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Master's Degree. A music therapist with a bachelor’s degree in music therapy can obtain a master’s degree in music therapy to expand the depth and breadth of their clinical skills in advanced and specialized fields of study such as supervision, college teaching, administration, a particular method, orientation, or population.
- Education and Clinical Training Information
Info for Becoming a Music Therapist; Info for Schools and...
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- About Music Therapy AMTA
About Music Therapy & AMTA. Music Therapy is an established...
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As of June 9, 2019, all new music therapist hires for the...
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- Education and Clinical Training Information
- Overview
- What can you do with a music therapy degree?
- Tips for using a music therapy degree in your career
Studying music therapy teaches you how to use music to provide therapeutic care to patients. Because the skills you learn in this program involve both musical and clinical education, you can pursue alternative career paths besides becoming a music therapist. Learning about your options with this type of degree may help you determine if it's the rig...
1. Counselor
National average salary: $30,123 per yearPrimary duties: A counselor works with patients to identify problems or sources of stress and seeks to identify solutions a patient can apply to their life. They may also work with a patient to help identify goals and create plans of action to meet those goals. Counselors may provide general care for patients or may specialize in a specific field of counseling. Common counseling fields include family, youth and relationships.Related: Learn About Being a Mental Health Counselor
2. Music director
National average salary: $30,783 per yearPrimary duties: A music director handles music decisions related to a public performance, such as a musical, orchestra or opera. They oversee the casting process for performers in a group or show, including potentially listening to samples and holding auditions. The music director also leads rehearsals for the production, offering critiques and suggesting potential changes to arrangements or performance decisions, and they commonly serve as a conductor on performance nights.
3. Musician
National average salary: $42,799 per yearPrimary duties: A musician performs for compensation, and they may work with an instrument, as a singer or both. Musicians may work in a variety of professional settings, such as being part of a band that releases albums and plays live shows, providing musical accompaniment for an entertainment product or performing for tips in public. The musical principles studied in a music therapy program can assist a musician in creating and performing their music.
Choose a career path
Because there are multiple avenues you may choose to pursue after earning your degree, it's beneficial to decide on a preferred career path before completing school. This allows you to focus your education and training throughout your time at school to maximize its effectiveness for your preferred path. This can include taking part in clubs or taking elective courses that align with your chosen path.
Develop your skills
Demonstrating proficiency with the core skills of a music therapist is essential when seeking music therapy positions, and for providing effective care to patients. Key skills for a music therapist include: •Active listening: The ability to listen to patients and pay attention to important details is critical. It allows you to identify the most important information so that you can effectively plan treatment options. •Communication: When meeting with patients, it's important for them to understand you clearly. Developing your verbal communication skills can help you be more effective as a music therapist. •Compassion: Learning to appreciate the views and feelings of others is a helpful skill. It allows you to better understand what your patients are feeling and how they might respond to different stimuli when deciding on how to care for them. •Critical thinking: Analyzing the words and actions of a patient requires the ability to think critically about what they have told you and what you have observed. This allows you to see beyond observations to identify patterns or indications you can use to make assessments. •Mediation: As a therapist, you may work with two or more patients at once, and mediation allows you to do so while providing all parties with fair opportunity. Mediation can also be useful in solo sessions, as it allows you to more accurately represent the views of others involved in the situations your patients discuss. •Perception: The ability to notice potentially subtle indicators in the words patients use or the way they present themselves can be valuable. Keen perception skills may allow you to identify areas for discussion. •Psychology: When providing therapy to a patient, it's important to do so with strong scientific backgrounds to your decisions. Psychology education helps you to understand human behavior so that you can make informed choices for your patients.
Gain experience
Professional experience can be beneficial when seeking work with a music therapy degree. Enrolling in an internship program while still in school, for example, allows you to gain practical experience and learn from experienced professionals. This can help you build skills that can make you an appealing candidate when applying for positions, and capable of performing well once hired.
Oct 28, 2024 · To become a music therapist, you'll need to meet specific educational requirements. These typically include obtaining a bachelor's or master's degree in music therapy from an accredited program and completing clinical training. How Does Music Therapy Differ From Other Forms of Therapy? Music therapy differs from other forms of therapy because ...
Jun 27, 2024 · The following six steps can help you better understand how to become a music therapist: 1. Earn a bachelor's degree Getting a bachelor's degree in music therapy from a post-secondary institution is the first step to becoming a music therapist. Students in a music therapy program receive both coursework and clinical training as part of the ...
Graduate degrees in Music Therapy focus on advanced clinical practice and research. Students earning a music therapist degree are also required to take a number of music classes including music history, theory, and performance, and many will choose an instrument concentration like voice or piano. Students will also be required to study music ...
May 20, 2022 · The profession of music therapy requires a bachelor's degree at minimum, but music therapists often have graduate degrees. If you're contemplating a career in music therapy, here are some things ...
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Oct 6, 2021 · The pathway to becoming a music therapist is pretty straightforward, but with a bit of a twist. Complete your music therapy degree A music therapy degree typically takes four years of coursework in undergraduate studies and a 6-month internship once coursework has been completed. A potential music therapy student must audition on a major ...
