Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy

As a music therapy major, you’ll learn to connect, inspire, and heal others through the medium of music. Over eight semesters, while completing the college’s core music curriculum, you’ll gain real world experience through internships, cutting edge clinical research, and collaborating with a diverse community of musicians, faculty, and industry and health professionals. You will also prepare for the Board Certification Examination in our state of the art music facilities as well as in Boston’s world class hospitals and research facilities.

WATCH

Meet Sarah Blacker B.M. '06

Explore the path to a rewarding career in music therapy with Sarah Blacker, a certified music therapist. "It’s amazing what music does to move you in so many directions," she says.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Learn about financial aid, scholarships, and others ways of paying for your Berklee education.
Study Abroad

Some students choose to study abroad at our Valencia, Spain, campus. It is recommended that music therapy majors consult with the chair or contact the study abroad office.

Alumni Story

Berklee Alumna Uses Music Therapy to Help Heal the Wounds of War

Music therapist Rebecca Vaudreuil B.M. ‘08 spent two years at Walter Reed Medical Center helping soldiers recover from post-traumatic stress disorder and regain functions lost after brain injuries

Meet More Alumni

Meet Your Mentors

Chi Kim B.M. '06, Assistant Professor

Learn from faculty such as Chi Kim B.M. '06, whose work in assistive music technology has given visually impaired musicians the freedom to be independent creators, and has been featured in workshops at institutions such as the Perkins School for the Blind.

Meet the Faculty

Student Spotlight

Students Bring Music Therapy and Jazz Workshops to Panama

Students from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute and Berklee’s music therapy program traveled to Panama City, Panama, to work with the Danilo Pérez Foundation and other local organizations.

Full Description

Learn skills necessary to practice as a professional music therapist. These include a foundation in music theory, history, composition, arranging, keyboard, guitar, voice, improvisation, and conducting, as well as clinical skills including principles of therapy, exceptionality, and the therapeutic relationship. After course work is completed, students will engage in 1,040 hours of clinical internship at an approved site and will be evaluated on the skills and competencies listed above. This prepares students to sit for the Board Certification Examination to earn the MT-BC (Music Therapist - Board Certified) credential. Students will learn to apply critical problem-solving techniques in developing music therapy interventions for a wide variety of clients and patients.

Competencies as a music therapist involve client assessment, implementation of music therapy strategies, evaluation, documentation, termination, discharge planning, and interdisciplinary team work. Students will become familiar with the professional work environment through a series of practica in which the concepts and strategies learned in the classroom are applied to clinical music therapy work with individuals in community settings, including schools, medical centers, nursing facilities, and other agencies serving people of diverse needs. Students will be prepared to adapt to the needs of a quickly changing health care environment and mental health network, and will learn how to develop a music therapy practice, administer programs, and devise treatment programs in a team approach.

The music therapy major will learn and interpret codes of ethical practice standards in the music therapy profession while actually using them in clinical practica and internship settings.

What Will I Learn?

Upon completion of the major in music therapy, students will:

apply the highest standards of professionalism in their field;
apply the latest music therapy techniques;
synthesize music therapy assessment and research;
interact with a variety of clinical populations;
apply music therapy strategies in five clinical practica under supervision;
synthesize personal and professional skills;
apply the latest music therapy technology; and
apply contemporary music to the music therapy process.

Entrance Requirements

As an enrolled Berklee College of Music undergraduate student, you will be required to declare a major field of study by your third semester.

To declare this major, you must meet these requirements during your first two semesters at Berklee:

GPA over 2.7
Enrollment in MTH-201 Introduction to International Music Therapy with a grade of 84 percent on the midterm exam or completion of the course with a final grade of at least 84 percent.
Demonstrated proficiency on principal instrument, musicality, intonation, expression, and technical skill
Consistent ability to sing with pitch accuracy, in an established meter, with musicality
Ability to read and demonstrate comprehension of material from a current music therapy textbook
Demonstrated ability to communicate ideas clearly, through both speech and written language
Expressed desire to become a music therapist, motivation appropriate to profession, ability to state strengths/challenges
Common sense and judgment, based on responses to case studies
Solid interpersonal skills
Minimum score of 40 points out of 70 points on Interview/Audition rating

Curriculum and Courses

There are 44 required credits (38 credits in the music therapy core and 6 credits in instrumental courses) specific to this major in addition to the B.M. required core music courses (41 credits) and liberal arts courses (43 credits) for a degree total of 128 credits. See the sample curriculum here.

Music Therapy Core Classes

MTH-201 Introduction to Music Therapy (3 credits)
MTH-220 Creative/Recreative Methods in Music Therapy (3 credits)
MTH-250 Clinical Orientation to Music Therapy 1 (2 credits)
MTH-255 Receptive Methods in Music Therapy (3 credits)
MTH-300 Clinical Orientation to Music Therapy 2 (2 credits)
MTH-305 Improvisation Methods in Music Therapy (3 credits)
MTH-320 Music Therapy Internship Preparation (1 credit)
MTH-350 Advanced Music Therapy Practicum 1 (3 credits)
MTH-400 Advanced Music Therapy Practicum 2 (3 credits)
MTH-410 Introduction to Music Therapy Research (3 credits)
MTH-430 Professional Topics in Music Therapy (2 credits)
MTH-xxx Music Therapy Elective (2 credits; see major grid)
Major Electives or Additional Music Therapy Elective (2 credits)
MTH-495 Music Therapy Internship (6 credits post coursework)

Required Instrumental Classes:

ISGT-230 Intermediate Clinical Guitar for Music Therapy (1 credit)
ISGT-330 Advanced Clinical Guitar for Music Therapy (1 credit)
ISPC-231 Percussion for Music Therapy (1 credit)
ISKB-231 Keyboard for Music Therapy 1 (1 credit)
ISKB-232 Keyboard for Music Therapy 2 (1 credit)
ILVC-210 Elements of Vocal Technique for Non-Voice Principals (1 credit)

In addition, the Music Therapy major requires these specific liberal arts courses which count toward those total required credits:

LSOC-211 General Psychology (3 credits)
LSOC-212 Psychology of Music (3 credits)
LSOC-421 Abnormal Psychology (3 credits)
LMSC-424 Human Anatomy and Physiology (3 credits)
LSOC-xxx Psychology Elective (3 credits; see major grid)

Updated for catalog year fall 2024

Sample Curriculum by Semester

Music Therapy Bachelor's Degree