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Music Therapy Ph.D.

Accelerate your career as a music therapy clinician or educator. Advance your scholarship and reach your professional goals.

As a student in this online Ph.D. program, you will gain knowledge in three core areas:

• Clinical practice : Further your understanding of advanced clinical competencies with an emphasis on evidence-based practices.
• Research : Engage in coursework and collaborative research projects focused on advancing research skills. Develop original research in your area of interest.
• Academic higher education : Participate in courses focused on teaching and learning in a higher education setting.

Study with experienced faculty and researchers

Learn from faculty with a range of backgrounds, areas of focus, and approaches in therapy. Faculty are connected to the community and collaborate with colleagues in human development, music education, early childhood, psychology, gerontology, communication studies, and occupational therapy.

Small class sizes allow for maximum participation and intimate discussions with fellow students and faculty.

Study online, on your time

Online coursework provides flexibility for working professionals. Earn your Ph.D. from a respected, regionally accredited public research university. Balance your academic studies with your career and personal obligations.

Learn more on the Applied Podcast

In this episode, we talk with two faculty members in CSU’s Music Therapy department: Dr. Blythe LaGasse and Dr. Jess Rushing. We learn about the healing power of music, why music therapy works, and how it fits into a holistic healthcare system.

This unique Ph.D. program can help you gain the knowledge to take the next step in your career. After successful completion of the program, you may consider job opportunities such as:

• Director of Clinical Practice
• Clinical Administrator
• Advanced Clinical Practitioner

Blythe LaGasse, Ph.D., MT-BC

Professor of music; music therapy; coordinator of music therapy.

Dr. Blythe LaGasse is coordinator and associate professor of music therapy at Colorado State University. She is director of the online program in music therapy. She has been a music therapist specializing in working with children with autism spectrum disorder for over sixteen years and is an active clinician.

Dr. LaGasse was a faculty trainer for the Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) Academy for eight years. She holds a certificate of proficiency in DIR/Floortime from the Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning. Dr. LaGasse has publications in Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, the Journal of Music Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives, and Music and Medicine. She was the 2016 recipient of the American Music Therapy Association Arthur Flagler Fultz Research grant award and in 2016 she and co-investigator Dr. Erik Johnson were awarded the GRAMMY Foundation grant award.

Dr. LaGasse was the 2015 recipient of the American Music Therapy Association Research Award. She was the 2016-2017 recipient of the College of Liberal Arts Excellence in Teaching Award. She was the Fall 2017 recipient of the CSU Online Innovative Educator Award.

Andrew Knight, Ph.D., MT-BC

Associate professor of music; music therapy.

Dr. Andrew Knight holds a bachelor's degree in percussion performance, with a jazz emphasis, from UW-La Crosse, a music therapy equivalency and master's degree from the University of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. in educational foundations and research from the University of North Dakota (UND).

Dr. Knight has research interests in substance use disorders in adults and early childhood social/emotional developmental issues. He directs the Parkinson's Disease vocal exercise group in collaboration with the Parkinson's Support Group in Larimer County and is a Music Together Within Therapy™ provider. His research has been published in the Journal of Music Therapy and Music Therapy Perspectives , among other journals, and serves as Associate Editor for Book Reviews for JMT. He is the 2017-2019 president of the Midwestern Region (MWR) of the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), on the AMTA Assembly of Delegates, and has won the MWR and AMTA Service Awards. Along with Dr. Blythe LaGasse and Dr. Alicia Clair, he is a co-editor of the 2018 Introduction to Music Therapy textbook published by AMTA.

Lindsey Wilhelm, Ph.D., MT-BC

Assistant professor of music; music therapy; internship coordinator.

Dr. Wilhelm holds degrees in music therapy from Colorado State University (BM) and the University of Iowa (MA, Ph.D.) and is a Fellow in Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT). A board-certified music therapist since 2007, Dr. Wilhelm has worked with both children and adults in a variety of community, educational, rehabilitative, and medical settings. Her current research areas and interests include music therapy applications for aging adults with hearing loss; students' self-care practices; and music therapy applications for family caregivers.

Jess Rushing, Ph.D.

Assistant professor; music therapy.

Dr. Rushing has worked clinically with all ages from premature infants to end-of-life with considerable experience in medical, private practice, and mental health. Rushing’s research interests include music therapy in acute post-stroke care, music therapy supervision using Self-Determination Theory, and community engagement. In addition to teaching and research, she has previously owned a private practice and supervised the UofL Music Therapy Clinic. She is a Fellow of the National Institute of Infant and Child Medical Music Therapy and has completed training in Neurologic Music Therapy. Dr. Rushing is currently the chair elect of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) Arts and Neuroscience Networking Group. She enjoys continuing to be an active clinician.

Laura Beer, Ph.D

Associate professor of music: music therapy.

Dr. Beer has extensive clinical experience as a music therapist, researcher, author, and educator. She has worked as a clinician in a range of settings, with her most recent clinical experience in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and with children who have multiple developmental challenges. She also serves as editor for Music Therapy Perspectives , one of AMTA’s two national peer-reviewed journals. She is committed to creating a more inclusive and social-justice oriented format for clinicians, students, educators, and allied health professionals. She has numerous publications including "Trauma-Informed Music Therapy: Theory and Practice" (co-editor) and "Using Music in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy," co-written with Jacqueline Birnbaum. Laura lives with her wife Cyndy, three cats, and little dog Gracie, and is humbled every day by their love and support.

The Ph.D. in Music Therapy is comprised of 72 credits, of which 30 credits may be accepted from a prior master's degree.

Clinical Core Courses (15 credits)

• MU 544 – Advanced Techniques in Neurologic Music Therapy (3 cr.)
• MU 545 – Composition in Music Therapy (3 cr.)
• MU 647 – Historical Foundations of Music Therapy (3 cr.)
• MU 648 – Neuroscience Foundation (3 cr.)
• MU 649 – Advanced Practice in Music Therapy (3 cr.)

Research Core Courses (12 credits)

• MU 543 – Advanced Research Methods in Music Therapy (3 cr.)
• MU 743 – Interpretivist Research in Music Therapy (3 cr.)
• MU 744 – Research to Practice (3 cr.)
• MU 698 – Research Seminar (3 cr.)

Academic Core Courses (15 credits)

• EDAE 639 – Instructional Design (3 cr.)
• EDUC 651 – Multicultural and Special Populations (3 cr.) OR MU 684 – Teaching Seminar (3 cr.)
• MU 792 – Seminar (6 cr.)

Directed Electives (15 credits)

• Electives chosen with the advisor

Dissertation (15 credits)

• MU 799 – Dissertation

Application Deadlines

Students may be admitted for the fall semester only.

Start your application online and upload materials directly into the online system. You can save your progress and return any time.

1 Review Minimum Admission Requirements

For full consideration for a Fall semester start, please submit your application by February 15. Applications beyond this date will be accepted and considered on an individual basis.

Admission requirements reflect the minimum standards an applicant must meet. Achievement above the minimum standards will increase the competitiveness of your application. If you have any questions about the application requirements and process, please contact Blythe LaGasse , Ph.D., MT-BC, Program Coordinator.

Note on Applicant Interviews : All finalists for the Ph.D. program will undergo an interview with the music therapy faculty. The applicant will need to demonstrate functional music skills during this interview.

Admission requirements:

• A bachelor's degree in music therapy from a regionally accredited institution (or a bachelor's degree and completion of a music therapy equivalency program). Note: A master's degree from an accredited college or university may be accepted for a maximum of 30 credits.
• Current board-certification in music therapy.
• A minimum of three years of full-time professional clinical practice experience or its equivalent in part-time work, per the American Music Therapy Association’s Standards for Education and Clinical Training.

Note that meeting the minimum department standards does not ensure admission to the program. Admission to Colorado State University graduate programs is based on a number of factors, including prior academic and professional experience and the personal statement.

2 Prepare Application Materials

Applicants will be required to submit the following information. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Statement of Purpose

The statement should include the following points:

• Identification of an advisor
• Description of your interest in the CSU Music Therapy Ph.D.
• An overview of your music therapy experiences.
• Outline of your specific areas of research interest and clinical expertise.
• Detail of your future career ambitions and why they fit with one or more of our Ph.D. program’s core areas of research, clinical practice, and teaching.
• Writing sample, e.g. a master's thesis, term paper from a graduate class, published research article, or other scholarly writing.

Curriculum Vitae or Resume

Please include at least three years successful full-time experience, or its equivalent, as a professional music therapist.

Video Audition

Provide a video clip of no more than seven minutes showing a therapeutic music experience. This does not need to include a client.

Provide a one-page explanation that includes a client description (i.e., describe an individual with whom you would use this technique/protocol), goal/objective, explanation of choice in the therapeutic music experience, and what you would do next in the treatment process.

Two letters of recommendation

Applicants are required to identify two references who will be requested to provide information electronically. References should be able to speak to your current ability to complete doctoral work and research.

3 Complete Online Application

Complete the online graduate application form and pay the nonrefundable application processing fee (payable online). As soon as you have completed the required information, please submit your application. Your application will not be reviewed until it is complete and all required materials have been received.

• Select "Music Therapy (Ph.D) – Distance" when choosing the program of study.

4 Request Transcripts

Request one official transcript of all collegiate work completed from all institutions attended. Transcripts from Colorado State University are not required. Transcripts must be received directly from the originating institution to be considered official.

Please Note: Students may be unconditionally admitted and registered in their first semester of courses with an unofficial transcript. Official transcripts must be submitted, prior to or during your first semester, before you can register for your second semester of graduate work. Failure to meet this condition will result in your dismissal from the Graduate School.

Electronic (preferred): Digital Transcripts must be submitted by the originating institution using a secure service such as parchment, eScrip-Safe, the National Student Clearinghouse, or e-Quals. Transcripts received via emails are considered unofficial. Use institution code 4075 for Colorado State University or [email protected] if the secure service requires an email address.

Mail (if necessary) Graduate Admissions Colorado State University – Office of Admissions 1062 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523-1062

Check Your Application Status

View your application status at any time to ensure your application checklist is complete or to check on updates.

Once your complete application, including supporting materials, is received, the department admission committee will review your application and notify you of their decision.

For International Applicants

Proof of English language proficiency is required for applicants from countries or United States territories where there are official languages other than (or in addition to) English. This includes the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Learn more about English language proficiency requirements .

We love learning about your goals and answering any questions you have.

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Apply to Herron's Ph.D. in Music Therapy program

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Music Therapy is an Indiana University degree. The flexible 90-credit-hour online or on-campus curriculum provides opportunities to explore the vast ways music can benefit health and well-being as you begin your independent research program. You will also have the chance to prepare for faculty positions in one of the fastest growing music professions.

Step 1: Apply to IU Indianapolis as a graduate student

Prerequisites

A minimum of 3 years (or its equivalent) of clinical practice as a music therapist is required to apply to the Ph.D. program in Music Therapy. Applicants must also provide  evidence of Music Therapy Board Certification (MT-BC).

Transfer credits or direct admit

For applicants who have already completed a Master’s Degree, a transcript review by the music therapy graduate committee will determine if any credits qualify are applicable to the Ph.D. requirements. If the applicant completed a thesis-based Master’s Degree, up to thirty (30) credits can be transferred. Specifically, up to twenty-one (21) credits of graded graduate coursework (equivalent to 500-level or higher) can be applied and up to nine (9) credits of appropriate Master’s thesis-level research credit can be applied. If the applicant completed a “coursework only” master’s degree, up to twenty-one (21) credits of graded graduate coursework (equivalent to 500-level or higher) can be applied.

Applicants entering the program post-B.S. who are interested in earning an M.S. in Music Therapy prior to continuing their Ph.D. work will be advised to take appropriate coursework and if applicable, Master’s thesis-level research credit, that qualifies toward the Ph.D. in Music Therapy requirements.

Application components

Online application.

To begin the application process, visit IU Indianapolis'  online graduate application .

Apple Safari and Google Chrome users must enable pop-ups and third-party cookies in order for the application to function properly.

Board-certification status

Applicants must provide evidence of current board-certification status (MT-BC).

Statement of purpose

Submit a short essay discussing the applicant’s ideas for doctoral research and arguing how their expertise and interests make them the a strong candidate for pursuing this research. In preparing this statement, applicants should identify the faculty member(s) that they are most interested in working with. The statement of purpose should not exceed three double-spaced pages.

Recommendations

You will be asked to provide contact details (i.e. names, street addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses) of three recommenders from professionals familiar with your academic, clinical, or research background.

Recommenders will only receive an electronic request after you've submitted your online application. In the online framework, they will be asked to discuss aspects of your academic or professional performance, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Recommenders must submit their recommendations electronically.

Official transcripts

Official transcripts from each institution you attended must be sent to Herron's Office of Admissions and Student Services. Official transcripts must demonstrate a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and completion of a bachelor's degree.

If you are in the process of completing a bachelor's degree when you apply, a transcript showing your academic record through your current term of study is acceptable. If admitted to Herron, you must submit a final, official transcript verifying the completion and award of your degree.

For international students, if the original documents are not in English, a verified translation must be sent with your official transcripts.

Submitting electronic transcripts

If your institution(s) can submit official transcripts electronically, they can be emailed to [email protected] .

If your school is sending limited-time login credentials that allow us to access their transcript system, be sure to make your request during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST).

Emailed unofficial PDFs of transcripts will not be accepted.

Submitting mailed hard copies

If there is an extenuating circumstance preventing the submission of official electronic transcripts, contact the Office of Admissions and Student Services at [email protected] with an explanation and a representative will provide detailed mailing instructions.

Note: We do not require transcripts from Indiana University campuses.

Proof of English proficiency for international applicants

Proof of English proficiency is required for international students unless the applicant's undergraduate degree is from a university that is located in a country where English is the official language .

Most commonly, students submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores. TOEFL scores must total 79 or higher on the internet-based test (550 or higher on the paper-based test). IELTS scores must total 6.5 or higher.

Applicants must request that an official copy of their test results be sent directly to IU Indianapolis by the testing agency. The IU Indianapolis reporting code for TOEFL is 1325. Other tests or ELS coursework may be accepted in order to verify English proficiency.

For a list of all options and minimum scores required, please see the IU Indianapolis Office of International Affairs English Requirements .

Further documentation for international applicants

For a full list of required documents, please visit the IU Indianapolis Office of International Affairs .

As the final step in the application process, semi-finalists will be contacted for an i n-person or telephone interview with the graduate program director or a graduate faculty member.

Application fees

• IU Indianapolis online graduate application fee: $70 for all applicants

Application deadlines

For admission to Spring semester: November 1 is the deadline to submit your completed online application and all supplemental materials.

For admission to Fall semester: July 1 is the deadline to submit your completed online application and all supplemental materials.

Technology and equipment requirements

Music Technology and Music Therapy students in the Department of Music and Arts Technology are required to have core technology elements prior to enrollment. The specific requirements vary between programs based on the curricular needs of each degree and can be found on our technical requirements page .

Ask an admissions advisor , or contact Herron's Office of Admissions and Student Services directly at 317-278-9400 or [email protected] .

Eskenazi Hall, 735 W. New York Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Top 10 Best Online Doctoral Programs in Music

Fortunately, distance learning is picking up the slack. These ten programs—each offered by a university that holds U.S. regional accreditation or its country’s equivalent—provide options to travelers, the disabled, residents of isolated cities and rural areas, and others who are willing and able to complete doctoral-level study in music but can’t (or would prefer not to) participate in an on-campus program.

1. Boston University, Online DMA in Music Education

Boston University’s new online Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.)  in music education allows music educators to obtain a degree, off-campus, from one of the most prestigious universities in the United States. Applicants must hold an accredited master’s degree in music, music education, or a closely related field with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher, along with at least 3 years of music teaching experience at some level. The curriculum consists of six major-area courses, three additional courses on musicology and music theory, three approved electives, and a dissertation.

By choosing elective courses wisely, students can create their own specialization tracks. A student who wishes to specialize in African-American music, for example, could take electives on the blues, jazz, and African music. The program takes several years to complete, and may require several short on-campus residencies.

2. University of South Africa, DLitt et Phil in Musicology

With more than 400,000 students all over the world, the University of South Africa is both the largest and the least expensive university on this list. It’s also among the oldest. Boasting both Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela among its graduates, UNISA has been offering distance learning courses since 1873. Like most universities that offer British-style research doctorates, UNISA requires applicants to complete a research project under the supervision of a member of the faculty; the D.Litt. et Phil. program in musicology  typically takes three to six years to complete. Applicants must hold a master’s degree in music or the equivalent.

There are two tracks available for the research project: research-only, and research plus portfolio. The research-only project requires an academic dissertation of 60,000 to 90,000 words, while the research plus portfolio option requires a portfolio of original written compositions contextualized by an academic thesis of 24,000 to 36,000 words. The degree can be completed entirely by distance learning from anywhere in the world, and no on-campus visits are required.

3. Monash University, Ph.D. in Music Composition

Located in Victoria on the southeastern coast of Australia, Monash University is one of Australia’s prestigious Group of Eight  and has long been noted for its strength as a research institution. Founded in 1958, and with more than 50,000 students, it’s one of the more widely respected universities in Australia.

It also offers a wide range of distance learning programs, among them a Ph.D. in music composition  that can be done with almost no on-campus residency. Students must visit face-to-face with their supervisor for at least five days each year, but these meetings need not necessarily take place on campus (though they generally do); the rest of the communication may take place by telephone, mail, email, or videoconferencing.

Students are required to write an academic thesis of up to 80,000 words, and can finish the program after as little as three years of full-time study. The student’s previously-written work, including prior musical compositions, may comprise some—but not all—of the thesis matter.

4. University of Birmingham, Ph.D. in Musicology

Founded as a medical school in 1828, Britain’s University of Birmingham was rated #1 in Britain by the *Times Higher Education* supplement in 2014. It is among the most prestigious research universities in the country, and its music department, whose resources include the Barber Music Library, is world-class.

Birmingham’s Ph.D. in musicology  can be completed in three to six years. Students are required to write a supervised academic thesis of about 80,000 words, and must visit the campus at least three times during the program; the rest can be completed entirely by distance learning.

5. Union Institute & University, customized Ph.D.

Union offers one of the oldest regionally accredited distance learning Ph.D. programs  in the United States, and it is also among the most unconventional. Students work with cohort groups to design a specialized major on a specific topic that interests them, and then work through a series of individualized classes culminating in a supervised final project supervised by a university-approved expert in the field. The program requires short residencies at regional seminars and cohort sessions that are held at a variety of locations spread throughout the world (though most are held in the United States).

As a practical matter, the Union program is a good fit for someone who wishes to specialize on a highly specialized or interdisciplinary music-related topic, but specifically seeks a U.S. credential (or simply prefers more guidance and camaraderie than what might be available in a British, South African, or Australian research-oriented program).

6. University of Southern Queensland, Ph.D. in Creative Arts and Media

The University of Southern Queensland has long been recognized as a global leader in distance education, and its distance learning Ph.D. program  in creative arts and media can easily be tailored to a specific music-related research interest. Residency is negotiated on a case by case basis.

7. The Open University, Ph.D. in Music

Residents of the UK are eligible to sign up for the Open University’s research-based Ph.D. in music by distance learning  on a part-time basis. Non-UK residents are sometimes accepted on a case-by-case basis, if they live near an affiliated research center and/or can travel to the Open University campus in Milton Keynes, but this is not commonly done.

The OU, which is a public university and funded by the British government, boasts over 165,000 students and over two million graduates; it is one of the largest distance learning providers in the world.

8. Lesley University, Ph.D. in Expressive Therapies [music therapy]

Lesley University’s low-residency Ph.D. in expressive therapies  allows students to focus on a music therapy track, spending a total of nine weeks on campus (broken up into three three-week summer residencies) and completing the rest of the program online. Students spend the first three years of the program on coursework, and then a final year or two on a dissertation.

9. University of Winchester, D.C.A. in Performing Arts

Winchester’s low-residency D.C.A. in performing arts , designed with working professionals in mind, can be completed in five to seven years. Students are required to attend two short September intensive residencies, but the program can otherwise be completed online. The curriculum is highly individualized and can be easily tailored to musical performance.

10. Liberty University, Doctor of Worship Studies

Liberty University, founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, offers a wide array of online and low-residency programs designed for Protestant Christian religious leaders. The low-residency Doctor of Worship Studies (D.W.S.)  can be completed almost entirely online (though students must take three week-long intensives on the university’s campus in Virginia over the course of the program), and the curriculum provides a broad overview of the theology and practice of church music.

Anything We’ve Missed?

If you know of any other distance learning doctoral programs in music offered by accredited, nonprofit universities, please let me know below the fold; I might feature them in a followup piece.

3 thoughts on “Top 10 Best Online Doctoral Programs in Music”

Leroy, do you know much about this D.M.E online program? Are you a student there? I need to speak with a student of this program.

Monash U does NOT offer PhD in Music Composition

Liberty University also offers a Doctorate in Music Education. (DME) online

Leave a Comment

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University Graduate School Bulletin 2023-2024

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Music Therapy

School of engineering and technology.

Departmental E-mail : [email protected]

Departmental URL:  https://et.iupui.edu/departments/mat/programs/mth/

(Please note that when conferring University Graduate School degrees, minors, certificates, and sub-plans, The University Graduate School’s staff use those requirements contained only in  The University Graduate School Bulletin. )

Curriculum Courses Faculty

Degrees Offered

Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy

Special Departmental Requirements

(See also general University Graduate School requirements)

Admission Requirements

Board-certification in music therapy or international equivalent. Candidates should have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) overall from undergraduate studies. Three letters of recommendation in support of the application. Test of English as a Foreign Language is required of international applicants. A personal interview may be requested.

Program Requirements

Master of Science Degree (on campus or online)

The M.S. degree in Music Therapy is offered in two different learning tracks that prepare students for successful careers in either research or advanced clinical practice. This is an independent degree and not required as a prerequisite for the doctoral studies. Both tracks require a total of 30 credit hours for the degree. The degree is offered on campus and online.

Course Requirements for Research Track M.S.

This track is designed for music therapists who wish to pursue careers in research and can serve as either a terminal degree or as preparation for Ph.D. studies. Students must complete a comprehensive series of graduate-level courses in music therapy and research methods (including MUS-N 530; MUS-N 532; MUS-N 521; MUS-N 533; MUS-N 531; OLS 53010) as well as 9 credits of (MUS-N 600) Music Therapy Thesis with completion of a thesis or research paper. Applications for the Research Track are considered only after the potential student reaches a mentoring agreement with a faculty member with whom the research work will be done.

Course Requirements for Clinical Music Therapy Track M.S.

This non-thesis track provides board-certified music therapists an opportunity to advance their clinical and/or leadership skills in music therapy. The curriculum includes rigorous music therapy specific courses focused on AMTA advanced competencies coupled with 12 credit hours of electives chosen based on the student’s aspirational career goals. Program requirements include MUS-N 530; MUS-N 532; MUS-N 521; MUS-N 533; MUS-N 535 and electives. Students must also take MUS-N518 Music and Arts Technology Final Project.

Admission Requirements To be eligible to apply for the Master of Science in Music Therapy at IUPUI you need to meet the following requirements: Submission of the online application to the campus.

• Current music therapy board certification or international equivalent.
• Minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for the undergraduate degree
• Online audio/video content demonstrating musical competence on piano, voice, and guitar.
• Three letters of recommendation in support of the application (they may be on business letterhead or submitted through the online application link).
• Interview with graduate faculty member.
• International students must pass the TOEFL exam.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Music Therapy (on campus or online)

Program Information

The Doctor of Philosophy in Music Therapy is a research-oriented degree. The degree is designed to prepare board-certified music therapists for independent academic/research careers enabling them to explore the vast ways music influences health and well-being. The principal objectives of this doctoral program are to train music therapists who will conduct research examining current music therapy practice and pedagogy; explore opportunities to optimize music therapy practice and pedagogy; and apply new understandings to clinical practice and education. The overarching goals of the PhD in Music Therapy are guided by the American Music Therapy Association advanced professional competencies. The program is available on campus and online. Faculty and students use internet-based courses, video conferencing, and other technologies to collaborate synchronously. Admission criteria and curricula are the same for on-campus and distance education options.

A total of 90 credits hours is required for the degree, of which up to 30 credit hours may be transferred from a student’s post-baccalaureate degree of study, as approved by the graduate advisory committee.

The 90 credit hours for the Ph.D. are distributed amount the following 6 content areas:

• Advanced music therapy competencies – 18 credit hours
• Other Studies in Music – 9 credit hours
• Declared minor area – 12 credit hours
• Life Sciences - 6 credit hours
• Electives – 12 credit hours
• Research Credits/Dissertation - 33 credit hours

CURRICULUM FOR MUSIC THERAPY PH.D. PROGRAM

Required Music Therapy Core

MUS-N 530 Philosophy and Theory in Music Therapy (3 cr.) P: Consent of instructor. This course covers the philosophical and theoretical foundations of the use of music in and as therapy. We explore and discuss philosophical positions concerning what it means to be human, what it means to be healthy or diseased, how humans "know", how we construct theories, and what our theories say about what we value in the therapeutic process. The course includes theoretical approaches students may not have studied during undergraduate course work.

MUS-N 532 Music in Medicine (3 cr.) P: Consent of instructor. The focus of this course is the evidence-based application of music in medical settings to facilitate symptom relief and improve the health and well-being of clients. Students will critique the scientific, theoretical, and empirical basis for music interventions.

MUS-N 533 Advanced Clinical Techniques in Music Therapy (3 cr.) P: Consent of instructor. This course is designed to develop advanced level protocol delivery and data collection skills. Students will develop and carry out a music therapy protocol and provide a written theoretical rationale and critique of the protocol’s effectiveness. This class services as a graduate clinical practicum. Students will engage in weekly supervision.

MUS-N535 Clinical Supervision in Music Therapy (3 cr.) P: Consent of instructor. This course is designed to introduce students to models of supervision and supervisee development, ethics in supervision, and applying a critical lens to the covered approaches and topics.

Note: With the approval of the student’s Advisory Committee other courses may be substituted for those listed above.

Academic Progress: Time to Degree

Students enrolled in the Ph.D. in Music Therapy have a total of ten (10) years from the date of enrollment to complete the Ph.D.

To be eligible to apply to the Ph.D. in Music Therapy at IUPUI, you need to meet the following requirements:

• Submission of the online application to the campus
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate degrees
• Evidence of current board-certification status (MT-BC)
• A minimum of 3 years (or its equivalent) of clinical practice as a music therapist
• Three letters of recommendation from professionals familiar with the applicant’s academic or clinical background.
• A statement of purpose
• Foreign students must take the TOEFL or IELTS. The minimum scores as required by the Indiana University Graduate School will be enforced.

For applicants who have already completed a master’s degree, a transcript review by the MAT Graduate Committee will determine if any credits qualify as applicable to their Ph.D. requirements. If the applicant completed a thesis-based master’s degree, up to thirty (30) credits can be transferred. Specifically, up to twenty-one (21) credits of graded graduate coursework (equivalent to 500-level or higher) can be applied and up to nine (9) credits of appropriate master’s thesis-level research credit can be applied. If the applicant completed a “coursework only” master’s degree, up to twenty-one (21) credits of graded graduate coursework (equivalent to 500-level or higher) can be applied.

Applicants entering the program post-BS who are interested in earning a MS in Music Therapy prior to continuing their Ph.D. work will be advised to take appropriate coursework and if applicable, master’s thesis-level research credit, that qualify toward the Ph.D. in Music Therapy requirements.

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) must be maintained in all course work.

Advancement to Candidacy:

Qualifying Exam Proposal/Paper

Within 2 months of coursework completion, the student will submit the qualifying exam proposal. The qualifying examination must be passed at least eight months prior the date the degree is awarded.

The qualifying examination paper is a scholarly, focused, and critical literature review including an interrogation of at least two theories salient to the chosen topic. The student will discuss the research base including an analysis of research methods, design, and statistics. Students will analyze qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies. Students should be able to link the studies to form a cohesive and coherent argument. At the end of the literature review, the student will identify at least two logical research questions that emerge from the literature review. The QE will be of sufficient length to be inclusive but also focused – generally no more than 30-40 pages of text.

Research Critique Examination

The research critique examination takes place within a week of the QE completion. This examination will consist of analyzing a published research paper (chosen by the committee) within an 8-hour period. The student will not be given the paper ahead of time. The examination will be proctored. Students will analyze each section of the paper using standard practices for each element but concentrating on the research design, analysis, integration of theory, and strengths and limitations. Students are to identify flaws in any section. Further, students will offer at least two options for way to re-design the study to improve it.

Once the student passes the QE and Research Critique Examination, they complete the Nomination to Candidacy eDoc (NTC).

Dissertation/Final Examination

Prior to beginning the dissertation research, the student files a dissertation prospectus, which contains a brief description of the dissertation proposal, overall format (traditional or manuscript). If applicable, the IRB approval is submitted with the prospectus. The student provides a full, formatted copy of the completed defense to the research committee at least 4 weeks prior to the scheduled defense. Once the dissertation is prepared and all other requirements have been completed, the student must present and defend their work in a Final Examination. The Final Examination Committee is typically the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee. At the end of the oral defense, the research committee votes on the outcome of the examination

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Doctor of Music Therapy degree programs that are offered 100% online are extremely convenient to the working adult; however, currently, if you are looking for one pertaining to the subject of music therapy, it may be hard, if not impossible, to locate.

Primarily, on-campus attendance will be required; however, some programs do offer hybrid options, which allow the student to attend most of the classes online, although some on-campus attendance is needed to fulfill clinical, dissertation, performance evaluation, and residency requirements for graduation.

But don’t let that discourage you from pursuing your dreams, for music therapy is an interesting art form with rewarding outcomes for you and your clients.

For most, a particular song will trigger memories of a happier time. Today, maybe you still enjoy dancing to the songs you grew up listening to because they bring back joyous memories of your youth. As you enjoy songs that bring back that special time, you are also enjoying the benefits of music therapy.

However, much more seriously, music therapy began primarily after World War I and World War II. Veterans often responded positively to musicians who would come to hospitals to perform for them. In 1944, as the demand for qualified musicians and therapists had grown, Michigan State University began offering the first music therapy degree program in the world.

Check this out: The Best Online Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Degree Programs

Best Schools for Music Therapy

Temple university.

Program Standouts:

Offering one of the best PhDs in Music Therapy, Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University advances scholarship and establishes clinical competence.

The program allows students to immerse themselves in quantitative and qualitative research models and learn how to make significant theoretical and research contributions to the field of music therapy. Temple University’s Music Therapy Ph.D. program is led by world-renowned music therapists.

Campus Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Admission Requirements:

• Goals Statement
• Recommendations
• Standardized Test Scores
• Transcripts

Course Sample:

• Research in Music Medicine
• Research in Music Psychotherapy
• Theory Development in Music Therapy

Degree Outcomes: The Ph.D. in Music Therapy at Temple University creates graduates who are proficient in teaching higher education and clinical supervision. Graduates of the program go on to become:

• professors,
• practitioners,
• researchers,
• or supervisors in healthcare settings.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PH.D. IN MUSIC THERAPY AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

Nyu steinhardt.

The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University offers a Ph.D. in Music Education with a Specialization in Music Therapy. Credentialed music therapists specialize in developing research skills and designing a program of study that allows them to specialize in their area of interest.

Dissertation topics and coursework in the Ph.D. can be taken from quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods options. The program can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis.

Campus Location: New York City, New York

• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation
• Proficiency in English
• Historical Research
• Participatory Action Research
• Interview & Observation

Degree Outcomes: Graduates of the Ph.D. in Music Education with a specialization in Music Therapy at NYU Steinhardt will have developed their research skills and become experts in their specialized area of interest.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PH.D. IN MUSIC EDUCATION WITH A SPECIALIZATION IN MUSIC THERAPY AT NYU STEINHARDT

What does a music therapist do.

As a music therapist, you will incorporate music into a client’s day-to-day activities to help them cope with their special needs. Through music, you can address one’s emotional, physical, cognitive, and social well-being by using a variety of exercises such as playing an instrument, singing, writing songs, or simply listening to a calming melody.

Often, behavioral issues, depression, and anxiety are addressed, as well. Clients, such as Alzheimer’s Disease patients, can benefit greatly from music therapy to help bring back pleasant memories of yesteryear.

Why should I get a Ph.D. degree In Music Therapy?

One of the first reasons for upgrading your education is that music therapy continues to be an evolving field. Music therapy doctorates allow candidates to conduct research both during their programs and after graduation. These studies can take the music therapy field in new directions and help more people.

Being close to the research body of the industry should allow you to deliver better results for the people that you are treating and stay on top of the progress of this particular method of therapy.

On the other hand, while the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) has approved bachelor’s and master’s degrees to work as music therapists, music therapy Ph.D. programs let candidates expand the field and teach new counselors.

Many people who earn music therapy Ph.D. degrees go on to work as professors. These educators train students to help more people through music therapy.

Will earning my Doctorate degree in Music Therapy help my career?

Without a doubt, your time is valuable, and doctoral programs can be expensive, will earning this prestigious degree help your career? Chances are, you have enjoyed your music therapy career thus far, but are you looking for more? A change? Or, a different approach?

Obtaining your doctoral degree in music therapy will provide you with the training required to conduct your own research, open your own clinical practice, or gain that promotion as a supervisor you deserve. Perhaps a position in administration or as a professor teaching music therapy at the university level is your desire. A doctoral degree can help you realize your dream!

How do I earn a Doctoral degree in Music Therapy?

Prerequisites for entering a music therapy doctoral degree program can be rigorous. You must have a master’s degree and at least five years of work experience in the field. You will also need to pass the interview and audition process with flying colors, displaying your exceptional musical skills.

You will also be expected to provide glowing letters of recommendation, examples of your work, published or unpublished, as well as an essay and exemplary scores on your entrance exam.

Your doctoral degree program in music therapy will typically take you up to seven years to complete, including the dissertation process. Other coursework will involve:

• advanced studies in theory development,
• music psychotherapy,
• music medicine,
• music therapy education,
• how to use music therapy for cancer patients,
• the terminally ill,
• hospitalized children,
• or for pain management.

What job opportunities can I expect after graduating from the course?

Once you have completed the Ph.D. course in music therapy, there are plenty of new job opportunities in front of you. Because of the research nature of the doctoral course, an obvious career path is to stay in academia and still contribute to the development of music therapy.

Postdoctoral fellowships at most research organizations and universities allow professionals to continue researching the effects of music in therapeutic settings. These fellows receive research budgets to conduct studies for their organizations, so you might be interested in this particular career path.

Another interesting path you can choose for yourself is joining a professional organization specializing in music therapy. Professional organizations can help graduates create networks, complete continuing education, and find jobs. The following organizations can help music therapists advance their careers:

• American Music Therapy Association
• World Federation of Music Therapy
• National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations
• Musicians Without Borders
• International Society for Music Education

The third and final career option for a Ph.D. course in music therapy graduate is to open your own practice and start treating people with the power of sound. Getting as much experience as possible, after you have completed an advanced degree in the field of music therapy will add to your success.

Being active as a therapist will increase your interest in this form of therapy. Helping people is the ultimate award, so once you have completed your degree, you will be more than prepared to make it your life’s priority and career path.

What schools offer a Doctor of Music Therapy Degree?

At present, Temple University offers its students the opportunity to earn a Ph.D. in Music Therapy through the hybrid format. NYU Steinhardt offers a Ph.D. in Music Education with a focus on Music Therapy through their on-campus program.

Final Thoughts

Music therapy is a relatively new and developing form of therapy that you can take part in, conduct, and teach others about it. Whether it is associated with a pleasant thought or just used to calm the everyday stresses of our busy lives, music speaks to everyone.

Don’t hesitate to share your musical talents with those in need. All styles of music can be used to change lives for the better, so why not make a career out of it?

Music therapists work with patients who have physical disabilities, emotional injuries, or developmental disabilities from birth. Many music therapists work in special education programs located in schools, clinics, advanced clinical practice, and hospitals, or have a private practice.

Music therapy jobs are expected to increase 4%, while adding an additional 16,800 jobs in the field between 2022 and 2032.

After earning your bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Music Therapy, a doctorate degree is your next step. Often in a counseling capacity, a graduate degree is required. A music therapy program can absolutely change one’s life! For a rewarding career, pursue a music therapy profession today!

Also, take a look at these:

• The Best Doctor of Pastoral Music (D.P.M.) Degree Programs: Salary and Information
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Music Therapy Department

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Center for Music Therapy

Music and health institute.

Berklee Music Therapy Ecosystem  

With one of the largest undergraduate music therapy degree programs worldwide, Berklee College of Music works to advance the field of music therapy forward through the development and innovation of best practices.

We approach this work through three strategic areas- pre-professional training, cross sector engagement, and program development. We develop and train future music therapists through our undergraduate program , facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration among experts in academia, healthcare, technology, music, and public policy through the music and health institute, and utilize these networks and identified health disparities to inform program development for under resourced communities within the Greater Boston Area through the Center for Music Therapy. 

Through our three programs and initiatives, we connect , innovate , and accelerate the development and implementation of best practices in the field of music therapy. 

Undergraduate Programs

The Music Therapy Department prepares students to be leaders in the field of music therapy. As a department staffed by leading experts in the field, we are committed to providing learning experiences that allow students to explore a holistic view of the use of music in health, healing, and well-being. This includes coursework that exposes students to the health care and developmental needs of a wide variety of populations while simultaneously challenging students to discover and realize their full potential. 

The Berklee Music and Health Institute engages the ecosystem of academic, artistic, scientific, entrepreneurial, and technological talent bringing together the most creative minds to help accelerate ideation and develop solutions that can improve health and wellbeing for individuals and communities. This includes fostering collaborations between leaders in multiple disciplines and developing and sharing the most innovative tools, programs, research, and practices regarding music and music-based experiences that address health-related outcomes. 

The Center for Music Therapy at Berklee  provides innovative, i nclusive, and equitable  music-based experiences targeting identified health disparities in the greater Boston community. The center partners with communities to provide and expand music experiences designed to impact the overall physical, social, and emotional health of children, adolescents, and adults.  We seek to develop partnerships with leading national and international healthcare and community organizations to connect classrooms, form research collaborations, and provide rich, social justice–informed, clinical training experiences in a variety of community-based settings. 

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Community musicians from around the country took part in the pilot launch of Berklee's Community Health Musician Certificate program this past weekend in Boston.

The program gives musicians of all backgrounds new tools to use for music engagement in community settings.

• November 9, 2023 Berklee Student, Alumni Aim to Help Veterans Heal Through Music
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Expressive therapies.

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Apply research and creativity to spark individual and societal change.

Transform individuals and communities through creativity, scholarship, and collaboration. Enhance your practice and become a leader in expressive therapies through this low-residency doctoral program, which interweaves artistic expression and inquiry with a focus on research. Join with Lesley’s world-recognized faculty and other committed professionals to expand the theory and practice of expressive therapies, exploring new opportunities for research and global impact.

Lesley University’s doctoral program in expressive therapies provides you with the opportunity for in-depth study, artistic growth, and professional development regardless of your arts therapy specialization.

Guided by your own interests and experience, you’ll conduct relevant research and contribute new scholarship to the field. Whether you’re looking to further your career in higher education or become a leader in an arts therapy discipline, our program is designed to help you meet your goals.

The low-residency model provides a convenient format that allows you to expand your knowledge base in expressive therapies, while accommodating your work schedule and personal life. Complete a 2-week on-campus residency for three summers. During the residency, you’ll meet with your faculty advisor, attend seminars and classes, design research projects, and collaborate with other doctoral students. Between residencies, continue your work from home while staying connected with your faculty advisor and peers via online class sessions.

Program Structure

Low-Residency Doctoral Program

• To enroll in this program, you’ll need to show proof of: - An earned master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. - Certification or registration in one of the expressive therapies modalities (art therapy, dance therapy, drama therapy, expressive arts therapy, music therapy, play therapy, poetry therapy, or psychodrama). - Demonstration of good communication skills in the English language, both written and oral, at a level appropriate to doctoral study. - Demonstration of satisfactory performance on the GRE or the MAT examination. The Lesley University CEEB number is 3483 for the GRE and 1214 for the MAT. - A minimum of 3-5 years of professional experience as an expressive therapist.
• - Shifting Power Paradigms in Research - Arts Based Research I - Philosophical Foundations of Expressive Therapies - Critical Inquiry I - Research: Quantitative I - Research: Qualitative I
• - Critical Inquiry II - Research II - Research II: Qualitative II - Literature Review - Research II: Quantitative II - Arts Based Research II
• - Interdisciplinary Seminar - Leadership in Expressive Therapies - Professional Seminar
• Complete and defend your dissertation during your final years of study.

Low-Residency Format

Participate in one 2-week summer residency on Lesley University’s Cambridge campus for the first 3 years of your program. Between residencies, continue your studies online with Lesley faculty, devoting significant weekly time toward doctoral study. Your final years are dedicated to off-site, independent work on your dissertation with support from your faculty advisors. 

Innovators in the Field

Established over 40 years ago, we were the first graduate program in the U.S. to train professionals in this emerging field. Today our program is the largest of its kind and remains at the forefront of innovation. Our reputation and outstanding faculty—all practitioners in the arts—are what attract students from around the world.

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Expressive arts therapy can treat:.

How Creative Expression Can Benefit Older Adults

Mitchell kossak receives 'shining star' award.

Cambridge, MA

A nexus for higher education and mental health counseling practice and research, each year 250,000 students arrive to Cambridge from around the globe. The intellectual and cultural capital runs deep, and so do your opportunities addressing barriers to wellness. From Lesley’s location, access innovative community, hospital, and school-based mental health programs.

• Mental Health Therapist
• Music Therapist
• Art Therapist
• Drama Therapist
• Creative Therapist
• Dance/Movement Therapist
• Expressive Arts Therapist
• Universities and Colleges
• Mental Health Clinics
• Psychiatric Clinics
• Assisted Living Facilities
• Correctional Facilities

Professor of Expressive Therapies

Dr. Robyn Cruz’s clinical work has spanned populations such as adults with serious and persistent mental illnesses and children and adolescents with trauma and substance abuse issues. Her doctoral degree is in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Measurement and Methodology. She has worked as a research methodologist and research consultant, taught doctoral students since 1995, and has taught graduate courses in dance therapy, research methods, and statistics to students from many disciplines in the US, Europe, and South America.

Her courses reflect her interests in creative arts therapies research that uses the broad range of available methods and particularly, incorporating research thinking and resources into creative arts therapies clinical practices. Her teaching philosophy and practice are grounded in a professional collaboration model that reflects skills honed by teaching statistics to doctoral students from many disciplines at the University of Arizona. She uses a model based on the fact that students learn least from an instructor's oral recitation of information and most from engaging the subject matter themselves.

Robyn believes that policy and leadership go hand-in-hand with creative arts therapies and are important for the continued development and viability of these professions. She has devoted years of service to the University and to the Creative Arts Therapies community at large. She served as Co-Chair for the Lesley University Institutional Review Board from 2012-2021, and as IRB member from 2005 to the present. She was featured in the Lesley University 2012 Annual Report.

She is a past President of the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA), serving four years as Vice President and four years as President of the organization. In these capacities she regularly visited Washington, DC to speak with lawmakers about creative arts therapies with respect to access for clients and licensing. As ADTA President, she introduced the Multicultural and Diversity Committee to the ADTA Board of Directors. This was the first new standing committee created in the organization in over 25 years.

Robyn also brought the Dance/Movement Therapy Certification Board, a separate credentialing body for dance therapy, and new credentials (R-DMT and BC-DMT) into existence during her presidency, creating new professional opportunities and oversight for professional dance therapists. She is a former editor of American Journal of Dance Therapy, and served as Editor-in-Chief of The Arts in Psychotherapy from 2002 to 2015. She is past Chairperson of the National Coalition for Creative Arts Therapies Associations.  

Michele Forinash

Professor, Director of the PhD in Expressive Therapies

Dr. Forinash is Professor and Director of the PhD program in Expressive Therapies at Lesley University. A graduate of Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia, Dr. Forinash completed her master’s and doctorate at New York University. She is a past president of the American Music Therapy Association and a past chair of the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies (NCCATA). She has published articles and chapters on qualitative research, supervision, feminist music therapy, and LGBTQ awareness and has presented internationally on these topics. For ten years she served as the North American Co-Editor for the online international music therapy journal Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy ( www.voices.no ). She is also an associated supervisor for the doctoral program in music therapy at Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.

Jason Frydman

Associate Professor, Expressive Therapies

Jason S. Frydman, PhD, RCT/BCT, NCSP is associate professor of expressive therapies at Lesley University where he teaches in the doctoral expressive therapies program and co-chairs the university's institutional review board. He is a registered drama therapist/board certified trainer with the North American Drama Therapy Association, a nationally certified school psychologist with the National Association of School Psychologists, and licensed psychologist (GA). Dr. Frydman is the founder and lead researcher of the Collaborative for Creative Arts Therapies in Schools (C-CATIS), based at Lesley. He serves as the associate editor for general topics for Translational Issues in Psychological Science and sits on the editorial boards of Drama Therapy Review and School Psychology Review. Research interests include creative arts therapies in schools, research issues in the creative arts therapies, mental health literacy, and school-based trauma-informed practices. He has served as NADTA conference co-chair, communications chair, and is immediate-past research chair. He is an invited and initial member of the Mental Health Literacy Collaborative and served on the advisory board for the Foundation for Jewish Camping.

Professional service

Jason is active in professional service, including

• Co-chair of the North American Drama Therapy Association Conference (2012)
• North American Drama Therapy Association Communications Chair (2012-2015) and Research Chair (2019-2021)
• Guest co-editor of the Drama Therapy Review (DTR) special issue: Drama Therapy in the Schools (5.1)
• Current editorial boards include the Drama Therapy Review, School Psychology Review , and Translational Issues in Psychological Science

Mitchell Kossak

Professor/Coordinator of Expressive Therapies

Dr. Mitchell Kossak , LMHC, REAT is a professor in the Department of Graduate Expressive Therapies at Lesley University. He served as Department Chair from 2006 to 2013. He was the President and Executive Co-Chair for the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA) 2010-2016. He has been a licensed mental health counselor, since 1994, and is a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT).

He is the Associate Editor of the Journal of Applied Arts and Health and Co-Chair of the Institute for Arts and Health at Lesley University. His clinical work combines expressive arts therapies with body-centered approaches with a variety of populations addressing issues such as chronic pain, recovery from trauma, depression, anxiety, life transitions and relationships. In addition he has worked extensively with autistic children and adults. Mitchell has trained in a variety of mind body modalities including Polarity Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy, Deep Tissue Massage and Bioenergetics. In Expressive Arts Therapies he has training in music therapy, experimental theater, psychodrama, and authentic movement. He studied Sound Healing with innovators in the field of sacred sound and transformation of consciousness, such as Dr. John Beaulieu author of Music and Sound in the Healing Arts and Silvia Nakkach director of the Vox Mundi Project. In addition to this training, he has studied and practiced energy based healing forms such as Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Vipassana meditation, and Iyengar yoga for over 30 years. He earned his doctorate from the Union Institute and University in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in Expressive Arts Therapy and transpersonal psychology. He has written about and presented his research on rhythmic attunement, improvisation, psychospiritual and community-based approaches to working with trauma and embodied states of consciousness at conferences nationally and internationally. He is the author of Attunement in Expressive Arts Therapy:  Toward an Understanding of Embodied Empathy. He is the Associate Editor of The Journal of Applied Arts and Health and Co-Chair of the Institute for Arts and Health at Lesley University. 

Mitchell Kossak is also a professional musician, performing for the past 30 years in the Boston area.

Kelvin Ramirez

Associate Professor/Coordinator of Art Therapy

Dr. Kelvin Ramirez is a Board Certified Registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC) and core faculty member of the Department of Graduate Expressive Therapies . Kelvin is a Board Member of FNE International, a 501(c)3 organization that partners with communities in developing nations to identify opportunities to advance housing, health and education. With that international experience, Kelvin continues to collaborate and develops programs with educators, clinicians, and community leaders in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and India. He has developed academic curriculum that build and reinforce initiatives in Nicaragua, The Dominican Republic, Haiti and India.

Prior to joining Lesley, Kelvin was the vice principal of a high school in the South Bronx where he developed and incorporated art therapy within educational systems to enhance student’s personal and academic growth. During his 9-year tenure as vice principal, art therapy was infused throughout the academic and therapeutic approaches of the school, increasing retention and shifting behavioral approaches to enhance students' socio-emotional development.

Kelvin has taught for the Counseling Division at the College of New Rochelle and the Clinical Art Therapy Program at Long Island University C.W. Post.

His current areas of interest and research include:

• The development of international art therapy initiatives that conform to the specific needs of communities
• Contemporary social justice issues
• How art therapy addresses or ignores systemic oppression
• The underrepresentation of people of color within the field of art therapy and the implications of this on theory and practice
• The connections between horticultural therapy and art therapy to transform communities

Teaching is important to Kelvin, because it is through this act of service that people are prepared to direct their destinies and author their own stories. It is a profession that entrusts educators with the malleable minds of the future. Kelvin holds fast to the unwavering ideals that brought him to education, including that social injustices can only be remedied by an educated populous, that an educated mind is a mind called into action for the betterment of all human kind, and that through educating our future generations, our positive influence on the world will continue long after we expire.

Jason Butler

Professor of Drama Therapy, Department Chair of Graduate Expressive Therapies

Dr. Jason D. Butler  is a Registered Drama Therapist, Board Certified Trainer, and New York State Licensed Creative Arts Therapist. Jason is a former President of the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) and previously served on the NADTA Board of Directors as President-Elect and Communications Chair. He is the editor-in-chief for  The Arts in Psychotherapy and the former training director for DvT Montreal, a satellite of the Institute for Developmental Transformations.

Prior to joining Lesley University, Jason was a professor in Creative Arts Therapy at Montreal's Concordia University, serving for a portion of that time as the graduate program director for drama therapy and a member of the Arts in Health Research Collective.   Jason is an internationally known drama therapist, having presented on drama therapy in many countries, including the Czech Republic, China, Hong Kong, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at Lesley University and at New York University and was one of the first recipients of the NADTA Teaching Excellence Award in 2012. 

Prior to being a full-time professor, Jason was the director of Goddard Riverside Community Center’s The Other Place, a psycho-social program and drop-in center for homelessness and mental illness in New York City. Prior to finding drama therapy, he was a high school theatre teacher. His publications include articles and book chapters on drama therapy education, arts therapies pedagogy, schizophrenia, developmental transformations, and role theory. His current research includes an exploration of the drama therapy student experience as well as the application of drama therapy theory to experiential learning.

• Low-Residency
• Tuition $1,150/credit x 45 $51,750
• Fees PhD Matriculation Fees $12,000 Registration Fee $40 Comprehensive Fee $1,125

All graduate students are reviewed for merit scholarships through the admissions process and are awarded at the time of acceptance. Other forms of  financial aid  are also available. Review all  graduate tuition and fees , and what they cover. Tuition and fees are subject to change each year, effective in the Summer term.

Ready to get started? We're here to make the application process as smooth as possible. Just answer a few quick questions, and get your customized application guide.

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Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Music Education with Music Therapy Emphasis

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is offered in Music Education with Music Therapy Emphasis at the Frost School of Music. The Ph. D. is a research degree requiring 60 credit hours beyond the Master's Degree, or 90 credit hours beyond the Bachelor's Degree. This degree program is designed to prepare students for careers in music therapy-related research, college teaching positions in music therapy, or administrative positions.

Program Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is offered in Music Education with Music Therapy Emphasis. The Ph.D. is a research degree requiring 60 credit hours beyond the Master's Degree, or 90 credit hours beyond the Bachelor's Degree. This degree program is designed to prepare students for careers in music therapy-related research, college teaching positions in music therapy, or administrative positions.

Enrollment into this specialized program is limited. Acceptance is based on academic record, Graduate Record Examination scores, TOEFL scores (as appropriate), personal suitability, professional recommendations, and demonstrated clinical competency.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships

Graduate teaching assistantships are available to highly qualified candidates. These prestigious awards provide tuition coverage (full or partial) as well as a monthly stipend. Recipients gain valuable professional experience by assisting with teaching, clinical supervision, research, and program administration.

Prior to entering candidacy, students in this program must complete the required coursework, a doctoral research project, and a series of qualifying papers demonstrating the application of fundamental and specialized knowledge relating to music therapy practice, education, or research. To finalize the qualifying process, students must also successfully pass an oral examination. Once students have been accepted to candidacy, they can propose the dissertation. These requirements are uniquely designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to hold future professional positions as leaders, educators, and researchers in the field of music therapy.

The Curriculum

A distinct feature of this doctoral degree program is the allotment of 12 credit hours to courses in “Supporting Area Studies.” Students may devote these credit hours to courses that will enhance their clinical skills, research competencies, or musical abilities. These doctoral-level courses may be completed within the Frost School of Music, as well as many other divisions of the University, including psychology, neuroscience, or educational and psychological studies.

Doctoral students work closely with music therapy faculty for the duration of this rigorous program; thus they gain experience in all aspects of music therapy clinical practice, education, and research. The music therapy faculty are experienced researchers and distinguished educators known internationally for their research and service to the profession. Additionally, students further their musical skills by studying with faculty who perform, compose, and conduct regularly in national and international venues. Finally, doctoral students have the opportunity to conduct research at multiple hospitals and agencies in the greater Miami area, including the world-famous Miller School of Medicine.

The courses that make up the curriculum for the doctoral program are divided into four areas:

Major Area: 27 credit hours

This component of the curriculum places a large emphasis on research skill since one of the main goals of the doctoral program is to prepare students for a career involving independent research. Courses are taught by Music Education and Music Therapy faculty members who are well-established and widely-published experts in music research. The courses required here are typically taken only by doctoral students, which provide the opportunity for upper-level graduate students from various programs to work together and learn from each other, as well as the course instructor. Some of these courses include:

• MED 763 Research Methods in Music
• MED 795 Doctoral Research Project
• MED 830 Dissertation

The dissertation research can be conducted at any number of educational and health care facilities in the Miami area, including the world-famous Miller School of Medicine, and at such facilities and clinics as Holtz Children’s Hospital, the Mailman Center for Child Development, Jackson Behavioral Hospital, Sylvester Cancer Center, and Ryder Trauma Center.

Studies in Music: 9 credit hours

Advance and comprehensive musicianship are expected of all students at the doctoral level. Skills and competencies addressed here may pertain to music performing, theory, and composition, musicology, or conducting. Students can choose from over 50 different performing ensembles that range from traditional symphonic to jazz, to electronic, to salsa. Please consult this website for additional information on performing ensembles .

Faculty members in all areas of the Frost School are recognized as experts in their disciplines and are well-known known for their extensive and award-winning compositions, recordings, and performances. 

NOTE: Students in the Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education with Music Therapy emphasis program who wish to take courses in music theory, are required to take the music theory entrance exam, Parts I and II. This exam helps to determine which courses are most appropriate for the student’s ability level and career aspirations. Students can take this exam at any point during their doctoral career.

Music Therapy Emphasis: 19 credit hours

This portion of the degree curriculum is based on the clinical and research paradigm known as Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT). This model utilizes scientific evidence regarding the influence of music on the human brain and behavior function to treat neurological, developmental, and medical needs. All three members in the Frost School of Music are NMT-trained and have conducted research following the NMT model.

In the first year of the program, students complete two sequential graduate seminars that help to establish a strong scientific basis for NMT practice and generate ideas for independent research.  The first seminar, MED 729 Advanced Music Therapy Practice I, focuses on research examining music, cognition, and affect. In the second seminar, MED 730 Advanced Music Therapy Practice II, students explore research regarding music, speech and language, and sensorimotor functioning. Students must read and discuss research literature, and apply findings to clinical situations.

Additional credit hours in this component of the degree (i.e., 12 hours) are devoted to the student’s Specialty Area. Courses are carefully selected via extensive collaboration between the student and music therapy faculty. Students use these 12 credit hours to establish proficiency in a certain area of research and/or clinical practice. Many times, courses are taken in other areas of the university, such as psychology, neuroscience, or education.

As part of the music therapy emphasis, students also have the opportunity to explore issues relevant to future careers in teaching music therapy and supervising music therapy students in clinical settings.

Ph.D. Research Tools: 12 credits hours

Additional courses in research methods and statistics are typically taken through the Department of Educational and Psychological Studies, in the School of Education.

The curriculum for the Doctor of Philosophy degree meets the standards set forth by the National Association for Schools of Music, the American Music Therapy Association, and the University of Miami.

For more information on this degree program, please contact:

Teresa Lesiuk, Ph.D., MT-BC Program Director, Music Therapy [email protected] 305.284.3650

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How to Become a Music Therapist

Music therapy programs pair music lessons with science courses.

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Music therapists can help people struggling with Alzheimer's, dementia or cognitive skills.

A familiar song from the past can evoke distant memories. Because of this, people struggling with Alzheimer's or dementia sometimes visit music therapists, who can help them recall significant moments and rediscover their sense of identity.

Through music therapy, people can also practice cognitive and communication skills, counteract feelings of loneliness or powerlessness and improve their mood.

Music therapists are both skilled musicians and trained health care providers, and their job is to promote healing via musical experiences. They can use rhythm as a tool to instruct people with mobility impairments on how to walk at a safe and steady pace, and they can show people who have lost the ability to speak due to an illness or injury how to talk again through singing instruction.

The profession of music therapy requires a bachelor's degree at minimum, but music therapists often have graduate degrees . If you're contemplating a career in music therapy, here are some things you need to know.

What Is Music Therapy and Who Do Music Therapists Help?

Music therapy is an evidence-based clinical field that capitalizes on the positive ways music can influence the human mind.

"When your brain is exposed to music as a human, it activates the parts of your brain that are responsible for movement, language, attention, memory, emotion (and) executive function," says Brian Harris, CEO of MEDRhythms, a Maine-based music therapy company that specializes in treating neurological disorders. "It actually engages your brain unlike any other stimulus on earth."

Music therapists can address a wide array of health conditions, ranging from addiction problems to infant feeding difficulties to developmental disabilities, and they frequently comfort patients in pain. Music therapists can also sometimes gauge the level of awareness among patients who are comatose or semiconscious by observing the extent to which patients respond to certain songs, and they may also attempt to awaken such patients.

"Because music is a powerful stimulus, it can be used broadly across the board in health care, from mental health to end-of-life or hospice care," Harris says.

How to Start a Career as a Music Therapist

Most people who pursue an education in music therapy already have multiple years of experience honing their musical performance abilities.

"Keep practicing," says Joy Allen, chair of the music therapy department at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. "First and foremost, music therapists are musicians."

Potential music therapists should gain familiarity with multiple genres and styles of music, and they should learn how to play a variety of instruments, Allen says. Because music therapists typically play guitar and piano and often sing, anyone who intends to enter the music therapy field should learn those skills, she suggests.

To provide music therapy independently in the U.S., without guidance from an experienced music therapist, a person must fulfill the following requirements:

• Complete specialized coursework in music therapy at the undergraduate level or higher from a music therapy program approved by the American Music Therapy Association. The association provides a directory of approved music therapy schools on its website.
• Earn a bachelor's degree or better in music therapy or a directly related field, such as psychology.
• Receive 1,200 hours of clinical training, including a supervised internship.
• Pass a national board certification exam administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists .
• Fulfill any special requirements that apply within the state where delivering therapy. In some places, music therapists must officially register with state authorities, obtain a state-specific certification or qualify for a state license.

What You Learn in a Music Therapy Program

Bachelor's degrees in music therapy typically include coursework in musical foundations, such as music arrangement, composition, history and theory, plus clinical foundations classes in psychology and therapy. There is also usually an extensive music therapy curriculum, in addition to general education courses.

Master's or doctoral music therapy programs build on the lessons learned at the undergraduate level, and such programs are designed to increase a musical therapist's clinical skills and leadership abilities.

According to Allen, one way to judge the quality of a music therapy program is to find out how many and what types of clinical opportunities it offers. A solid music therapy program will teach students about diverse music styles and genres, and "the values and beliefs about music, health, and wellbeing from various cultural perspectives," she wrote in an email. It will also include instruction about the use of music therapy technologies such as electronic instruments and telehealth, she says.

Music Therapy Jobs and Salaries

The median salary among U.S. music therapists in 2021 was $59,500, and employment within the field is likely to be 10% to 15% higher in 2030 than it was in 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET occupational directory.

The first degree programs in music therapy in the U.S. were established in the 1940s.

Amy Marroquin, a senior music therapist with TIRR Memorial Hermann hospital in Houston – the No. 2 rehabilitation hospital in the U.S. News national hospital rankings – recalls that decades ago, when she informed her parents that she wanted to be a music therapist, they told her they didn't know about that occupation.

Marroquin says the music therapy profession has more visibility now than when she started her career, but music therapists still often have to explain what they do and justify its value. "Be prepared to have to, at some point in your career, stand up for your career and stand up for music therapy," she says.

Music therapy can be particularly helpful for clients who aren't chatty or who are unreceptive to talk therapy, since clients can choose to play an instrument instead of using words, experts say.

"It's a medium that is nonverbal, so someone can engage in music without having to speak necessarily, and that can help people to express feelings," says Jane Creagan, director of professional programs at the American Music Therapy Association. "Also, music is generally enjoyable and nonthreatening. People tend to engage in music making more readily than they would in something else."

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• Areas of Study

Music Therapy

Building careers using music in service to and rehabilitation of others.

Music Therapy at FSU is one of the leading programs in the nation and has graduated outstanding alumni for over 60 years.

Our graduates seeking a position at all levels, whether clinical or faculty, have enjoyed a 100% placement rate. FSU music therapists are in prestigious positions in medicine, mental health, special education, hospice, and older adult services throughout the U.S.

• Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy
• Equivalency/Master’s Program
• Master of Music in Music Therapy
• PhD in Music Education/Music Therapy

Learn in the classroom and through community practica with professional MTs

The MT program is competency based and sequenced across courses for greater complexity in skill development. The MT program prepares one for the National Certification Test, the professional designation MT-BC, and a professional career using music in service to and rehabilitation of others. Multiple opportunities in all areas of MT exist in the Tallahassee community for students to work with FSU alumni in observing and learning clinical skills.

We shape musicians into therapists

Music therapy students study with faculty known for their research productivity and development of innovative clinical programs. MT students interact with and learn from experienced graduate student clinicians acquiring sophisticated teaching, counseling, and psychological therapeutic skills.

Strong Community

FSU offers the unique combination of a large comprehensive classical music program with caring personal contact between faculty and students; with rich opportunities for multicultural music experiences and ensembles, jazz, and popular music repertoire development; with vast resources in related coursework in psychology, sociology, and gerontology, and large numbers of clinical MT programs thriving in the community who share a passion for training MT students. Our faculty are full-time residential teacher, clinicians, and scholars who have vast experience in education and building relationships in the international music therapy sphere.  Our students join an amazing family that will support you for your entire career and beyond.

For more information about the Music Therapy program, contact Dr. Lori Gooding .

Music Therapy Faculty

Jayne Standley

• Ella Scoble Opperman and Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor
• Director of Music Therapy

Lori Gooding

• Associate Professor of Music Therapy
• Co-coordinator of Music Education and Music Therapy

Dianne Gregory

• Professor of Music Therapy

Flor del Cielo Hernandez

• Assistant Professor of Music Therapy

Dawn Iwamasa

Undergraduate programs.

• At the freshman level students begin with orientation to the field interacting with professional music therapists in the community
• The undergraduate curriculum is sequenced throughout the 4 years to teach and require greater acquisition of music and therapeutic skills. Students work with all of the renowned faculty and with advanced graduate students while completing practica throughout over 30 agencies in the Tallahassee community with comprehensive MT programs.
• Students also complete classical music requirements at the highest College of Music levels of musicianship.
• Students finish all undergraduate courses and then intern for 40 hr/wk for 6 months. They are then eligible to sit for the National Certification Exam.

Program of Study

Graduate Programs

Students with a bachelor’s degree in music may be admitted to the equivalency/graduate program completing undergraduate MT courses required for professional practice in the field then a 6 month internship. At completion of the internship, these students sit for the National Certification test to become MT-BCs (Music Therapist-Board Certified), the professional designation in the field. While doing equivalency work, these students are also enrolled in graduate MT courses. After returning from internship, they complete the graduate credit for the Master’s Degree in Therapy.

• Students who wish to continue their professional development in graduate study can obtain a Master’s degree that allows specialization, advanced clinical skill development, and research in a specific area of music therapy.
• Students work individually with faculty actively involved in advanced clinical programs, program development, and research.

Program of Study – Non-Thesis Track

Program of Study – Thesis Track

• The doctoral program in music education/music therapy at FSU offers those seeking a career path in university research and teaching a flexible degree that matches goals and strengths to opportunities in the profession.
• Faculty mentors work with students to craft a personalized program in research areas in music therapy such health data mining, music therapy for premature infants, hospice music therapy, and mental health.
• Graduates move into leading academic positions in some of the top universities in the US.

Music Therapy, MM

• Program description
• At a glance
• Degree requirements
• Admission requirements
• Tuition information
• Application deadlines
• Program learning outcomes
• Career opportunities
• Professional licensure
• Contact information

Education, Health, Therapy, arts

Seize the chance to further your career, whether or not you are board-certified, and participate in community partnerships in areas concerning care of elders, young children, people who are neurodivergent and people with physical disabilities.

The MM program in music therapy provides students with graduate-level study in the theory, practice and research of music therapy.

There is a two-year track for students who have completed either the undergraduate music therapy degree or its equivalent and who are board-certified or hold a similar international music therapy credential. Additionally, a three-year track is offered for students who have an undergraduate degree in music but not in music therapy.

The master's degree program fosters an expanded research perspective in music therapy, emphasizing community partnerships and program development with a concentration in the student's area of choice, drawing from a number of possible options. Cognate areas include counseling and counseling psychology, education for people with disabilities, gerontology, social work, audiology and speech-language plus other areas.

• College/school: Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
• Location: Tempe

33 credit hours including the required applied project course (MUE 586) and a written comprehensive exam, or 33 credit hours, a thesis and a written comprehensive exam, or 63 credit hours including the required applied project course (MUE 586) and a written comprehensive exam, or 63 credit hours, a thesis and a written comprehensive exam

The degree credit requirements for the two-year track are distributed as follows:

music therapy core (16 credit hours) other studies in music (8 credit hours) clinical cognate (9 credit hours)

Three-Year Track: In addition to the requirements stated above, the three-year track requires 30 credit hours of deficiency coursework for a total of 63 credit hours, including completion of an internship required for certification.

Additional Curriculum Requirements Completion of diagnostic exams in musicology and music theory is required of all new graduate-level music students prior to enrollment in the ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre.

Additional information on degree requirements for this degree is available on the curriculum check sheet located at the bottom of the school's program page .

Graduates are eligible to sit for the music therapy certification examination given by the Certification Board for Music Therapists.

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a U.S. bachelor's or master's degree in music or music therapy from a regionally accredited institution or the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's or master's degree from an institution in another country that is officially recognized by that country.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• School of Music, Dance and Theatre application , including a resume and personal statement
• official transcripts
• three letters of recommendation
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. The School of Music, Dance and Theatre does not offer conditional admission under any circumstances. In order to meet English proficiency requirements, students should have a TOEFL iBT score of at least 80, or an IELTS overall band score of at least 6.5, or a Pearson Test of English score of at least 60.

All applicants are required to perform a live audition or submit an audition recording . Auditions are scheduled only after complete application materials have been received.

Applicants to the three-year track must complete the prerequisite courses listed below, which are not a part of the coursework for the MM program in music therapy (three-year track) but are required for eligibility to sit for the board certification exam ( www.cbmt.org ). These prerequisites may be taken during undergraduate study, at a community college or other university before beginning the Master of Music program in music therapy (three-year track), during summer sessions at ASU, or online through an accredited institution recognized by ASU. An applicant is eligible to apply to the Master of Music program in music therapy (three-year track) while completing these prerequisites and may finish these courses during the first year in the music therapy program, although this additional work may present a hardship. The prerequisite courses must be completed before a student begins the internship at the end of their first year of study at ASU, unless prior arrangements have been made. Completing the prerequisite courses prior to beginning the Master of Music program in music therapy (three-year track) is highly recommended.

• Introduction to Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Overview of Exceptional Children/Special Education

Applicants should visit the program website for more information on application deadlines. To ensure prompt processing of application, applicants should email [email protected] after submitting an application. An in-depth interview emphasizing the applicant's music therapy philosophy, research activities and clinical interests is scheduled after receipt of complete application materials. A phone interview may be arranged.

Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:

• Students will be able to apply advanced musicianship skills across voice, guitar, piano, percussion and technology related tools and instruments to facilitate therapeutic goals for clients.
• Students will be able to evaluate existing literature for gaps in research and then develop and execute a research process to fill an identified gap.
• Students will be able to critically assess music therapists through clinical supervision.

Musicians with expertise in performing, composing, teaching, researching, arts advocacy and serving as therapists are in high demand across many sectors and industries, including performing arts organizations, educational institutions, entertainment companies, health and wellness industries, and community arts organizations. Skills such as creativity, collaboration, innovation, entrepreneurship and the focused discipline needed for success as musicians are all highly valued by a wide range of companies and professions. The School of Music, Dance and Theatre graduate programs inspire and empower students to become creative leaders who transform society through music.

Career examples include:

• arts administration
• community arts advocate
• music therapist
• performing musician
• public or community school teacher
• university professor

ASU programs that may lead to professional licensure or certification are intended to prepare students for potential licensure or certification in Arizona. Completion of an ASU program may not meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in another state. For more information, students should visit the ASU professional licensure webpage.

School of Music, Dance and Theatre | MUSIC E167 [email protected] 480-965-5069 Admission deadlines

Ready to Apply?

Music Therapy, M.S.

Broaden your professional career with an M.S. in Music Therapy from IU Online. This fully online program provides professional board-certified music therapists with advanced research skills and clinical practice in music therapy.

• Request Info

Course Delivery : 100% Online

Total Credits : 30

In-State Tuition Per Credit : $515.00

Out-of-State Tuition Per Credit : $681.00

Cost of attendance may vary by campus. View the total cost calculator

Degree Overview

As a student in the program, you’ll acquire advanced research skills that enhance your ability to analyze and integrate research findings into practice. You’ll also learn principles of production, composition, improvisation, and adapted performances.

You’ll graduate with an Indiana University degree respected by employers worldwide—and you can work on yours anytime and anywhere. Plus, you’ll enjoy personalized support services throughout your academic journey.

And the benefits start long before graduation. More than half of IU Online students advance in their careers before they complete their degree.

To be accepted into the M.S. in Music Therapy, you must have:

• Board certification through the Certification Board for Music Therapists or international equivalent
• Minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for the undergraduate degree.

To apply to the program, submit:

• Online application
• Official transcripts
• Online audio/video content demonstrating musical competence with piano, voice, and guitar
• Three letters of recommendation 

You may be asked to do a telephone interview with a graduate faculty member.

Degree Requirements

To graduate with the M.S. in Music Therapy, you must complete 30 credit hours.

Requirements are broken down as follows:

• Music therapy core courses
• Elective courses
• Final project/thesis

Choose from one of two tracks. Requirements are broken down as follows:

Clinical Track

Core Courses (12 credits) Clinical Courses (15 credits) Music Therapy Clinical (3 credits)

Research Track

Core Courses (15 credits) Mixed Methods Research (6 credits) Music Therapy Thesis (9 credits)

Find course descriptions with our Search Schedule of Classes/Courses tool .

Find the answers you need or start your application. We’re here to help!

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Search NYU Steinhardt

Master of Arts Music Therapy

Through this American Music Therapy Association–approved degree, you’ll combine practical clinical experiences; advanced course work in music therapy methods, theory, and research; and a unique focus on your personal growth to prepare you to work with the full range of people you’ll see as a music therapist.

Degree Details

Official degree title.

Master of Arts in Music Therapists

What You'll Learn

Your academic experience, careers and outcomes.

Your program will range from 48 to 60 units, based on your experience and background, and you can choose to study full or part time depending on your schedule. You will learn how to design and implement a treatment plan for clients across the life span with a diversity of physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges; how to employ a wide range of methods employing improvised and composed music to meet the needs of clients in individual and group therapy; and how to work within a music psychotherapy framework to meet the holistic needs of clients in medical, educational, and rehabilitative settings.

Our internationally recognized faculty are active clinicians who continue to innovate and contribute to the profession through conference presentations and publications. Their extensive experience guides their instruction, which equips you to succeed long after graduation.

You will apprentice with leading professionals in music psychotherapy in the heart of New York City, beginning in your very first semester and lasting for the duration of the program. You’ll put theory to practice through supervised internship and observation opportunities in area schools, medical and psychiatric hospitals, shelters, drug rehabilitation centers, prisons, and special facilities for the homeless, elderly, developmentally disabled, and terminally ill. You’ll also have access to the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy, where you can actively engage with innovative clinical and research practices.

Our program is highly selective in order to keep our classes small and the training individualized. The student to faculty ratio is about 4 to 1. Class size varies from 5 to 18 students according to the design and goals of each course. 

The degree is approved by the New York State Education Department and qualifies you for Licensure in Creative Arts Therapy (LCAT) after graduation and 1,500 hours of post-graduate supervised practice. The degree is also approved by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and upon graduation qualifies a student to apply for national certification in music therapy (MT-BC). 

When you finish the degree, you will also have developed your own advanced specialization in an area of music psychotherapy in which you would like to pursue your music therapy career.

Questions 

If you have any additional questions about our degree, please feel free to contact us at  [email protected] .

Professional Licensure Disclosure

Music Therapy is an on-campus program that places students in supervised field experiences within New York State (NYS). NYU is authorized pursuant to the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) to enroll students in supervised field experiences in the SARA states and territories. For further details regarding NYU's SARA membership please visit the  NYU State Authorization website . SARA requires universities to disclose to applicants and students whether programs that lead to professional licensure meet the educational requirements for licensure in those states in which students are doing learning placements.

If you are interested in having a placement or gaining licensure in a state other than New York, please contact Ken Aigen ( [email protected] ).

The NYU Steinhardt Music Therapy Program meets the educational and professional licensure requirements for licensure as a Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) in New York state. The LCAT is a license unique to New York State. NYU Steinhardt has not been able to make a determination with respect to the educational and professional licensure requirements for the following states and territories:

• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• New Hampshire
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• West Virginia
• American Samoa
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