Music Therapy (B.M.)

Healing Through Music

Seton Hill University's Music Therapy (B.M.) Program will prepare you to engage clients in the healing process, using your own unique musical capabilities. At Seton Hill, you will learn to:

assess a client's emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities and cognitive skills through musical responses, and
develop a treatment plan to address client's needs.

Seton Hill's Music Therapy Program is accredited by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

Why the Music Therapy Program at Seton Hill University?

All Steinway School As a student in Seton Hill's Music Therapy Program, you will have opportunities to work in real-world settings and situations as you gain the experience needed to become a competent music therapist. At Seton Hill, you will:

Hone your musical skills through a Bachelor of Music Program that provides a deeper focus on the development of the musician clinician than a B.S. or B.A. in music therapy.
Build a repertoire of therapy strategies that includes novel approaches - like the use of a modified approach to Dalcroze Eurhythmics to improve quality of life for Parkinson's patients and their caregivers.
Participate in the care of clients through interdisciplinary treatment planning, ongoing evaluation and follow-up under the supervision of a board-certified music therapist.
Be eligible to sit for the national examination offered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists upon receiving your undergraduate degree.
Enjoy small classes and personal instruction by expert faculty.
Form bonds with other music therapy majors through volunteerism, public performances, conferences, fundraising and advocacy events through participation in the Music Therapy Club.
Learn in state-of-the-art facilities, including our Arts Center and Performing Arts Center.
Experience the benefits of our Apple Distinguished School, including a MacBook Air laptop for all full-time undergraduates.
Have the advantage of learning in a program that is constantly evolving to meet the requirements of clients and the profession. Recent additions to the program include an emphasis on trauma-informed music therapy and opportunities to move forward in the "arts in healthcare" field with experience in the broader field of therapeutic music.
Have the opportunity to participate in a full range of large and specialized ensembles offered through Seton Hill's Music Program.

Throughout this program, you will learn to design and facilitate music therapy sessions for individuals and groups using:

Improvisation (piano, percussion, vocal)
Songwriting
Lyric analysis
Receptive music listening & relaxation
Structured movement (rhythmics)
Adaptive music learning
And more!

Seton Hill Faculty Are Practicing Music Therapists

At Seton Hill, you will learn from faculty members who are also active music therapy clinicians. You will learn from experts with up-to-date, practical experience rather than graduate assistants. Faculty members will also work with you directly to choose the correct courses and internships to meet your personal goals. Faculty areas of clinical expertise include behavioral health, neurologic diagnoses, hospice and older adults with dementia.

Practical Experience

Clinical Practicum

Through Seton Hill's Music Therapy Program, you will observe and participate in music therapy experiences at various practicum sites. The majority of the time you will be working with either the music therapist on staff or Seton Hill Music Therapy Program faculty. In the rare cases where a board-certified music therapist is not available, you will work with a health professional in a comparable field. Practicum sites include:

Special care nursery, similar to a NICU, Westmoreland Hospital (infants)
Child Development Center (preschoolers)
St. Anne Home (older adults; memory care)
Highlands Hospital (adolescents and adults; behavioral health)
Highlands Hospital Regional Center for Autism, partnership with Cleveland Clinic (children and adolescents)
Community Living Care (adults; developmental disabilities)
Merakey (children & youth; autism; intellectual and developmental disabilities)
NewSong Center for Music Wellness (children, adolescents, adults; autism, Parkinson's, behavioral health)

New sites continually added!

Internship

Every Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy Program requires a 6-month internship. While this can add to the time it takes to earn the undergraduate degree, students who complete their B.M. in Music Therapy and internship are eligible to become board-certified and practice without the requirement of a master's degree. While Seton Hill music therapy students are encouraged to acquire an internship with an AMTA-approved site, local affiliated internships are available.

Affiliated Sites:

Playnotes
Masonic Village
Three Rivers Community Care
NewSong Center for Music Wellness
Wesley Family Services
Twin Lakes Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing

Careers

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, therapy jobs are expected to continue increasing steadily. The median annual wage for therapists in 2023 was $57,120. To obtain the music therapist-board certified credential (MT - BC), you must complete Seton Hill's Music Therapy Program (including internship) and pass the national examination offered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. Seton Hill's Music Therapy program has a 100% board certification pass rate, and a 100% career/graduate school placement rate.

Seton Hill's award-winning Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC) will work with you, your professors and local, regional and national employers to prepare you with the career preparation skills, internship opportunities and placement services that you need - as a student and after you graduate.

Audition

In addition to the University's requirements for admission, all music majors must successfully audition for Seton Hill's music faculty to be admitted into the Music Program.

Admissions & Aid

At Seton Hill University, we offer streamlined admissions requirements and a comprehensive aid program.

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