Music Therapy Program

The B.S. Program in Music Therapy provides students with the necessary theoretical knowledge, practical techniques and clinical experience required to use music as a therapeutic modality with children and adults who have special needs. The program is interdisciplinary and incorporates both the music coursework to develop students’ musicianship skills, and the coursework in Psychology to provide models for evaluations and treatment of clinical populations. Courses in Music Therapy include the theoretical basis for music as therapy and music in therapy, exploration of clinical techniques and models, training in clinical improvisation, music therapy lab experiences and fieldwork experiences at clinical sites on Long Island and the Metropolitan area. The culminating experience of the student’s training is a 900-hour clinical internship completed in the senior year.

The B.S. in Music Therapy—the only B.S. program on Long Island that is approved by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). Graduates of Molloy’s dynamic program are eligible to sit for the Board Certification Exam in Music Therapy. Upon passing this exam, the student acquires the credential, Music Therapist— Board Certified (MT–BC).

Progression

Students must follow the professional dispositions and progression guidelines in the "Music Therapy Student Handbook." Additionally, students are required to adhere to the Molloy University and Music Department standards and guidelines, as well as the "American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) Professional Competencies and the Code of Ethics" throughout their academic career at Molloy. Students will engage in self-reflection and self-assessment in all required Music Therapy courses. In addition, as a team, the faculty and on-site supervisors will guide and monitor student progress according to specific academic and clinical performance standards, each semester. Students' overall work, maturity level, writing ability and professional dispositions will be assessed in order to determine whether or not they can proceed to the next phase of Music Therapy training. (See the Music Therapy Student Handbook.) Students must demonstrate their proficiency in the requirements listed below:

  • Grades of a "C+" or better are required in all music, music therapy Major coursework and Related coursework (psychology requirements.) The same Music Therapy or psychology course may be repeated one time only. Failure to attain a grade of at least "C+" the second time necessitates withdrawal from the program. Students may withdraw from the same music course no more than once. Failure of a third music therapy course will result in dismissal from the music therapy program. The department reserves the right to review and modify this failure policy.
  • Students must pass a music therapy jury (which is a formal evaluation of music skills by Departmental Faculty) with a minimum score of "85" prior to Music Therapy Fieldwork I (MUS 3740) and a minimum score of "90" prior to Music Therapy: Internship I (MUS 4600/MUS 5200).
  • Students who do not successfully pass music therapy juries prior to fieldwork or internship may be offered one more opportunity to re-take their jury at a time determined by the music therapy faculty. It is up to the discretion of the jury panel whether or not students will receive a second change to re-take their jury. Also, students are required to take additional applied instruction (Applied Music) in piano, voice and/or guitar at their own expense. The Director of Undergraduate Music Therapy will assign applied instructors.
  • Failure of the first music therapy jury can result in a delay in completing the necessary sequential coursework and clinical work needed to graduate within the four years or a withdrawal from the program. Failure of a second music therapy jury will result in dismissal from the music therapy program. The department reserves the right to review and modify this failure policy.
  • Students must meet Professional Disposition Competencies. (See Student Handbook). If students to not meet Professional Disposition competencies, they will be required to register for a one credit course (MUS 2800), "Professional Growth in Music Therapy Training." Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be allowed to register for either MUS 3740 or MUS 4600. The Professional Growth course may only be taken one time during the student's matriculation at Molloy.
  • Students may withdraw from a required music course only one time.
  • Upon completion of these requirements and with a recommendation from the Music Therapy faculty and on-site supervisors, students are qualified to proceed to the next phase of clinical training.