Music Therapy, B.S.

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Description

Music Therapy is an established, evidence-based health science profession in which music is used as a therapeutic tool to treat individuals with cognitive, behavioral, communicative, social/emotional, physical, or spiritual needs. The music therapy track is a comprehensive program grounded in both the art and science of music therapy. Music therapy courses at CSU prepare candidates for a meaningful career in music therapy.

Successful completion of coursework in the music therapy track (including internship) leads to eligibility to sit for the national board certification examination administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). Once the exam is passed, the candidate receives the credential MT-BC (Music Therapist - Board Certified) and is eligible to practice as a music therapist. Board-certified music therapists work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, mental health settings, rehabilitation centers, hospices, and nursing homes.

What careers can this major prepare you for?

Hospitals/Medical settings; Rehabilitation clinics; Long-term care facilities; Community mental health centers; Drug and alcohol programs; Hospice programs; Correctional facilities; Children’s facilities/schools; Private practice

What skills are developed within this major?

Patient treatment and evaluations; Therapeutic applications; Supporting diverse populations with varying abilities; Empathy, sensitivity, creativity; Music skill development

Hours Required for Degree

Minimum hours required for B.S. Music Therapy: 136

College Requirements

See college page for college requirements.

Major-Field Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Music Therapy is designed for the student who seeks to become a board-certified music therapist. The music therapy program is approved by the American Music Therapy Association and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. Music therapy students are required to successfully complete all required curriculum, plus 1200 clinical training hours (of which 180 must be pre-internship hours). Once all required courses and clinical training hours are completed successfully, music therapy students are eligible to sit for the national music therapy board certification exam administered by the Certification Board of Music Therapists.

All music therapy students are urged to consult the Department of Music Therapy Handbook online for further clarification of the degree requirements listed below. The handbook contains full details and explanations of departmental and degree requirements.

Required General Education Courses

Music Therapy Core Courses

Music Core Courses

Ensembles

MTX 150 - Music Therapy Ensemble: Percussion
MTX 151 - Music Therapy Ensemble: Music & Movement
MTX 152 - Music Therapy Ensemble: Orff
MTX 153 - Music Therapy Ensemble: Music Technology
2 more semesters of MTX or MUS ensembles

Lessons

4 semesters of 100-level guitar
3 semesters of 300-level guitar
3 semesters of 100-level piano
4 semesters of 100-level voice

Honors Program Requirements

Students who have been admitted to the University Honors Program with a major in music must earn seven credits from the courses listed below in addition to the Honors Program core requirements in order to graduate with honors in Music Therapy.

The honors contract for each of the courses listed below involves additional requirements as follows:

MTX 424 . Honors students contracting MTX 424 will complete extensions on 2 assignments. For the proposal, honors students will pitch their proposal to an administrator at a local facility that could host the proposed program. This extension involves researching local facilities, locating a good-fit site, scheduling the meeting, and pitching the grant at the meeting. The second extended project will involve the ethics portion of the course. Honors students will not only participate in a Socratic seminar discussion but also lead one of the scheduled seminars. This experience will grant the honors students opportunity to develop additional skills in facilitation, leadership, and mapping discussions. Through these extensions, honors students will be involved more thoroughly with the course material. They will also have additional 1:1 meeting time with the instructor to discuss their facility research and seminar, which will allow them to develop more refined research and facilitation tools than their peers.

MTX 422 . Honors students contracting MTX 422 will complete an extension of their required WAC final paper by creating and submitting a research poster to a regional or national music therapy conference, which is not required of their peers. By regularly meeting with the instructor about their research poster, they will develop more refined research tools than their peers. They will also read additional material related to their research poster topic and will discuss these readings with the instructor.

MTX 394 . Honors students contracting MTX 394 will complete a more extensive assessment (including literature review in APA format) than their peers. They will complete a full Therapeutic Function of Music Plan, which will help them develop more refined understanding of the function of music in therapy. By regularly meeting with the instructor while developing their Therapeutic Function of Music Plan, they will develop more refined research tools than their peers. They will also read additional material related to their projects and will discuss these readings with the instructor.

University Scholars Requirements

Students who have been admitted to the University Scholars Program with a major in music must earn nine credits from the courses listed below to earn Scholars Distinction in Music Therapy.

The Scholars designation for each of the courses listed below involves additional requirements as follows:

MTX 424 . Honors students contracting MTX 424 will complete 2 additional clinical case scenarios than their peers. Through additional research, honors students will be involved more thoroughly with their selected case scenarios. By regularly meeting with the instructor, they will develop more refined research tools than their peers. They will also read additional material related to their clinical case scenarios as assigned by the instructor and will discuss these readings with the instructor.