Bachelor of Creative Arts, Health and Wellness (B.C.A.H.W.)
Admission Requirements
Ontario Requirements
Out of Province Requirements
International Requirements
What is the Bachelor of Creative Arts, Health and Wellness?
This is a 4-year Honours degree program and the first undergraduate program of its kind in Canada. You will explore the artistic, psychological, and therapeutic components of the creative arts and their connections to healthcare and human wellness.
You will enter this program by pursuing your artistic passion in either:
- Music
- Theatre Studies
- Studio Art
Then, you'll combine this knowledge with required courses in Psychology and tie your learning together in core BCAHW courses (CREA), available only to students in this program.
Why was the Bachelor of Creative Arts, Health and Wellness created?
In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its report “What is the Evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and wellbeing?”
By Synthesizing more than two decades’ worth of research and findings of over 3000 studies, this report unquestionably:
“Identified a major role for the arts in the prevention of ill health, promotion of health, and management and treatment of illness across the lifespan” (WHO, i).
The WHO then identified this as a global need and argued that the arts “played a critical role” in managing, treating, and preventing a variety of illnesses, including:
- “mental illness,
- noncommunicable diseases and neurological disorders,
- as well as assisting in acute and end-of-life care.” (WHO, 57)
Program Benefits
State-of-the-Art Facilities
You will have access to our newly renovated, $23 million Arts Research Centre (ARC) as well as our Fine Art Studios in Zavitz Hall and Alexander Hall. These spaces will be a community hub for music, performance, and creativity.
Learn From The Best
You’ll learn from award-winning scholars, theatre experts, musicians, and artists who have honed their craft and look forward to teaching you!
Gain Practical Experience
From recitals, to shows, productions, and gallery exhibits, you'll put your best foot forward and gain experience that you can take with you into the real world.
Access Community Support
With smaller class sizes, you'll build a tight-knit community of like-minded people who want to see you succeed. Your professors will know you by name and encourage you to grow.
Our Facilities
Whether you're a Music, Theatre Studies or Studio Art student, these spaces will be your home for the next four years!
The Arts Research Centre (ARC)
This state-of-the-art performing arts facility represents a $23 million renovation, located in the MacKinnon Building.
As a Music or Theatre Studies student, many of your classes, rehearsals, productions, and performances will take place in this building.
Zavitz Hall and Alexander Hall
These two buildings represent our fine arts facilities on-campus.
As a Studio Art student, most of your classes as well as your artistic endeavours will take place in these two buildings, whether it be the drawing studio, sculpture studio, painting studio, and more.
Career Pathways
In today’s society, access to healing practices are in such demand, including the specific need to treat mental and physical health through therapy and other targeted medical interventions. As a graduate of this program, you will be filling a need in the labour market and healthcare field.
You will utilize the skills developed within one creative art programs (Music, Theatre Studies, or Studio Art), paired with the application of psychological and therapeutic approaches. You will be prepared to address relevant socio-cultural, economic, and scientific (healthcare) concerns.
This program will prepare you with new and innovative training for career pathways in:
- Counselling and Therapy
- Healthcare and Medicine
- Education
- Community Outreach and Advocacy
- Social Work
You will be able to pursue graduate programs in:
- Music Therapy
- Drama Therapy
- Art Therapy
- Counselling
- Education
- Psychology,
- Medicine, and more.
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“As a recognized Practicum and Internship site supervisor for the Canadian Association of Music Therapists, I believe now more than ever that students are looking for programs that speak to their progressive world view, reflect their understanding of creative arts and health, and prepare them for a meaningful career that will change both clients and larger communities.”
Why a Bachelor of Creative Arts, Health and Wellness?
Use your Creative Passion
Learn how you can make a difference in the world and the people around you using the creative expression that lives inside you. Become a skills expert in your field while developing a portfolio.
Learn to be Anti-Oppressive and Inclusive
You will tackle important issues related to indigeneity, equity, diversity and inclusion as you learn about ethics in healthcare, community activist models and the professional responsibilities of health care workers.
Learn About the Mind
Psychology prerequisites for graduate programs are built into the infrastructure of this degree, which means you will be able to build tangible connections between your art form and mental well-being through CREA courses.
Answer the Call of the World Health Organization
You will be part of showcasing how arts-based wellness practices benefit both society and individuals. These types of methods can aid in:
- Enhancing mindfulness
- Treating anxiety
- Assisting with grief
- Managing pain
- Regulating mood
Program Statistics
- Degree
- Bachelor of Creative Arts, Health and Wellness (BCAHW)
- 3
- Specialized Majors
- 4
- Year Degrees
- 1st
- First of its kind
- #1
- in student satisfaction - Maclean's Canadian Comprehensive University Rankings 2020
Program Information
| Year | Class | Code | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Black Studies in Canada | BLCK*1000 | 0.50 |
| 1 | Introduction to Creative Arts, Health and Wellness | CREA*1000 | 0.50 |
| 1 | The Art of Health | CREA*1010 | 0.50 |
| 1 | Music and Creative Practice I | MUSC*1410 | 0.50 |
| 1 | Introduction to Psychology | PSYC*1000 | 0.50 |
| 1 | Foundation Studio | SART*1050 | 0.50 |
| 1 | Introduction to Sexualities and Genders | SXGN*1000 | 0.50 |
| 1 | Introduction to Performance | THST*1040 | 0.50 |
| 2 | Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Oppression | UNIV*2010 | 0.50 |