Your path: Bachelor of Music Therapy
Bachelor of Music Therapy
Music therapy is a branch of the behavioral sciences gaining wide acceptance in medical, institutional and educational settings. The Music Therapy program at Marylhurst offers an accredited program that combines coursework in music with music therapy, psychology, special education, anatomy, physiology and related natural and social sciences. This curriculum is designed specifically to develop the student's musical and therapeutic skills.
Located in a suburb of Portland, Oregon, Marylhurst's serene campus and liberal arts environment creates a setting conducive to the study of music therapy. Its proximity to the city provides diverse clinical opportunities in hospice care centers, agencies for hearing and visually impaired children, public schools, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities and more.
Learning Outcomes
Comprehensive Musicianship
Demonstrate all the learning outcomes of the Marylhurst Music Core.
More about the Marylhurst Music Core
Performance Foundation
Perform solo and ensemble undergraduate classical and popular repertoire on a primary instrument or voice to an advanced intermediate level.
Composition Foundation
Demonstrate basic compositional and arranging skills.
Clinical Instruments
Reach a level of sufficient clinical and musical proficiency on the three designated clinical instruments of piano, guitar and voice, plus acquire performance ability on percussion and non-symphonic instruments.
Movement Appreciation
Demonstrate an understanding of movement and rhythmic experience in conjunction with the therapeutic relationship.
Therapeutic Foundation
Demonstrate basic knowledge of the principles of normal human development, clinical exceptionality and the therapeutic relationship.
Music Therapy Foundation
Demonstrate basic knowledge of music therapy foundations, principles of clinical application and current research methods.
Ethical Foundation
Demonstrate a basic understanding of professional ethics and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Professional Integration
Combine knowledge of music and behavioral/social/natural sciences with the altruism and artistry in service to society’s emotionally and physically challenged individuals.
Certification
Upon completion of the music therapy courses and related coursework, students will be qualified to apply for a clinical internship. This internship will be at one of Marylhurst University's affiliate internship sites or one of AMTA's national training sites.
Following successful completion of the internship, the student will receive a Marylhurst University diploma and be eligible to take the national board certification exam to earn the professional credential MT-BC (Music Therapist - Board Certified).
Career Paths
Music therapists find employment in numerous environments, such as residences for developmentally disabled persons, mental health clinics, special education facilities, hospice programs, private practice, clinical research centers, correctional facilities and wellness programs.
Completion of the bachelor of music therapy program also prepares students for a graduate program in music therapy at any AMTA-approved university offering the master's degree. Other graduate program options include, but are not limited to, speech therapy, psychology, special education and counseling.