Studying Music Therapy at Berklee

The mission of the Music Therapy Department is to prepare students to be leaders in the field of music therapy. As a department staffed by leading experts in the field, we are committed to providing learning experiences that allow students to explore a holistic view of the use of music in health, healing, and well-being. This includes coursework that exposes students to the health care and developmental needs of a wide variety of populations while simultaneously challenging students to discover and realize their full potential.

• Foster students' passion to work and advocate for individuals in diverse clinical and community-based settings.
• Challenge students to experience, reflect, and transform their clinical, professional, and music skills to enhance personal and professional growth.
• Prepare students to effectively assess, treat, and evaluate music therapy services for a wide variety of populations and clientele.
• Develop clinical musicianship that fosters musical engagement across the spectrum of clinical and developmental needs.
• Expose students to the theoretical and research basis for music therapy interventions in clinical and community-based settings across the lifespan.

Music therapy is an established health care profession and complementary treatment modality. Music therapists utilize music and the relationship that develops within and through the music to address physical, emotional, spiritual, developmental, behavioral, and/or social needs. As trained and credentialed professionals, music therapists work in a wide variety of clinical, educational, and/or community-based settings. Music therapy interventions allow individuals to focus on the parts of themselves that are healthy, creative, and expressive, no matter what they are living with.

Depending on the treatment goals, music therapy sessions may involve creating, improvising, listening to, and/or performing music. Through the treatment planning process, individual strengths, preferences, and cultural backgrounds are taken into account. All styles and types of music can be useful in eliciting change. The group/individual preferences, goals, and circumstances help to determine the types of music experiences a music therapist may use.