Music Therapy Major

Conservatory Admission
(440) 826-2368, music@bw.edu

OVERVIEW

Transform your passion for helping others into a compelling career that puts you at the center of a rewarding profession as a music therapist.

Music therapists are health professionals who utilize music within a therapeutic relationship to address the physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of individuals.

Baldwin Wallace's music therapy program will help you acquire the knowledge, skills, technical competencies and professional perspectives to prepare for a meaningful career.

Your studies will include comprehensive, rigorous coursework and practical experiences. The program conforms to the guidelines set by the American Music Therapy Association.

Real-world experience is key. At BW, you'll be participating in field experiences beginning in your sophomore year. You'll have four semesters of direct client contact in one-to-one and group settings. The culmination of your studies is a six-month, full-time music therapy internship.

Small classes, personalized attention and faculty mentoring are at the forefront of the program. BW's faculty-student ratio is 7:1 for the Conservatory of Performing Arts.

BW faculty are established professionals with real-world experience, impressive credentials and networking connections. They bring decades of experiences to the classroom, studio and clinical settings.

Small classes, personalized attention and faculty mentoring are a key part of therapy program. BW's faculty-student ratio is 7:1 for the Conservatory of Performing Arts.
BW is among an elite list of conservatories worldwide boasting an All-Steinway School classification. This distinction elevates a student's learning experience by having lessons and performance opportunities be on the same quality instruments that are the standard in concert halls.
Striking Boesel Musical Arts Center is a four-building complex that houses 50 soundproofed practice rooms, instructional space, practice studios and impressive rehearsal halls that can accommodate the latest technologies for teaching and performance.
BW's undergraduate-only Conservatory provides students with valuable opportunities to teach. perform, compose, conduct, and manage. Alumni can be found at top graduate schools and employed with renowned organizations.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Board-certified (MT-BC) music therapists may work in a variety of clinical and independent settings that include:

Hospitals
Nursing homes
Group homes
Rehabilitation center
Public schools
Mental health institutions
Hospice

EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM

Baldwin Wallace offers the option of a music therapy equivalency program to individuals already possessing a music degree (at least at the bachelor's level) from a recognized institution. In this non-degree program, a student completes all music therapy core courses as well as non-music courses required by the American Music Therapy Association. After completing all coursework and the six-month internship, the equivalency student is then eligible to sit for the national certification exam administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists.

CLEVELAND MUSIC THERAPY CONSORTIUM

Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Performing Arts and The College of Wooster comprise the Cleveland Music Therapy Consortium. This association was the first music therapy degree offered in Northeastern Ohio and was the first in the nation involving a cooperative arrangement among educational institutions.

ALL-STEINWAY SCHOOL

The Baldwin Wallace Conservatory is one of just 16 conservatories worldwide that has achieved classification as an All-Steinway School. The 88 Steinway pianos in the Conservatory elevate the student learning experience by having lessons and performance opportunities on the same quality instruments that are the standard in concert halls worldwide.

VIBRANT FACILITY ENGAGES STUDENTS

Striking Boesel Musical Arts Center is a picturesque four-building complex that houses the BW Conservatory. It's a seamless blend of historic architecture and modern design. The facility houses 50 soundproofed practice rooms, instructional space, practice studios and impressive rehearsal halls that can accommodate the latest technologies for teaching and performance.

EXCEPTIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Innovation, excellence and outstanding hands-on learning and performance opportunities make the BW Conservatory a proven choice for students nationwide. The undergraduate-only Conservatory provides an exceptional learning environment for students to take lead roles in performing, conducting, managing and teaching. Alumni can be found at top graduate schools and working with the best orchestras, operas and theatres. Other alumni are employed in rewarding positions in teaching, arts management and music therapy.

CURRICULUM

As a music therapy major, you'll graduate with a Bachelor of Music degree.

BW's music therapy major offers an outstanding foundation for students interested in immediate employment as well as graduate school. It can be studied as a single major or companion field of study for a double major.

You'll study music theory, history and literature, tonal harmony, Solfège and more. You'll also take classes in psychology, sociology, education and other pertinent topics. Outside the classroom, you'll take private lessons and participate in a major ensemble and other performance activities.

As a music therapy student, you'll complete four semesters of direct client contact in one-to-one and group settings at approved practicum sites - hospitals, nursing homes, adult day care centers, public schools, nonprofit agencies and other facilities.

The culmination of your studies is a six-month, full-time music therapy internship. Upon the completion of the required internship and conferral of a degree, you can take the national certification exam administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists.

After successful completion of the national certification exam, you will gain your certification.

The music therapy major prepares students to:

Demonstrate ability to design referrals, assessments and treatment plans for client populations
Demonstrate ability to implement treatment and termination processes in client work
Demonstrate ability to provide accurate documentation and evaluation of treatment
Demonstrate knowledge of professional development responsibilities and continuing education

Course Descriptions

Course descriptions, requirements for the major and additional information can be found in the University Catalog.

STUDENT EXPERIENCES

Student success is a top priority. Small class sizes, individual attention and faculty mentoring are at the core of BW Conservatory of Performing Arts programs.

With more than 325 events a year, the the Conservatory offers an impressive array of performance opportunities.

IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES

The Conservatory has outstanding campus performance traditions and collaborations with regional and national organizations. A few examples include:

Baldwin Wallace Bach Festival
The three-day campus event is the oldest collegiate Bach Festival in the country. It features lectures, BW performance groups, faculty members and renowned professional soloists and musicians. Baldwin Wallace students consider the unusual opportunity of participating, as colleagues, with world-class professionals a high point in their performing experience. The festival is evolving to include year-round events, such as Bach Haus, that explore Bach's influence on a broad spectrum of music.
FOCUS Festival of Contemporary Music
The biennial festival features the music of a contemporary composer who visits Baldwin Wallace for a week-long residency. At the conclusion of the week's rehearsals and symposia, the composer's music is performed in a series of concerts, including large ensembles and chamber groups.

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Personally and professionally rewarding, student organizations and activities foster career skills, leadership and teamwork. Opportunities for music therapy majors include:

Cleveland Student Music Therapists
The purpose of this organization is to provide a forum in which students may share their ideas about music therapy. It is open to all music therapy majors within the Cleveland Music Therapy Consortium.
Ohio Collegiate Music Education Association (OCMEA)
This association prepares pre-service teachers to be holistic educators by arranging professional development, leadership and networking opportunities designed to help members be successful.

LEARNING RESOURCES

At Baldwin Wallace, student learning experiences are enhanced by exceptional resources that include:

Riemenschneider Bach Institute
The institute houses rare items related to J.S. Bach and his circle, as well as historical reference materials, scores and a collection of classic recordings. It has one of the nation's most impressive holdings of Baroque manuscripts and first editions. It attracts scholars from around the world.
Ferne Patterson Jones Memorial Music Library
A valuable campus resource, the library offers 18,000 scores, 7,000 books, and more than 10,000 sound and video recordings. Online resources to which the library subscribes include over one million tracks of streaming audio and video. Help with research is available by appointment, on a walk-in basis or through email.