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, music therapy across the lifespan 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 use disorders, 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 inpatient and outpatient 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 501Foundations of Creative Arts Therapies2.0
CTCN 501Human Psychological Development 4.5
CTCN 503Differential Diagnosis and Processes4.5
CTCN 504Professional Orientation and Ethics4.5
CTCN 505Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy4.5
CTCN 509Social and Cultural Foundations4.5
CTCN 540Approaches to Addictions and Recovery 4.5
CTCN 575Therapeutic Processes & Relationship Skills I 2.0
CTCN 601Introduction to Behavioral Research4.5
CTCN 603Clinical Appraisal and Assessment4.5
CTCN 604Career Counseling4.5
CTCN 606Group Dynamics and Processes4.5
CTCN 675Therapeutic Processes & Relationship Skills II 2.0
CTCN 677Crisis & Trauma Approaches in Therapeutic Practice4.0
Music Therapy Track Courses
CATX 510Principles and Practices in Music Therapy2.0
CATX 512Music Therapy Across the Life Span2.0
CATX 578Clinical Improvisation Skills2.0
CATX 579Technological Applications in Music Therapy2.0
CATX 590Clinical Musicianship I: Piano2.0
CATX 591Clinical Musicianship II: Guitar2.0
CATX 592Clinical Musicianship III- Integrated Voice 2.0
CATX 615Community-Centered Processes in Music Therapy2.0
CATX 679Advanced Clinical Improvisation and Analysis 2.0
CATX 685Professional Identity & Contemporary Practices in Music Therapy2.0
Clinical Education Courses
CTCN 512Clinical Practicum & Practicum Supervision I2.0
CTCN 522Clinical Practicum & Practicum Supervision II2.0
CTCN 532Clinical Practicum & Practicum Supervision III2.0
Clinical Supplement *
CTCN 612Clinical Internship & Internship Supervision I2.0
CTCN 622Clinical Internship & Internship Supervision II2.0
CTCN 632Advanced Clinical Internship & Internship Supervision III2.0
Culminating Project
CATX 625Culminating Project in Music Therapy I1.5
CATX 626Culminating Project in Music Therapy II1.5
Additional Electives
As needed, in consultation with the program director students can select the following electives:
For Culminating Project Only
Total Credits90.0
*

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
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CATX 5012.0CATX 5782.0CATX 5792.0CTCN 5034.5
CATX 5102.0CATX 5912.0CATX 5922.0CTCN 5044.5
CATX 5122.0CTCN 5094.5CTCN 5054.5 
CATX 5902.0CTCN 5222.0CTCN 5322.0 
CTCN 5014.5CTCN 5752.0CTCN 6064.5 
CTCN 5122.0   
 14.5 12.5 15 9
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
CTCN 6014.5CATX 6251.5CATX 6261.5 
CTCN 6122.0CTCN 5404.5CATX 6852.0 
CTCN 6752.0CTCN 6034.5CATX 6792.0 
CTCN 6774.0CTCN 6222.0CTCN 6044.5 
 CATX 6152.0CTCN 6322.0 
 12.5 14.5 12 
Total Credits 90

Three-Year Plan of Study 

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CATX 5012.0CATX 5912.0CATX 5792.0CTCN 5034.5
CATX 5102.0CTCN 5094.5CATX 5922.0 
CATX 5122.0CTCN 5222.0CTCN 5054.5 
CATX 5902.0CTCN 5752.0CTCN 542*1.0 
CTCN 5122.0   
 10 10.5 9.5 4.5
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CTCN 5014.5CATX 5782.0CTCN 6044.5CTCN 5044.5
CTCN 5322.0CATX 6251.5CTCN 6064.5 
CTCN 6014.5CTCN 542*1.0  
 CTCN 6034.5  
 11 9 9 4.5
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
CATX 6261.5CTCN 5404.5CATX 6792.0 
CTCN 6122.0CTCN 6222.0CATX 6852.0 
CTCN 6752.0CATX 6152.0CTCN 6322.0 
CTCN 6774.0   
 9.5 8.5 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)
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CATX 5012.0CATX 5912.0CATX 5922.0CTCN 5034.5
CATX 5102.0CTCN 5094.5CTCN 5054.5 
CATX 5122.0   
 6 6.5 6.5 4.5
Second Year (Part-Time)
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CTCN 5014.5CATX 5782.0CATX 5792.0CTCN 5044.5
CATX 5902.0CTCN 5122.0CTCN 542*1.0CTCN 5222.0
 CTCN 5752.0CTCN 6064.5 
 6.5 6 7.5 6.5
Third Year (Part-Time)
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CTCN 6014.5CTCN 6034.5CTCN 5322.0CATX 6251.5
CTCN 6752.0CATX 6152.0CTCN 6044.5CTCN 542*1.0
 6.5 6.5 6.5 2.5
Fourth Year (Part-Time)
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
CTCN 6122.0CTCN 5404.5CATX 6261.5 
CTCN 6774.0CTCN 6222.0CATX 6792.0 
  CATX 6852.0 
  CTCN 6322.0 
 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


Program Level Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be prepared to:

  • Work with culturally diverse populations, applying cultural and social diversity theories and competency models to an understanding of identity development, empowerment, concepts of health and pathology, collaboration and advocacy with respect for differences and a commitment to social justice.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of systems of care and professional roles within systems.
  • Effectively communicate, interface and collaborate with other professionals and lay people as part of clinical practice. 
  • Demonstrate mastery and consistent application of ethical principles and standards of practice.
  • Provide individual and group music therapy and counseling services across a diverse spectrum of recipient populations and ages, including assessment, evaluation and intervention.
  • Self-evaluate for continued improvement and professional growth.
  • Critically interpret and apply research and other scholarly literature in practice, including research designs and methodologies relevant to music therapy and counseling.
  • Utilize creative processes in therapeutic work, applying theories of creativity and curative properties of artistic communication and expression.
  • Apply comprehensive knowledge of the foundations and principles of music therapy practice.
  • Apply comprehensive knowledge of current methods of music therapy assessment, implementation and evaluation within a developmental and multicultural framework.
  • Utilize extensive and varied repertoire of contemporary and traditional idioms within improvisational, re-creative, songwriting and receptive music therapy methods in order to enhance creative and therapeutic processes.
  • Selectively modify music therapy approaches based on knowledge of the roles and meanings of music in various cultures.

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) Clinical Coordinator, Art Therapy and Counseling MA Program. Associate Clinical Professor. Digital media, queer worldmaking and comics, zines & graphic novel uses in art therapy.
Girija Kaimal, EdD, MA , ATR-BC (Harvard University) Interim Department Chair. Professor. Art therapy, indigenous arts, oncology, trauma leadership, program evaluation.
Clarissa Lacson, PhD, MT-BC (Drexel University) Director, Music Therapy and Counseling MA Program. Assistant Clinical Professor. Interprofessional collaboration, program development, clinical supervision, research coordination, pediatric and medical music therapy
Dawn Morningstar, MA, BC-DMT, LPC (Drexel University). Associate Clinical Professor. Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling MA Program. Dance/movement therapy, children and adolescents, special needs, clinical supervision.
Nalini Prakash, PhD, BC-DMT, CMA (Drexel University) Program Director, Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling MA Program. Assistant Clinical Professor. Dance/Movement Therapy. movement observation and assessment, mental illness, criminal justice, violence prevention, de-escalation, clinical supervision, arts-based community development.
Michele Rattigan, DHSc, ATR-BC, NCC, LPC, LPAT (Drexel University) Program Director, Art Therapy and Counseling MA Program. Associate Clinical Professor. Art Therapy. self-compassion, community compassion, and mindfulness-based arts therapies approaches; 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.
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 papermaking, 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. Goodill, 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.