Music Therapy
Bachelor of Music (BM) in Music Therapy
- Prepare for a professional career with children, adolescents, and adults with special needs
- Eligibity for National Board Certification Examination for Music Therapists
- Clinical training and internship
Completion of this program leads to board certification as a music therapist. Following the academic studies, and the required clinical training, the candidate is eligible to take the National Board Certification Examination for Music Therapists, designed and administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). The credential earned is Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC).
Students in the music therapy program complete a minimum of 1200 hours of clinical training, which has two components: pre-internship and internship. Pre-internship training consists of various practical field experiences with at least three different populations, taken by a student in conjunction with music therapy course work as pre-requisite for internship placement. Internship is the culminating, in-depth, supervised clinical training experience in an entry-level degree program in music therapy. Students may choose from the academic institution's roster of affiliated internship programs, the national roster of all AMTA-approved internship sites in collaboration with the music therapy advisor.
More About This Degree
- Learn more about this program or visit the Music, Theatre, and Dance website.
- College: Insalaco College of Creative and Performing Arts
- Courses: Available courses in this department
- This program is accredited by the
American Music Therapy Association
The Undergraduate Music Therapy Program is accredited by the American Music Therapy Association, Inc.
National Association of Schools of Music
Programs in Music are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
A music therapy clinic/lab is housed in the Sette Laverghetta Center for Performing Arts. It includes fully accessible therapy rooms with one-way observation screens and the following equipment:
- Keyboard/piano
- CD player/audio equipment
- Traditional musical instruments used in treatment
- J&J Biofeedback interfaced with an IBM-PC
- A comfortable recliner chair utilized for those needing stress reduction /self-regulation treatment and for student research projects utilizing biofeedback
- A MidiCreator interfaced in an electronic keyboard to provide creative possibilities for clients with physical challenges
Completion of this degree prepares students for a career using music in a systematic sequence of interventions leading to specific changes or goals with children, adolescents, and adults requiring special services. A credentialed music therapist is employed in such places as:
- Community health centers
- Traditional state and private facilities serving persons with mental and physical challenges, including facilities for people with developmental disabilities
- General hospitals
- Allied health rehabilitation centers
- Day care centers
- Senior centers, nursing homes, and hospice care facilities
- Correctional facilities
- Schools
- Private practices
Undergraduate Admissions Requirements
- Official SAT and/or ACT scores
- Completed application
- Essay
- Official transcripts
- Letter of recommendation
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Requirements specific to vocal performance majors:
| MUSC 220A,B | Vocal Pedagogy | 2 |
| MUSC 318A,B,C | Italian/German/French Vocal Diction |
3
|
| MUSC 422A | Art Song Literature | 1 |
| MUSC 423A | Opera Scenes Workshop | 2 |
| THEA 241 | Fundamentals of Acting | 3 |
| Dance | Elective | 2 |
B.M. in Music Therapy
Completion of this program leads to board certification as a music therapist. Following the academic studies and the required clinical training, the candidate is awarded the B.M. degree and is eligible to take the National Board Certification Examination for Music Therapists, designed and administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). The credential awarded is Music TherapistBoard Certified (MT-BC).
The music therapy degree candidate must complete the required clinical training experience, which has two components: pre-internship and internship. Pre-internship training consists of various practical field experiences with at least three different populations, taken by a student in conjunction with music therapy coursework as prerequisite for internship placement. Internship is the culminating, in-depth, supervised clinical training experience in music therapy completed at a national roster or University affiliated internship site.
A minimum of 1040 hours is required (or hours until entry-level competence is achieved) at an AMTA-approved clinical training site. This competency-based curriculum prepares students for a career using music in a systematic sequence of interventions leading to specific changes with children, adolescents, and adults requiring special services. A credentialed music therapist is employed in such places as community health centers; traditional state and private facilities serving persons with mental and physical challenges, including psychiatric partial hospitalization day programs, group homes and intermediate care facilities for people with developmental disabilities; general hospitals; allied health rehabilitation centers; day care centers; nursing homes; senior centers; hospice care; correctional facilities; schools; private practice; consultative work, and/or further graduate study. Professional membership is available through the American Music Therapy Association, Inc. (AMTA).
I. BASIC MUSICIANSHIP AND PERFORMANCE 48-53 credits
| MUSC 111 A, B | Written Theory I |
4
|
| MUSC 112 A, B | Aural Skills I |
2
|
| MUSC 115 A, B | Conducting I |
2
|
| MUSC 118 C | Percussion Techniques for Therapists |
2
|
| MUSC 120 A, B | Vocal Methods (for instrumental music majors) |
2
|
| MUSC 220 A, B | Vocal Pedagogy (for vocal music majors) |
2
|
| MUSC 127 A, B | Class Piano, where applicable |
4
|
| MUSC 211 A, B | Written Theory II |
2
|
| MUSC 212 A, B | Aural Skills II |
2
|
| MUSC 213 A, B | Keyboard Harmony |
2
|
| MUSC 318 A, B, C | Italian/German/French Vocal Diction (for voice music majors) | 3 |
| MUSC 322 | History of Music I |
3
|
| MUSC 323 | History of Music II |
3
|
| MUSC varies | Applied Major |
14
|
| MUSC varies | Applied Guitar |
2
|
| MUSC varies | Ensemble |
4-6
|
| MUSC 482 | Senior Recital | 0 |
II. MUSIC THERAPY COMPONENT 29 credits
| M TH 170 A, B | Introduction to Music Therapy |
4
|
| M TH 171 | Clinical Experience -- 20 hours |
0
|
| M TH 271 | Pre-Internship Clinical Experience -- 40 hours | 2 |
| M TH 271S | Pre-Internship Seminar | 2 |
| M TH 371A | Pre-Internship Clinical Experience -- 50 hours | 2 |
| M TH 371S | Pre-Internship Seminar | 2 |
| M TH 372 | Psychological Foundations I |
2
|
| M TH 373 | Psychological Foundations II |
2
|
| M TH 377 | Improvisation |
2
|
| M TH 471 | Pre-Internship Clinical Experience -- 50 hours | 2 |
| M TH 471S | Pre-Internship Seminar | 2 |
| M TH 474 | Music in Therapy |
3
|
| M TH 475 | Influence of Music on Behavior |
3
|
| M TH 480, 481 | Music Therapy Internship - 1040 hours | 1 |
III. BEHAVIORAL/HEALTH/NATURAL SCIENCES 12 credits
| *BIOL 130 | Anatomy and Physiology | 3 |
| *PSYC 211 | General Psychology |
3
|
| PSYC 251 | Developmental Psychology |
3
|
| PSYC 431 | Abnormal Psychology |
3
|
| * Included in liberal arts requirements | ||
Degree-Equivalency in Music Therapy Certificate Program
This program is designed for the student who holds a bachelor’s degree in music and wishes to seek board certification in order to begin professional practice as a music therapist. The equivalency program consists of all core music therapy and clinical training requirements, plus any pertinent courses in related fields (e.g., abnormal psychology, etc.) It should be noted that an equivalency program is regarded as entry level, regardless of the level of credit awarded for course work. The student usually earns undergraduate credit for these courses.
The Equivalency in Music Therapy requires a minimum of three semesters or one and a half years, plus the minimum of 1200 internship hours as specified above. The internship follows the completion of all music therapy coursework.
Upon successful completion of the academic and internship components, the candidate is eligible to take the national Board Certification Examination for Music Therapists. Successfully passing the exam, the candidate is awarded the credential Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). Professional membership is available with the American Music Therapy Association, Inc. (AMTA).