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Post-Baccalaureate - Music Therapy Equivalency Program

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Graduate Admission Office

(440) 826-8012, graduate@bw.edu

Kate Glaser, MAEd
Director of Admission – Graduate and Professional Studies
(440) 826-8016, kglaser@bw.edu 

Music Therapy Contact

Kara Caine, MME, MT-BC
Director, Cleveland Music Therapy Consortium
Assistant Professor of Music Therapy
(440) 826-3176, kcaine@bw.edu

Music Therapy Equivalency Program

Baldwin Wallace offers the option of an equivalency program in music therapy to individuals already possessing a music degree (at least at the bachelor's level) from a regionally accredited, 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.

Required classes include music theory, music history and literature, large group ensemble and applied instrument lessons. Most students have completed the majority of these requirements as part of coursework taken for previous music degrees.

Also required are classes in psychology, sociology, biology and education. Coursework from a student's undergraduate degree is reviewed for equivalency and credit is applied accordingly.

The core music therapy courses total 20 credits. Classes are offered Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and Saturdays.

After completion of all required coursework, a student can then apply for an internship placement. Internships are under the supervision of board-certified music therapists and are typically offered through renowned local healthcare organizations, including Cleveland Clinic and MetroHealth. Internships take place over the course of six months and are considered full-time.

Coursework for the music therapy equivalency program can take two years to complete. Please note that this does not include the six-month, full-time internship.

Upon completion of the program, a student is eligible to sit for the national certification exam administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists.

Music Therapy Core:

  • Introduction to music therapy
  • Recreational music/programming & leadership*
  • Beginning practicum*
  • Practicum II*
  • Advanced practicum*
  • Music therapy with developmental disabilities
  • Music therapy in psychiatry and rehabilitation
  • Program development and administration in music therapy
  • Psychology of music
  • Research seminar in music therapy
  • Six-month internship upon completion of all course work*

*Denotes class consisting of hands-on field experience