Music Therapy (B.M.)

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The music unit prepares students to engage meaningfully and successfully as leaders in a music-filled world. Music major curricula stress development of the knowledge, skills, and experience for students to become well-equipped professionals. The Bachelor of Music degree in music therapy supports students in preparation to become a board-certified music therapist who is situated to support a wide range of clients with a range of needs. Music majors are chosen through an audition and interview process in which their performance, listening skills, and aptitude for their intended majors are evaluated. Curricular and co-curricular opportunities are provided for students to study and experience music at all levels.

The Department has adopted requirements for upper-level standing for Music majors. A copy of these requirements is available in the Department’s office.

Student Learning Outcomes for Music Therapy:

Students will be able to:

Demonstrate functional music skills [communicating cues with whole body] to engage with clients using voice, piano, guitar, and percussion.
Demonstrate music and therapeutic skills to help clients achieve [therapeutic] goals through receptive, re-creative, improvisational, and compositional methods of music therapy as listed by the AMTA competencies and Standards of Clinical Practice.
Engage in ongoing self-assessment and professional development to uphold ethical standards in clinical and academic settings.
Demonstrate cultural reflexivity and empathy [to strengthen relationships] in clinical and academic settings.
Synthesize scholarly literature [through professional writing] to inform clinical practice.

An approximately six-month long internship in an approved clinical facility is required for the Music Therapy degree and is taken after the completion of the four-year Music Therapy program. Students should consult with the music therapy director about the differences between pursuing a national roster internship and a college/university affiliated internship. Upon completion of this degree program, students are eligible to sit for the Music Therapy Certification Board Exam leading to Board Certification as a Music Therapist. The Music Therapy program is approved by the American Music Therapy Association.

Upper level applied lessons:

Music therapists must achieve competence on clinical skill proficiency on guitar, piano, and voice. Students will take a proficiency test as a part of MU 150. In the Junior fall semester, If a student has not yet reached proficiency in any area, they will be advised of the need to take applied lessons in a needed area of growth. Upon reaching proficiency in all areas, students have the choice to continue applied study on their major instrument or an applied area of interest. Students should consult with the director of music therapy on this policy.

Capstone Recitals:

All music therapy majors will present a Music Therapy Applied Recital in their fifth semester of applied lessons.

In their final year of on-campus study, all music therapy majors are required to perform in the Capstone Music Therapy Recital as required for MU 459. This recital should demonstrate capstone level work of musicianship as applied to the work of music therapy.

Please see the music student handbook for more detailed information.

Music Therapy requires:

MU 100 - Repertoire Class (0.00 or 1.00 credit) (eight semesters for credit)
MU 101 - Foundations of Musicianship 2.00 credits.
MU 102 - Musicianship I 4.00 credits.
MU 117 - Functional Keyboard Skills I 1.00 credit.
MU 118 - Functional Keyboard Skills II 1.00 credit.
MU 119 - Guitar Class I 1.00 credit.
MU 120 - Guitar Class II 1.00 credit.
MU 135 - CE Songwriting and Recording Techniques 4.00 credits.
MU 150 - Professional Seminar 1.00 credit. (taken in every semester of attendance)
MU 151 - Introduction to Music Therapy 3.00 credits.
MU 152 - Music Therapy and Clinical Populations 3.00 credits.
MU 155 - Introduction to Music Therapy Clinical 1.00 credit.
MU 201 - Musicianship II 4.00 credits.
MU 202 - Musicianship III 4.00 credits.
MU 205 - NCH World Music 4.00 credits. or
MU 225 - NCH Silk Road Soundscapes of Compassion, Healing, and Care 4.00 credits.
MU 211 - Music History: 1600-1850 4.00 credits.
MU 212 - Music History: 1850 to the Present 3.00 credits.
MU 217 - Functional Keyboard Skills III 1.00 credit.
MU 236 - Percussion for Music Therapy 1.00 credit.
MU 241 - Music Therapy Methods and Techniques I 3.00 credits.
MU 253 - Music Therapy Methods and Techniques II 3.00 credits.
MU 254 - College Clinical Experiences 1.00 credit. or
MU 255 - Community-Based Clinical Experiences 1.00 credit. (MU254 or MU255 will be taken a total of five times)
MU 321 - Conducting I 2.00 credits.
MU 354 - Clinical Improvisation and Composition II 2.00 credits. (two semesters)
MU 357 - Music Therapy Methods and Techniques III 3.00 credits.
MU 358 - Psychology of Music and Research Methods 4.00 credits.
MU 450 - Music and Trauma 3.00 credits.
MU 459 - Music Therapy Methods and Techniques IV 3.00 credits.
MU 478 - Non-Roster Professional Internship in Music Therapy II 1.00 credit. or
MU 479 - Professional Internship in Music Therapy 0.00 credit.
PSY 105 - SSC Introduction to Psychology 4.00 credits.
PSY 250 - Psychopathology 4.00 credits. or
BIO 200 - NPS Human Anatomy and Physiology: The Basics 4.00 credits.
PSY 240 - Child and Adolescent Development 4.00 credits. or
PSY 245 - Adult Development and Aging 4.00 credits. or
PSY 247 - Lifespan Development 4.00 credits.
A minimum of eight additional credits in Applied Music instruction
A minimum of five credits in Ensemble with at least one term’s enrollment in Music 360 (Search Course Descriptions listing for MU 360)
A total of five credits of MU 254 or MU 255.
Proficiency exams in piano, voice, and guitar
A senior recital

Specific courses to be included in the student’s Core Program are:

BIO 200 - NPS Human Anatomy and Physiology: The Basics 4.00 credits.
MA 251 - MA Probability and Statistics 4.00 credits.
PSY 105 - SSC Introduction to Psychology 4.00 credits.

Additional Requirements for Music Therapy

A Music Therapy major may not enroll in a music or music therapy course required for that major unless a grade of C- or better has been earned in all prerequisite courses. To graduate, a Music Therapy major must maintain the following standards:

A Music Therapy major must earn a grade of C- or better in all music and music therapy courses.

A Music Therapy major must satisfy the standards and requirements in all fieldwork education, including clinical practicums and the internship.

First Year Suggested Courses:

EN 100 - PLE First Year Writing 4.00 credits.
MU 100 - Repertoire Class (0.00 or 1.00 credit) B
MU 101 - Foundations of Musicianship 2.00 credits.
MU 111 - Voice Class 1.00 credit. or
MU 117 - Functional Keyboard Skills I 1.00 credit.
MU 150 - Professional Seminar 1.00 credit.
MU 151 - Introduction to Music Therapy 3.00 credits.
MU 102 - Musicianship I 4.00 credits.
MU 118 - Functional Keyboard Skills II 1.00 credit.
MU 119 - Guitar Class I 1.00 credit.
MU 152 - Music Therapy and Clinical Populations 3.00 credits.
MU 236 - Percussion for Music Therapy 1.00 credit.
Primary Instrument (MU 268 - MU 286)
Ensemble
PSY 105 - SSC Introduction to Psychology 4.00 credits.

Notes:

MU 150 and MU 100 are required each semester.

Proficiency in piano, voice, and guitar is required. If piano or organ is the primary instrument, the student must take MU 269 or MU 270, and MU 111 for the fall semester. All other music therapy students must take MU 117.

Five credits in ensemble are required. Students need to be enrolled for one credit in the fall semester.

Students interested in Concert Choir must audition.

A minimum grade of C- is required in all courses required for the major.

Students in music therapy can take their Creative Expression core requirement as Applied lessons or Ensembles.

All first-year students need to be enrolled in MU 100C in the fall semester.

The completion of MU 211 satisfies the Western Cultural Heritage Area of Understanding for Core.

Music Policies

Preparatory Music Division

The School of Arts and Humanities also offers a Preparatory Music Division that offers instruction to pre-college students, adults, and college students who desire to take instruction without credit. Instruction is available from the Division’s faculty and other qualified teachers. Interested persons should contact Prof. Grant Moore, Director of the Preparatory Division.

Applied Music Lessons

Students who register for applied music for credit must meet minimum standards established by the School and should contact the School office for a list of standards for each applied area. Students who have not attained the level necessary for credit may study through the Preparatory Division. Students in applied music advance as rapidly as their abilities permit. They must study technical exercises and literature from various musical periods and styles.

Students may register with or without credit for the established music ensembles and for other ensembles organized under faculty supervision; ensemble registration for credit may be repeated. All students must meet the standards for attendance at rehearsals and public performances established by the faculty Directors.

Applied music lessons and certain music ensembles may be counted for the Creative Expression requirement of the Core Program if taken as letter-graded for four semesters. An additional fee is charged for applied music lessons. Fees are printed on the master course schedule.

Transfer Credit for Aural Skills and Functional Keyboard Skills

The Music Department reserves the right to administer a diagnostic exam to verify a student’s skill level PRIOR to awarding academic transfer credit for Aural Skills and Functional Keyboard Skills. This policy was established to ensure academic success at the appropriate level. Students accepted into a music program should contact the Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities for any needed information about an assessment of transfer credits.

Additional Accreditation

Elizabethtown College is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music. The Music Therapy program is approved by the American Music Therapy Association.