness as they have been defined across history, and in the contemporary moment. In particular the module asks how the social construction of mental health is reflected in and produced by performance. Special attention is given to representations of ‘madness’ and ‘mental illness’ produced in historical performance, as well as to how these representations have since been reinterpreted and adapted to reflect current constructions and concerns. The taught component of this module consists of a total of 30-33 hours of lectures and workshops.

Term 2

Module 3 : A choice of two existing module options offered by the Department of Drama

Option 1:  Cultural Industries

This module explores cultural industries – both their practices, and the issues (ethical, practical, political, economic, etc.) they raise. It examines the political and economic contexts and practices that give rise to and affect them. It evaluates their aims as well as the practices they do and might employ to achieve those aims. Module convenor(s) facilitate students’ placement with an appropriate industry partner and students develop industry-based projects to complete within the context of the industry partner’s work. Students’ work on this module is partly seminar-based, and partly based on work with the industry partner. The taught component of this module consists in 2 hours seminars for 8 weeks.

Option 2: Independent Practical Project

This module requires students to devise an individual project that focuses on a chosen area of performance practice. The aim of the module is for you to raise a series of research questions that are addressed as a result of and through their practical work. This could encompass playwriting, applied drama, directing, dramaturgy, acting, new technologies, site-specific performance and live art. Working under the supervision of the module convenor and a mentor, each student crafts a professional project that also provides an opportunity for critical reflection on the processes of performance practice.  Students take part in 11 weekly workshop classes at 4 hours per class.

The two assessments (presentation and portfolio) are designed to provide public platforms for the dissemination of rigorous practice-based research while maintaining an emphasis on high standards of professional performance making.

Module 4: Critical Encounters in Arts and Mental Health

This module investigates the use of arts-based practices as research, education, health intervention, advocacy and activism in mental health. Students will learn about contemporary art practice which interrogates, critiques and/or contributes to mental health theory and practice. The module is based on lecture-seminars delivered by artists, art-historians and clinicians who engage with art within their practice. Students will be encouraged to develop a specialist area of interest that will be furthered developed during their dissertation project (Module 5). The taught component of this module is delivered in 3 hours lecture-seminars for 12 weeks.

Term 3

Module 5: Dissertation

Module 5 includes lectures/workshops on research methodologies as further preparation for your independent dissertation work. Research workshops are offered during Term 1 and 2. Additionally, in Term 3 you will have access to a Research Methods module made available to all MSc students at the Centre for Psychiatry. Module 5 is assessed by a dissertation that includes original research using an art-based or science-based methodology or an original and comprehensive systematic literature review. Where applicable, you are required to obtain ethics applications for your research. Each student is matched with at least one dissertation supervisor from either Drama or Psychiatry, based on their topic and methods of research, who will offer individual tutorials.

The minimum entry requirement is a 2.1 in a UK Bachelor's degree or overseas equivalent in related subjects. Applicants with good lower second class degrees may be considered on a case by case basis if they have relevant experience.

Applicants will be expected to demonstrate strong academic thinking, reading and writing skills via a personal statement and references. We wish to include people from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds and career pathways, especially people working in art organizations and the volunteer sector. Individual meetings can be arranged to discuss specific circumstances.  Some applicants will be interviewed to discuss entry onto the course.

International students are required to meet standard 7.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). 

The financing options for the Creative Arts and Mental Health program at Queen Mary University of London are designed to support both domestic and international students throughout their studies. Tuition fees vary depending on the student's domicile status, with UK/EU students typically benefiting from certain government-funded schemes and potential access to student loans. For UK students, the main source of funding is the Student Loans Company, which offers tuition fee loans and maintenance loans to help cover living costs during the course duration. These loans are repayable based on income levels after graduation, providing manageable repayment terms that make pursuing the degree financially accessible.

International students are generally responsible for financing their tuition fees independently; however, Queen Mary University offers several scholarships and bursaries specifically aimed at supporting international students in their academic pursuits. These include merit-based scholarships, which are awarded based on academic excellence, and need-based bursaries, which consider the financial circumstances of applicant families. Additionally, some external funding options, such as government-sponsored scholarships or private foundations, may be applicable to international students, depending on their country of origin.

Students can also explore part-time work opportunities available on or near campus, which provide a way to supplement their income during their studies. The university's Career Development Service offers guidance on employment, internships, and placement opportunities that can help students gain valuable experience while managing their finances. Furthermore, some students may qualify for research council funding or specific grants related to creative arts or mental health research, especially if their project aligns with current academic priorities.

For postgraduate students, there are occasional bursaries and scholarships aimed at fostering innovation in creative arts and mental health disciplines. These awards are often competitive and require an application process, including a statement of purpose and sometimes an interview. Financial planning advice and resources are available through the university's Student Support and Wellbeing teams, helping students budget effectively and access emergency funding if necessary.

Overall, the university strives to make education accessible through various financial aid programs, government support, and employment opportunities. Prospective students are encouraged to explore all available funding sources early in the application process and consult with the university's financial aid office for personalized advice tailored to their specific circumstances.

Teaching and learning takes place through a mix of interactive lectures and seminars, group work, case studies and practical workshops. Lectures and seminars present a theoretical framework while group discussions focus on practical applications of the theory presented in the lecture. In addition, Module 3 includes a work placement related to creative arts and mental health, which is facilitated by the tutors and lecturers in this programme through existing and new partnerships with the performing arts community, voluntary organisations and mental health organizations.

You will be assessed by a range of methods:

• Module 1:  Essay
• Module 2: Presentation & Essay
• Module 3: Project Plan and Project Report or Continual Assessment, Performance or Presentation, Portfolio of Documentation
• Module 4: Essay
• Module 5: Dissertation