What Makes This Course So Special?
This MA Music Therapy offers a unique opportunity to develop the skills necessary to become a Health Professions Council (HPC) qualified Music Therapist. Uniquely, you will benefit from training alongside colleagues who are trainee art psychotherapists and you will acquire insight and a shared understanding of the other creative modality, as a basis for future professional practice in multi-disciplinary teams. Infant Observation is an exciting feature of the first year, offering an informative and in depth grounding in human development that will inform for the rest of your study. Creative Music Skills sessions enable you to further develop musically.
Course Intro
This course is for you if you are looking to develop the skills necessary to become a qualified Health Professions Council (HPC) Music therapist. You may be a graduate or already working in a related area looking to progress and professionally qualify.
This is a highly experiential course and you will benefit from training comprising of theoretical, clinical and musical experiences. You will work in groups of different sizes where you explore group processes and relate them to clinical practice. In the first year you will establish a strong theoretical basis built up from a range of disciplines with an emphasis on psychodynamic music therapy. Your competence in clinical practice and your understanding of therapeutic relationships will be developed in years 2 and 3 through supervised placements which are integrated with your university-based learning.
In addition, throughout the course, multi-disciplinary study groups and events will provide insight into the principles, practices and effectiveness of other art modalities.
What You Study
Year 1/Part 1
• Theory and Practice of Music Therapy
• Infant Observation
• Clinical Improvisation (Music Skills)
• Placement Visits (6 weeks x 1 day per week)
• Study of Different Client Groups
• Modality Specific Experiential Groups
Year 2/Part 2
• Placement in a University Approved Clinical Setting (1 day per week)
• Small Group Clinical Supervision
• Further Theory and Practice of Music Therapy
• Creative Music Skills
• Modality Specific Experiential Groups
Year 3/Part 3
• Placement in a University Approved Clinical Setting (2 days)
• Small Group Clinical Supervision
• Modality Specific Experiential Group
• Research Methods and Dissertation
Please note it is a course requirement that you are in regular weekly therapy for the duration of the course.
Where Next?
• You are eligible to apply for professional UK registration and license to practice
• Private practice or employment in settings including: NHS psychiatric and other hospitals, social services departments, education including special education, the criminal justice system and the voluntary sector and community projects
• Further study towards a research degree
• Career routes in teaching and clinical supervision
Assessment
Essays, presentations, practicals, coursework, professional development, improvisations, performance, dissertation and viva voce assessment.
Student Soundbite
“This course will provide new opportunities to study in Wales and we hope, lead to the provision of more music therapies services in Wales.”