Music Therapy, MM

An undergraduate degree in music therapy (or the equivalent) is required for full admission to the 30-credit hour Master of Music in Music Therapy degree. Additionally, students must hold the MT-BC credential in order to fulfill the requirements of the MM in music therapy. A combined equivalency/master’s degree program is available for students without an undergraduate degree in music therapy. Applicants for the combined equivalency/master’s degree are expected to have earned an undergraduate degree in music or, at a minimum, a music minor. Students who have earned a music minor should contact the program director prior to applying to the combined equivalency/master’s degree program.

Entrance Requirements

Applicants must meet the entrance requirements of The Graduate School as well as those of the School of Music. In addition to the items required on the Graduate School application, applicants for the MM in Music Therapy must complete the following:

An interview with the music therapy faculty, during which students will be asked to sing one song while accompanying themselves on guitar and one song while accompanying themselves on piano. Students who have not yet learned to play guitar will only sing and play one song with piano accompaniment.
The specialized Music Therapy entrance exams cover music theory, aural skills, and music therapy. These entrance exams are specific to the music therapy area and serve in lieu of the entrance exams used for other degree programs. Applicants should contact the music therapy program director to arrange for an interview and schedule the entrance exams. Admission is conditional upon passing the entrance exams or passing any required review classes with a grade of A or B before accumulating 12 credit hours.
Information about this exam can be found in the School of Music Graduate Handbook, section 1.11.3.

Degree Requirements

At least two-thirds of the minimum requirements for the master’s degree must be in regular courses (not independent studies), and at least half (50%) of the minimum course requirements (excluding thesis, practicum, or internship credit) must be in 600- or 700-level courses.
Students must not receive two grades of C or less.
Equivalency Requirements: Combined equivalency/master’s students must have met all AMTA Professional Competencies before finalizing the Master of Music in Music Therapy degree. The number of credits required to complete the equivalency option will vary based on previous courses taken.
For the Master of Music in Music Therapy, students may choose the thesis option (Plan A), or the non-thesis option (Plan B), which requires taking six hours of additional course work instead of a thesis. A final examination is required for each plan.

Thesis Option [30 Total Credit Hours]

All students (both traditional and combined equivalency/master’s degree students) must complete the following coursework to finalize the master’s degree. Please note: any graduate coursework taken to remediate professional competencies will not count toward the master’s degree. Students who opt to pursue Plan A complete a thesis (either traditional research or clinical project option) with final oral examination (thesis defense).

Major Courses [12 Credit Hours]

Guided Electives [9 Credit Hours]

Music Therapy

The student will choose 3 courses from the following for a total of 9 credits. MUS 732 may be taken twice if it pertains to a different topic. A substitution may be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor.

Free Electives [9 Credit Hours]

The student will select 9 credits from related graduate coursework (e.g., psychology, counseling, human development, diversity and inclusion, etc.) in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor.

Non-Thesis Option [30 Total Credit Hours]

All students (both traditional and combined equivalency/master’s degree students) must complete the following coursework to finalize the master’s degree. Please note: any graduate coursework taken to remediate professional competencies will not count toward the master’s degree. Students who opt to pursue Plan B must successfully complete 1 professional or public-oriented presentation during their time in the program (approved by faculty advisor) and a final written comprehensive essay examination, taken during the last semester of coursework.

Major Courses [6 Credit Hours]

Guided Electives [15 Credit Hours]

Music Therapy

Music

The student will choose 6 credits of graduate courses in music (MUS, MUP, MUC). Course selections must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor and can include additional coursework in music therapy. Ensembles and performance courses typically require an audition and approval of the instructor. A substitution may be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor. Examples are provided below: