Program: Music, Music Therapy Concentration, B.M. - Westfield State University

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Apr 02, 2025

The Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy prepares students to become professional music therapists working in healthcare and special education. The interdisciplinary curriculum blends in-depth and broad-based clinical musicianship with health sciences, which students apply in extensive clinical fieldwork experiences. Students develop expertise in using music within a therapeutic relationship to improve physical, psychological, cognitive, and spiritual health and wellbeing with clients across their lifespan.

The program provides students the opportunity to develop professional competencies in music therapy and is designed to meet the accrediting and approval standards of the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). Upon successful completion of the degree, graduates are eligible to take the music therapy board certification exam to gain the credential Music Therapist - Board Certified (MT-BC).

Music Core - 24 Credits

MUSC 0103 - Music in Culture Credits: 3
MUSC 0104 - World Music Credits: 3
MUSC 0110 - Basic Music Theory Credits: 3
MUSC 0111 - Fundamentals of Music and Musicianship Credits: 3
MUSC 0211 - Creative Practice in Music Credits: 3
MUSC 0113 - Sight Singing and Ear Training I Credits: 2
MUSC 0114 - Sight Singing and Ear Training II Credits: 2
MUSC 0201 - Music History After 1750 Credits: 3
MUSC 0213 - Sight Singing and Ear Training III Credits: 2

Clinical Musicianship - 21 Credits

MUSC 0152 - Piano Skills I Credits: 1
MUSC 0206 - Piano Skills II Credits: 1
MUSC 0355 - Piano Skills III Credits: 1
MUSC 0156 - Voice Class Credits: 0.5
MUSC 0157 - Percussion Class Credits: 0.5
MUSC 0198 - Music and Expressive Movement Credits: 2
MUSC 0192 - Functional Guitar I Credits: 2
MUSC 0193 - Functional Guitar II Credits: 2
MUSC 0293 - Functional Piano Credits: 2
MUSC 0230 - Basic Conducting Credits: 2
MUSC 0235 - Music Technology Credits: 1
MUSC 0389 - Clinical Improvisation I: Principles and Techniques Credits: 2
MUSC 0390 - Clinical Improvisation II: Group Process Credits: 2

Ensemble Performances - 4 Credits

Four semesters of participation in a primary ensemble, and two semesters of participation in a secondary ensemble, as assigned by the department. Intended to run concurrently with semesters of Applied Music.

Primary Ensemble Performance - 2 Credits

Four semesters of the following as assigned by the department:

MUSC 0141 - University Chorus Credits: 0.5
MUSC 0143 - Wind Symphony Credits: 0.5

Secondary Ensemble Performance - 2 credits

Two semesters from the following list as assigned by the department:

MUSC 0140 - Chorale Credits: 0.5
MUSC 0141 - University Chorus Credits: 0.5
MUSC 0143 - Wind Symphony Credits: 0.5
MUSC 0145 - Jazz Big Band Credits: 0.5
MUSC 0146 - Jazz Vocal Ensemble Credits: 0.5
MUSC 0240 - Chamber Ensembles Credits: 0.5
MUSC 0269 - Small Jazz Ensemble Credits: 0.5
Two semesters of MUSC 0240 Chamber Ensemble for performance of contemporary popular styles, as assigned by music therapy faculty.

Applied Music - 8 Credits

Music Therapy majors are required to complete four semesters of applied music. Applied music study requires a jury examination every semester. Students taking applied music must also register each semester for MUSC 0279 - Recital Attendance and Performance .

MUSC 0174 - Applied Music (Instrumental or Voice) I Credits: 2
MUSC 0175 - Applied Music (Instrumental or Voice) II Credits: 2
MUSC 0176 - Applied Music (Major) III Credits: 1
MUSC 0177 - Applied Music (Major) IV Credits: 1
MUSC 0279 - Recital Attendance and Performance Credits: 0.5

Music Therapy - 17 Credits

MUSC 0189 - Introduction to Music Therapy Credits: 3
MUSC 0191 - Clinical Foundations of Music Therapy Credits: 1
MUSC 0290 - Disability in Music Therapy Credits: 2
MUSC 0291 - Neurologic Systems in Music Therapy Credits: 2
MUSC 0292 - Music Therapy with Children and Adolescents Credits: 2
MUSC 0391 - Theories of Health in Music Therapy Credits: 2
MUSC 0392 - Music Therapy in Mental Healthcare Credits: 2
MUSC 0393 - Medical Music Therapy Credits: 2
MUSC 0394 - Professional Topics in Music Therapy Credits: 1

Music Therapy Clinical Fieldwork - 5 Credits

All Music Therapy students complete five (5) semesters of supervised clinical fieldwork: four (4) semesters of Clinical Music Therapy Practicum, followed by one (1) semester of Clinical Capstone in Music Therapy. Students must enroll in Music Therapy Practicum Seminar concurrent with each of their four semesters of Clinical Music Therapy Practicum. After completing all other coursework required for the degree, students enroll in Internship in Music Therapy, completing a required 1,010-hr internship at an approved internship site.

MUSC 0395 - Clinical Music Therapy Practicum Credits: 1
MUSC 0396 - Music Therapy Practicum Seminar Credits: 0
MUSC 0397 - Clinical Capstone in Music Therapy Credits: 1
MUSC 0398 - Music Therapy Internship Credits: 0

Clinical Foundations - 22 Credits

PSYC 0101 - Introduction to Psychology Credits: 3
PSYC 0207 - Lifespan Development Credits: 3
PSYC 0201 - Theories of Personality Credits: 3
PSYC 0303 - Abnormal Psychology Credits: 3
BIOL 0104 - Human Biology Credits: 4
MATH 0108 - Elementary Statistics Credits: 3
GPS 0246 - Quantitative Methods for Social and Physical Science Credits: 3
Or a department approved research methods substitution

Additional Graduation Requirements

All students must meet the University Graduation Requirements and complete a general education or common core of studies, distributed among the different academic areas as detailed in General Education: WISE or Common Core .

Music, Music Therapy Concentration, B.M.