Music Therapy Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Music Therapy is designed to prepare students to practice music therapy and to take the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) board certification exam for music therapists. Students will develop integral thinking skills, an orientation to conceptualizing and addressing the diverse needs of clients. The program will educate students about musicianship skills necessary for practicing music therapy. Students will learn music perception and cognition, musical development, and emotional responses to music. Students will acquire skills in the four music therapy methods: improvisation, recreation, composition, and receptive. Graduates will be able to develop music therapy session plans that consider the clients context, therapeutic outcomes, and therapy experiences that will meet each client’s needs.

The Graduate Certificate in Music Therapy enables a student to sit for the CBMT Certification exam for music therapists as required by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). The AMTA requires that music therapists meet specific competencies in the areas of music foundations, clinical foundations, music therapy assessment, treatment planning, therapy implementation, and complete a comprehensive practicum and internship. The proposed certificate provides graduates with the necessary competencies to obtain the MT-BC credential.

Admission:

All students must apply to the certificate program. Degree seeking and non-degree students applying to the certificate program must:

• Submit evidence of a conferred bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.75.
• Submit an application. A fee of $50 will be assessed for non-degree seeking students only. Degree seeking students will have the fee waived.
• Submit official transcripts of all undergraduate coursework at regionally accredited institutions.

Additional Requirements for the College of Visual and Performing Arts:

• Proof of bachelor’s degree in music or other demonstration of music-based competencies that are equivalent to an individual with a bachelor’s degree in music.
• Evidence of completion of the following courses: Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 121 ), Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 429 ), Developmental Psychology (PSYC 230 ). If not taken in previous institutions, these courses can be taken concurrently with the certificate courses.