Dual Degree Music Therapy Program
The B.S./M.S. Dual Degree 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 people to improve a person’s overall health and well-being while beginning to focus on psychotherapy. The program is interdisciplinary and incorporates both 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 and Music Psychotherapy include the theoretical basis for music as therapy and music in therapy, opportunities to explore clinical techniques and models, provide training in clinical improvisation and leading musical therapy experiences. Clinical music therapy training through observations, fieldwork, and internship occur at clinical training sites on Long Island and throughout the Metropolitan area. The culminating experience of the student’s training is a 900-hour clinical internship completed during their senior year.
The B.S./M.S. Dual Degree in Music Therapy is 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).
Molloy University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
Admission Requirements
The Dual Degree (DD) Program allows students to build on their knowledge base and begin to engage in graduate-level courses during their undergraduate education. The DD program permits students to replace nine credits of baccalaureate study with nine credits of master's study. Eligible students may apply to the Dual Degree program at the end of their junior year.
Students are periodically admitted to Molloy University with a declared major of Dual Degree in Music Therapy. Regardless of a student’s declaration of a major (BS in Music Therapy or DD in Music Therapy) at the time of admission, students must be eligible, apply, and be accepted into the Dual Degree program during the semester preceding their internship year in the Undergraduate Music Therapy Program.
Eligibility
Students must be eligible and apply to be accepted into the Dual Degree Program during their junior year. Progression Eligibility requirements are:
- A maintained minimum GPA of 3.0 during each semester the student has been matriculated in the undergraduate music therapy program.
- All required core music and psychology courses have been completed, with the exception of the psychology elective. (Transfer students may receive an exception based on the discretion of music faculty.)
- Student has earned at least a letter grade of B in all music, music therapy, and psychology courses.
- Student demonstrates clinical music readiness during their Pre-Internship Music Skills Assessment, which is reflected in a passing grade of 90% or higher.
- Student demonstrates a minimum of 90% of the Professional Disposition Competencies.
- Feedback from Music Therapy Fieldwork I site supervisor and academic supervisor confirms the student’s readiness to enter advanced clinical training, which will be reflected in the final evaluation (site supervisor) and site visit evaluation (academic supervisor).
If students meet the eligibility for the DD program, interested students will submit an application, which will be reviewed by music department faculty. (See the Music Therapy Student Handbook).