About Applied Creative Psychology, MA - at Catalyst - Institute for Creative Arts and Technology
The MA in Applied Creative Psychology is a one-year, full-time postgraduate programme designed for artists, educators, researchers and changemakers seeking to explore the intersections between creativity, human development and psychological insight.
Rooted in experiential, practice-based learning, the course combines cutting-edge research with hands-on activities, service learning and portfolio-driven assessment. Students engage deeply with contemporary theories of development – including cognitive, moral, social, identity and physical lines – while applying these insights directly to personal and community-based creative practice.
Delivered through workshops, seminars and self-directed projects, the curriculum supports exploration in areas such as expressive arts and wellbeing, optimal experience and performance, and creative leadership for global impact. Teaching is underpinned by Catalyst’s “learning by doing” approach, emphasising personal growth, creative autonomy and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Students benefit from professional development coaching, real-world placements and access to Catalyst’s extensive creative facilities at the Funkhaus in Berlin – including studios, theatres, cinemas and performance spaces. Graduates leave with a rich portfolio and the ability to lead, facilitate or influence transformational change in a variety of contexts, from the arts and education to health, social innovation and beyond.
What is applied creative psychology – and what is creative flourishing?
Applied creative psychology is an interdisciplinary field that uses creativity as a practical, evidence-based tool to explore psychological insight, personal growth and collective wellbeing. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience, expressive arts and education, it asks: how can creative expression support emotional resilience, identity and purpose?
Creative flourishing goes further – it’s about living and working in ways that are both psychologically grounded and creatively expansive. It’s the process of gaining clarity, resilience and purpose not just for yourself, but in service of others. You’ll explore how art, values and action intersect, and learn how to use your practice to nurture agency, empathy and transformation.
Is this programme for me?
You might be right for this MA if you are:
- A creative practitioner seeking deeper insight into your work and process
- An educator, coach or facilitator interested in integrating psychology into your practice
- A professional looking to shift toward meaningful, values-led work
- Someone with a strong interest in creative health, arts-based learning or wellbeing
- Ready to explore your personal development and creative identity within a supportive and international learning community
This programme is particularly relevant for those who want to bridge disciplines, lead change or explore the role of creativity in human flourishing – in education, arts, therapy, leadership or innovation.
An international learning community
Our international creative campus is located at the historic Funkhaus in Berlin – it’s hard to imagine a better location for creative endeavour and learning! Through the lens of an international cohort of students, we aim to promote and support the exchange and debate of philosophical, political, social and ethical issues from a range of different cultures and backgrounds.
Our engaged postgraduate community is then well-placed to spearhead these conversations and create work that addresses the challenges of a multicultural but ever more connected world – to see our shared human concerns, whilst celebrating our diversity and our mutually enriching differences.
Learn more about Applied Creative Psychology, MA - at Catalyst - Institute for Creative Arts and Technology
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