Graduate Studies
Graduate Music Therapy: Equivalency MAMT and MMTC
Designed for individuals with some musical training who have not yet studied music therapy.
60-credit Equivalency Program Overview
The 60-credit equivalency program is designed specifically for students who wish to complete music therapy training (attaining MT-BC eligibility) at the graduate level. These students possess an undergraduate degree in music (or related field), but have not yet studied music therapy. A career in music therapy offers you the opportunity to use your music skills to help people to attain an improved quality of life. Music therapists work in a variety of settings and with many different populations, such as:
- Working with people with special needs: children or adults with ASD, developmental delays, educational facilities
- Medical settings: neurological or physical rehabilitation, oncology, pediatrics
- Mental health settings: inpatient or partial hospitalization, correctional and forensic facilities, substance abuse treatment centers
- Community and school settings: at-risk adolescents, mental health, wellness
- Assisted living & end of life: skilled nursing facilities, hospice, palliative care
Program Highlights
The equivalency-level training leading to music therapy certification offers:
- Strong academic courses based on current literature, best practices, ethics, cultural diversity, and a variety of approaches used in current practice
- Small class sizes focused on individualized learning in a graduate-level cohort
- Individual lessons in guitar, voice, and piano, all focused on developing music therapy skills and repertoire
- Internships in a minimum of three different clinical settings with supportive supervision
- Solid preparation to use different kinds of music therapy experiences with clients, such as singing, playing instruments, improvising, writing songs, listening to music and verbal discussion.
- Preparation for the music therapy certification exam through workshops and self-assessment exams
Required Courses
Students entering the program who are not prepared to pass the diagnostic functional music skills proficiency examination, must complete one or more of the following courses (on a repeatable basis), until the necessary skills can be demonstrated.
- MUT 530 Music Skills for Therapy – Piano 1
- MUT 532 Music Skills for Therapy – Guitar 1
- MUT 534 Music Skills for Therapy – Voice 1
Required Courses
You can study part-time and complete these courses in eight semesters (two years and eight months).
- MUT 500Theoretical Orientations to Music Therapy Clinical Practice 3
- MUT 502Theories and Processes in Music Therapy Practice 3
- MUT 504Theories and Practices in Medical Music Therapy 3
- MUT 506Theories and Practices in Psychiatric Music Therapy 3
- MUT 608Ethical and Professional Orientation in Music Therapy 2
- MUT 609Music Therapy Practice with Diverse Populations 2
- MUT 512-514Clinical Training: Integrating Theory & Practice 3
- MUT 524Graduate Internship I 2
- MUT 525Graduate Internship II 2
- GEN 501Human Development 3
- COUN 600Research & Program Evaluation 3
- COUN 604Group Process 3
- COUN 608Psychopathology 3
- COUN 609Career and Vocational Counseling 3
- COUN XXX Counseling Elective 3
ADVANCED MUSIC THERAPY CLINICAL, PROFESSIONAL, MUSIC & RESEARCH SKILLS (Choose 13 credits from the following)
- MUT 600 Music and Imagery in Clinical Practice 2
- MUT 601 Advanced Resource Development 2
- MUT 603 Clinical Improvisation in Music Therapy 2
- MUT 606 Songs in Psychotherapy 2
- MUT 613 Music Biofeedback Research 2
- MUT 614 Grant Writing and Program Development in Music Therapy 2
- MUT 642 Clinical Assessment in Music Therapy* 2
- MUT 643 Integration of Verbal and Music Skills in Music Therapy* 2
- MUT 645 Advanced Technology for Music Therapy 2
- MUT 646 Music Therapy Research 2
- *Course required for LPC Track
ADVANCED CLINICAL TRAINING
- MUT 610 Advanced Music Therapy Practicum 1
- MUT 621 Advanced Music Therapy Internship I 1
- MUT 622Advanced Music Therapy Internship II 1
- MUT 630Advanced Music Skills for Therapy 1
- MUT 599Comprehensive Exam in Music Therapy 0
- MUT 690Culminating Project in Music Therapy 3
Graduate Music Therapy: Advanced MAMT and MMTC
Designed for music therapists (MT-BC) who wish to develop advanced skills in music therapy clinical practice.
48-credit Advanced Program Overview
The 48-credit degree program is specially designed for music therapists (MT-BC) who wish to develop advanced skills in therapeutic techniques for medical, mental health, and didactic settings.
Program Highlights
- Opportunities for study in related fields including counseling and healthcare administration, including an optional dual degree in music therapy and clinical mental health counseling
- Tuition discount for active fieldwork supervisors of Immaculata University students
- Opportunities for low-residency completion to accommodate the needs of working professionals
- In-depth training in client assessment and cultural diversity
- Advanced clinical supervision focused on the application of theory, clinical approaches, and supervision techniques
- Development of advanced music skills through coursework and individual lessons
- Opportunities for self-reflection and the development of your unique talents
Required Courses
Required Courses (LPC Concentration)
- MUT 608 Ethical and Professional Orientation in Music Therapy 2
- MUT 609 Music Therapy Practice with Diverse Populations 2
- GEN 501 Human Development 3
- COUN 600 Research & Program Evaluation 3
- +COUN 604 Group Process 3
- +COUN 608 Psychopathology 3
- +COUN 609 Career and Vocational Counseling 3
- +COUN XXX Counseling Electives 9
+ Students pursuing the professional track (not seeking their LPC) may substitute these courses with electives.
ADVANCED MUSIC THERAPY CLINICAL, PROFESSIONAL, MUSIC & RESEARCH SKILLS (Choose 14 credits from the following)
- MUT 600 Music and Imagery in Clinical Practice 2
- MUT 601 Advanced Resource Development 2
- MUT 603 Clinical Improvisation in Music Therapy 2
- MUT 606 Songs in Psychotherapy 2
- MUT 613 Music Biofeedback Research 2
- MUT 614 Grant Writing and Program Development in Music Therapy 2
- MUT 630 Advanced Music Skills for Therapy 1
- MUT 642 Clinical Assessment in Music Therapy* 2
- MUT 643 Integration of Verbal and Music Skills in Music Therapy* 2
- MUT 645 Advanced Technology for Music Therapy 2
- MUT 646 Music Therapy Research 2
- *Course required for LPC Track
Advanced Clinical Training
- MUT 610 Advanced Music Therapy Practicum 1
- MUT 621 Advanced Music Therapy Internship I 1
- MUT 622 Advanced Music Therapy Internship II 1
- MUT 599 Comprehensive Exam in Music Therapy 0
- MUT 690 Culminating Project in Music Therapy 3
Course Schedule
Graduate courses offered from 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm weekday evenings to accommodate students who are working. Advanced (600-level) courses are offered on weekends in an intensive format. You can expect to spend one to four weekends on campus per semester. Some general and elective courses are available online.
Dual Degree Option
If you are interested in pursuing a career in counseling and music therapy, you may be eligible to pursue both degrees at a significantly reduced credit load. Graduate music therapy students with advanced standing may apply to the CACREP-approved Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program and pursue the dual degree for 15 additional credits beyond the 60 credits required for LPC licensure. Students accepted into the dual degree program are required to complete both an advanced internship in music therapy and an internship in clinical mental health counseling.
State Licensed Professional Counselor Requirements
To pursue the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential in Pennsylvania, you must complete 3600 hours of supervised, clinical practice following completion of graduate study. If you are in the 48-credit degree program, you must elect a minimum of 12 additional credits, because Pennsylvania requires a minimum of 60 graduate credits to earn the LPC credential. You must also have successfully passed the Music Therapy Board Certification exam. For further information, refer to the Licensure section of this Handbook and Pennsylvania law.
Immaculata’s music therapy program is designed in accordance with educational requirements for licensure in Pennsylvania, and students must assume independent responsibility for ensuring that they are eligible and that they meet all requirements for licensure, including payment of state fees. Students pursuing licensure outside Pennsylvania must follow the regulations and procedures stipulated by those jurisdictions, and must independently verify that their graduate studies in music therapy meet the educational requirements of those jurisdictions.
Admission and Audition Requirements
Please submit the application materials required for admission to Immaculata’s master’s programs. GRE test scores are not required, but you will also be asked to audition for the program:
- Perform one piece on your primary instrument. Typically pieces from “classical” or jazz traditions suffice, but other options may be included in accordance with your undergraduate concentration or personal musical work. An accompanist is not required, and pieces do not need to be performed from memory.
- Demonstration of existing skills in piano and guitar. Typically, we ask for six pieces from the “popular” music literature (for example, children’s songs, pop music from the 1960s to present, folk music, religious music, and show tunes) where three songs should be performed on piano and three on guitar, including one children’s song on each instrument. Diversity in musical style is encouraged. Memorization is welcomed but not necessary.
Please note that in addition to auditioning for program entrance, the musical requirements above serve as an evaluation of existing skills so that faculty may make recommendations towards achievement of functional music skills needed for music therapy practice. Therefore, if you have limited experience on one or more above instruments, you are still encouraged to pursue admission. Please contact the program director for more information.
Financial Aid
Immaculata’s graduate music therapy programs are some of the most affordable programs of their kind in the region. Graduate students may be eligible for $20,500 in Stafford Unsubsidized loans per aid year.
Find out more about financial aid.
Additionally, we offer 20% off for supervisors of Immaculata University fieldwork students within our Advanced Track.
Accreditation
The Master of Arts in Music Therapy and the Master of Music Therapy and Counseling (MMTC) programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and approved by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA).
Student Spotlight
Course Preview
Clinical Improvisation in Music Therapy
This course provides an overview of the theory, literature, and practice of vocal and instrumental models and methods of individual and group improvisation as they relate to advanced clinical practice. Pertinent clinical improvisation techniques will be presented and practiced in class. Students will learn to assess and evaluate individual and group levels of functioning in order to structure and facilitate 93 improvisations to treat various populations, taking into consideration their cultures, ages, functioning levels, and therapeutic needs.
Music Biofeedback Research
Students are trained in fundamental concepts of bio-guided music therapy, providing a rationale and theoretical basis for understanding how music therapy treatments affect the physiological manifestations of stress, anxiety, high blood pressure, ADHD, and other disorders. In workshop format, students participate in live experiences to create musical environments and measure real-time physiological output of muscle tension, heart-rate, skin conductance and EEG brainwaves.
Client Assessment in Music Therapy
Students advance their knowledge of client assessment in music therapy, survey the music therapy assessment literature and design an assessment tool relevant to their clinical practice.
Songs in Psychotherapy
This course provides an overview of the theory, literature, and practice of the use of pre-composed, composed, and improvised songs in individual and group psychotherapy. Students will gain a theoretical and practical understanding of how to assess and evaluate clients using advanced techniques that incorporate song forms. Students will develop methods for the use of receptive and creative techniques with songs with different populations, cultures, and in various clinical settings from sing-a-longs and supportive therapy to group and individual psychodynamic therapy.
Grant Writing and Program Development in Music Therapy
This course introduces students to the basics of program proposal and development, as well as grantsmanship, to fund both music therapy programs and research. Students practice their skills either through completing a marketing plan and presentation or preparing an original proposal to submit to a funding agency. Instruction will include strategies to propose and obtain funding from government, private, and public sectors, to search for and match programs/projects with appropriate funders, finding collaborators, writing a strong proposal, and preparing compelling presentations.
Integration of Verbal and Music Skills
Students further their knowledge of integrating verbal dialogue and music interventions in music therapy clinical practice. Students develop a range of verbal techniques through experiential exercises and learn to verbally process musical interventions related to singing, improvising, composing, and receptive experiences in music therapy. A range of theoretical perspectives are presented to contextualize verbal processing in music therapy.
I was thrilled to find that I could begin the Master’s Degree program at the lower level and complete my certification at Immaculata University. I was then able to complete the upper level course work to complete my Master’s Degree in music therapy. I received excellent supervision and opportunities for practicum trainings and I supported in developing a site for internship. It was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend the program!
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