MSc Music Therapy
Welcome to the only music therapy course in Scotland .
Channel your musicianship into helping people and qualify to work as a music therapist in two years !
Are you a musician and interested in working with people ? Music therapy may be the career for you . Music therapists working in the UK must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council ( HCPC ) and graduates of this course are eligible to apply for their HCPC registration .
Music therapy offers relational experiences through music . It is an established health intervention to help people whose lives have been affected by injury , illness or disability .
As well as having a high level of practical musicianship and at least one year of experience of working in a caring profession , such as psychiatry , education , social services or the voluntary sector , you will be ready to learn about a variety of approaches to music therapy . With a strong emphasis on psychodynamic theory , you will be equipped to work in a person-centred way with people with a wide range of needs .
Studies will focus on the following areas :
• therapeutic musical skills , with an emphasis on improvisation , interaction and application in a therapeutic context
• psychological , developmental , and music therapy theories
• different persons and contexts
• self-development
• observation and critical thinking skills
• professional issues , such as ethics and multi-disciplinary working
• research , assessment and service evaluation
Some lectures and workshops are shared with students from QMU ’ s MSc Art Psychotherapy and MSc Play Therapy .
This course is part of the Person-Centred Practice Framework , more information on other courses in the framework is available on pages 102-103 .
Structure
You must complete the full MSc to be eligible to register with the HCPC and to work as a music therapist . Single module study is not available .
Teaching , learning and assessment
Teaching includes practical and academic elements with an emphasis on experiential and interpersonal learning and teaching methods , including lectures , seminars and tutorials . Practice education is supported by regular supervision at QMU . Students are not required to cover the cost for supervision at University or on placement .
Assessments are varied and include practical and written formats as well as short video , poster and case work presentations . Personal development is fundamental to therapeutic training and it is a requirement of the HCPC that students attend regular personal psychotherapy throughout the course , with a minimum of 40 hours of attendance . Personal therapy is not assessed and students are required to cover the cost .
Teaching hours and attendance
Each module requires attendance of classes at QMU : typically , Year One students attend QMU on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and in Year Two , classes are on a Thursday . Practice placement days and independent study are in addition to this .
Industry links , accreditation and professional registration
Students are advised to join The British Association for Music Therapy ( BAMT ) and graduates are eligible for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as Registered Arts Therapists ( Music ).
Modules
The MSc Music Therapy course sits together with Art Psychotherapy and Play Therapy as an arts therapies pathway within the Person-Centred Practice Framework , in the School of Health Sciences . The course contains the modules listed below .
Year One
Practice-based Learning 1 ( 40 credits )/ Developmental and Relational Perspectives ( 20 credits )/ Therapeutic Practice and Resources ( 20 credits )/ Theory and Practice of Person-centred Health and Wellbeing ( 20 credits )/ Leading Person-centred Practice for Health and Wellbeing ( 20 credits )
Year Two
Practice-based Learning 2 ( 40 credits )/ Arts Therapies in Context ( 20 credits )/ Dissertation ( 60 credits )
The modules listed are correct at time of publication ( November 2021 ) but are subject to change . In the event that modules change , QMU will seek to use reasonable endeavours to ensure that there is no detrimental impact on students .
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