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Music Therapy and Counseling MA

Major: Music Therapy and Counseling
Degree Awarded: Master of Arts (MA)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 90.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 51.2305
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 29-1129

About the Program

The Master of Arts program in Music Therapy and Counseling educates students for creative, responsive and effective therapy practice, in which music is the essential mode of transformation. Through a balance of classroom education and clinically supervised practicum and internship experiences, students develop a strong foundation for skilled clinical practice. The 90 quarter-credit curriculum includes specific music therapy coursework in areas such as clinical musicianship; clinical improvisation; theories and methods for children, adolescents, adults and older adults, and technological applications, as well as general mental health counseling coursework in human development; social and cultural foundations; clinical appraisal and assessment, and group dynamics. All courses are taught at the graduate level. Graduates are eligible for board certification through the Certification Board for Music Therapists, as well as professional counseling licensure in Pennsylvania (upon completion of post-graduation requirements).

Music therapists use music within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of individuals. Research shows that music therapy is an effective treatment for children, adolescents, adults and older adults with mental health needs, developmental and learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease and other aging-related conditions, substance abuse problems, acute and chronic pain and brain injuries. Graduates of the MA in Music Therapy & Counseling program go on to work in a variety of clinical environments, including but not limited to: medical and behavioral health in-patient and out-patient settings; community health and wellness centers; schools and after-school programs; trauma-informed settings; correctional facilities; elder care facilities and private practices.

Additional Information

For more information about the program, visit the College of Nursing and Health Professions' Music Therapy website.

Degree Requirements

Core Courses
CATX 501	Foundations of Creative Arts Therapies	2.0
CTCN 501	Human Psychological Development	4.5
CTCN 503	Differential Diagnosis and Processes	4.5
CTCN 504	Professional Orientation and Ethics	4.5
CTCN 505	Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy	4.5
CTCN 509	Social and Cultural Foundations	4.5
CTCN 540	Approaches to Addictions and Recovery	4.5
CTCN 575	Therapeutic Processes & Relationship Skills I	2.0
CTCN 601	Introduction to Behavioral Research	4.5
CTCN 603	Clinical Appraisal and Assessment	4.5
CTCN 604	Career Counseling	4.5
CTCN 606	Group Dynamics and Processes	4.5
CTCN 675	Therapeutic Processes & Relationship Skills II	2.0
CTCN 677	Crisis & Trauma Approaches in Therapeutic Practice	4.0
Music Therapy Track Courses
CATX 510	Principles and Practices in Music Therapy	2.0
CATX 512	Music Therapy Across the Life Span	2.0
CATX 578	Clinical Improvisation Skills	2.0
CATX 579	Technological Applications in Music Therapy	2.0
CATX 590	Clinical Musicianship I: Piano	2.0
CATX 591	Clinical Musicianship II: Guitar	2.0
CATX 592	Clinical Musicianship II- Integrated Voice	2.0
CATX 615	Community-Centered Processes in Music Therapy	2.0
CATX 679	Advanced Clinical Improvisation and Analysis	2.0
CATX 685	Professional Identity & Contemporary Practices in Music Therapy	2.0
Clinical Education Courses
CTCN 512	Clinical Practicum & Practicum Supervision I	2.0
CTCN 522	Clinical Practicum & Practicum Supervision II	2.0
CTCN 532	Clinical Practicum & Practicum Supervision III	2.0
CTCN 542	Clinical Supplement ^*
CTCN 612	Clinical Internship & Internship Supervision I	2.0
CTCN 622	Clinical Internship & Internship Supervision II	2.0
CTCN 632	Advanced Clinical Internship & Internship Supervision III	2.0
Culminating Project
CATX 625	Culminating Project in Music Therapy I	1.5
CATX 626	Culminating Project in Music Therapy II	1.5
Additional Electives
As needed, in consultation with the program director students can select the following electives:
CATX 627	For Culminating Project Only
Total Credits		90.0

*: CTCN 542- This course is only applicable for students on three-year and four-year part-time plans of study.This supervised clinical experience is a continuation to support the integration of clinical experience and coursework as related to clinical practice as initiated in CTCN 512, CTCN 522 & CTCN 532.

Sample Plan of Study

Two-Year Plan of Study

First Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
CATX 501	2.0	CATX 578	2.0	CATX 579	2.0	CATX 615	2.0
CATX 510	2.0	CATX 591	2.0	CATX 592	2.0	CTCN 504	4.5
CATX 512	2.0	CTCN 509	4.5	CTCN 503	4.5	CTCN 505	4.5
CATX 590	2.0	CTCN 522	2.0	CTCN 532	2.0
CTCN 501	4.5	CTCN 575	2.0	CTCN 606	4.5
CTCN 512	2.0
	14.5		12.5		15		11
Second Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits
CTCN 601	4.5	CATX 625	1.5	CATX 626	1.5
CTCN 612	2.0	CTCN 540	4.5	CATX 685	2.0
CTCN 675	2.0	CTCN 603	4.5	CATX 679	2.0
CTCN 677	4.0	CTCN 622	2.0	CTCN 604	4.5
				CTCN 632	2.0
	12.5		12.5		12
Total Credits 90

Three-Year Plan of Study

First Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
CATX 501	2.0	CATX 591	2.0	CATX 579	2.0	CTCN 505	4.5
CATX 590	2.0	CTCN 509	4.5	CATX 592	2.0
CTCN 501	4.5	CTCN 522	2.0	CTCN 503	4.5
CTCN 512	2.0	CTCN 575	2.0	CTCN 542^*	1.0
	10.5		10.5		9.5		4.5
Second Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
CATX 510	2.0	CATX 578	2.0	CTCN 604	4.5	CATX 615	2.0
CATX 512	2.0	CATX 625	1.5	CTCN 606	4.5	CTCN 504	4.5
CTCN 532	2.0	CTCN 542^*	1.0
CTCN 601	4.5	CTCN 603	4.5
	10.5		9		9		6.5
Third Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits
CATX 626	1.5	CTCN 540	4.5	CATX 679	2.0
CTCN 612	2.0	CTCN 622	2.0	CATX 685	2.0
CTCN 675	2.0			CTCN 632	2.0
CTCN 677	4.0
	9.5		6.5		6
Total Credits 92

*: CTCN 542- This course is only applicable for students on three-year and four-year part-time plans of study. This supervised clinical experience is a continuation to support the integration of clinical experience and coursework as related to clinical practice as initiated in CTCN 512, CTCN 522 & CTCN 532.

Four-Year Part-Time Plan of Study

First Year (Part-Time)
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
CATX 590	2.0	CATX 591	2.0	CATX 592	2.0	CTCN 505	4.5
CTCN 501	4.5	CTCN 509	4.5	CTCN 503	4.5
	6.5		6.5		6.5		4.5
Second Year (Part-Time)
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
CATX 501	2.0	CATX 578	2.0	CATX 579	2.0	CTCN 504	4.5
CATX 510	2.0	CTCN 512	2.0	CTCN 542^*	1.0	CTCN 522	2.0
CATX 512	2.0	CTCN 575	2.0	CTCN 606	4.5
	6		6		7.5		6.5
Third Year (Part-Time)
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
CTCN 601	4.5	CTCN 603	4.5	CTCN 532	2.0	CATX 615	2.0
CTCN 675	2.0			CTCN 604	4.5	CATX 625	1.5
						CTCN 542^*	1.0
	6.5		4.5		6.5		4.5
Fourth Year (Part-Time)
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits
CTCN 612	2.0	CTCN 540	4.5	CATX 626	1.5
CTCN 677	4.0	CTCN 622	2.0	CATX 679	2.0
				CATX 685	2.0
				CTCN 632	2.0
	6		6.5		7.5
Total Credits 92

*: CTCN 542- This course is only applicable for students on three-year and four-year part-time plans of study. This supervised clinical experience is a continuation to support the integration of clinical experience and coursework as related to clinical practice as initiated in CTCN 512, CTCN 522, & CTCN 532

Creative Arts Therapies Department Faculty

Joke Bradt, PhD, MT-BC (Temple University) Director, PhD Program in Creative Arts Therapies. Professor. Research in music therapy, chronic pain, systematic reviews.

Natalie Rae Carlton, PhD, ATR-BC, LPCC (Lesley University) Director, Art Therapy and Counseling MA Program. Associate Clinical Professor. New media and comics, zines and graphic novel uses in art therapy.

Christina Devereaux, PhD, LCAT, LMHC, BC-DMT, NCC (UCLA) Program Director for Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling. Associate Clinical Professor. Dance movement therapy, children, attachment, autism spectrum disorder, trauma, group work, clinical supervision.

Girija Kaimal, EdD, MA , ATR-BC (Harvard University) Interim Department Chair, Assistant Dean for the Division of Human Development and Health Administration. Associate Professor. Art therapy, indigenous arts, oncology, trauma leadership, program evaluation.

Clarissa Lacson, PhD, MT-BC (Drexel University) Core Counseling Course Coordinator, Creative Arts Therapy MA Programs. Assistant Clinical Professor. Interprofessional collaboration, program development, clinical supervision, research coordination, pediatric and medical music therapy

Marisol S. Norris, PhD, MT-BC (Drexel University) Director, Music Therapy and Counseling MA Program. Assistant Clinical Professor. . Community music therapy, critical pedagogies, Black aesthetics, culturally sustaining practice, radical healing framework.

Nalini Prakash, BC-DMT, CMA (Drexel University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Dance/Movement Therapy. movement analysis, mental illness, criminal justice, violence prevention, clinical supervision, arts and culture, arts-based community development.

Michele Rattigan, MA, ATR-BC, NCC, LPC, LPAT (MCP Hahnemann University). Associate Clinical Professor. Art Therapy. self-compassion, community compassion, and mindfulness-based arts therapies approaches for U unresolved trauma; post-partum depression and anxiety; disordered eating and body image concerns; self-harming behaviors; & dissociative disorders. Critical compassionate pedagogy, interprofessional collaboration, & Universal Design for Learning in higher education. Doctor of health science student; higher education concentration.

Minjung Shim, PhD, BC-DMT (Drexel University). Assistant Professor. Medical dance/movement therapy, chronic pain management, mindfulness-based interventions, healthy aging, virtual reality and eHealth interventions, clinical trials, theory/model-building, scoping reviews.

Adenike Webb, PhD, MT-BC (Temple University) Clinical Education Coordinator, Creative Arts Therapy MA Programs . Assistant Clinical Professor. Anti-oppressive pedagogy, wellbeing and creativity, social justice, culturally sustaining practice.

Denise Wolf, ATR-BC, ATCS, LPC, LPAT (Drexel University). Associate Clinical Professor. Consulting, trauma sensitive care/complex interpersonal trauma, clinical supervision, hand paper-making, Dialectical behavior therapy, art museum spaces, school-based art therapy, community engagement.

Emeritus Faculty

Nancy Gerber, PhD, ATR-BC (Union Institute and University). Associate Clinical Professor Emerita. Art therapy assessment and treatment of adolescents and adults; modern psychoanalysis and art therapy; arts therapy education and doctoral education; arts based research and mixed methods research.

Sharon W. Godill, PhD, BC-DMT, NCC, LPC (Union Institute and University). Clinical Professor Emerita. Medical dance/movement, mind/body studies, movement assessment for DMT, CAT research and leadership.

Florence Ierardi, MM, MT-BC, LPC (Temple University). Associate Clinical Professor Emerita. Clinical improvisation, trauma-informed music therapy, multicultural music therapy perspectives.

Ellen Schelly-Hill, MMT, BC-DMT, NCC, LPC (Antioch NE Graduate School). Associate Clinical Professor Emerita. Adults diagnosed with mood disorders, anxiety, chronic pain and with histories of trauma; clinical supervision; ethics.

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