Online Music Therapy Masters Program
Students aspiring to a career as a music therapist may find an online music therapy masters program beneficial. These programs typically last two years and cover foundations of music therapy as well as general clinical therapy practices. Furthermore, people with bachelor’s degrees in fields like psychology or musicology could potentially apply for these positions.
A bachelor’s degree is usually required for admission into a music therapy program. Most schools will require prospective students to have at least a 2.5 GPA and some require letters of recommendation as well as an audio portfolio.
The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) set standards for all levels of education in music therapy, and academic institutions must guarantee their programs adhere to these guidelines. These documents establish professional competencies required of graduates from a music therapy program as well as the specific curricular structures appropriate to each degree.
5.3.3 Bachelor’s degree: The academic institution should assume primary responsibility for providing the necessary academic courses to meet competency objectives, organizing and supervising clinical training, integrating academic and clinical learning experiences according to developmental sequences, evaluating student competence at various stages of the program, as well as approving or certifying professional credentials of its graduates.
6.3.3 Masters Degree: The master’s degree should provide selected and specified advanced competencies from the AMTA Advanced Competencies. These should be tailored to address the practice of music therapy in which therapists apply theories, research findings, treatment knowledge, musicianship skills, clinical abilities and personal awareness to meet client needs.
Additionally, the program should be tailored to prepare the therapist for advanced practice in the field, including continuing education as required by the American Music Therapy Association. This can be accomplished through formal continuing education courses, examinations and/or accruing applicable credits as determined necessary by the certification board of one’s national professional organization.
8.3.3 Combined Master’s Equivalency Program: This option may be available to applicants who hold an undergraduate degree in music or another area of study but do not possess an equivalent master’s degree in music therapy. This program combines the undergraduate core courses required for entry-level certification with a master’s degree.
Temple University offers a graduate school program of 36 credits over two years to develop an in-depth knowledge of music therapy theory, research and practice. This degree is accredited by both the American Music Therapy Association and National Association of Schools of Music.
This program’s central location on a health sciences campus provides an ideal setting for interprofessional education and collaborative learning opportunities. Students also have access to clinical and research facilities, plus they can engage in experiential learning through internships or service learning projects at several of the University’s health science centers as well as other nonprofit organizations.