As a Music Education student at the Conservatory, you are part of an educational community that advances creativity, performance, scholarship and learning in the arts. Our Music Education faculty are dedicated to empowering you via relevant learning opportunities and experiences that enrich your life as both an artistic teacher and student of music. Our degrees in music education are dynamic programs that prepare students as musicians, performers and teachers. In addition to core classes in musicianship, performance and teaching techniques, you’ll gain extensive experience through field experiences within local schools. Once you have completed your student teaching internships, you’ll be prepared to be an innovative leader in the classroom and in your community.
Degree Programs Offered
The Music Therapy program at the Conservatory weaves together art and science to prepare you for your career improving the lives of clients at all ages and abilities. To prepare for a career in music therapy, you must demonstrate exceptional musicianship, strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to working toward the wellbeing of others.
While pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in music therapy at UMKC, you will develop musicianship in your applied area for the clinical setting. You’ll develop your therapeutic skills through core Conservatory programming in music therapy, psychology, science, statistics and research methods. You will undergo several practicum rotations to provide experience with children, adolescents and adults within a wide range of clinical settings alongside music therapists in the greater Kansas City metro community. You will complete your degree with an internship at an approved facility locally or nationally.
Upon completion of the requirements for the undergraduate degree in music therapy, students are qualified to take the Certification Exam for Music Therapists to obtain the credentials MT-BC needed to provide professional music therapy services. More information about the exam can be found at www.CBMT.org.
The Master of Arts-Music (MA-Equivalency) degree is a graduate program for students with an existing bachelor's degree in music who wish to become a Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC). It includes course and clinical work leading to both entry-level and advanced-level competencies in music therapy. The MA-Equivalency student fulfills the undergraduate music therapy requirements plus additional graduate coursework.
The Master of Arts-Music Therapy (MA-MT) degree is designed for the returning music therapist with an existing bachelor's degree in music therapy. The MA-MT allows for individual specialization with an emphasis on advanced clinical skills and research.
UMKC's Interdisciplinary Ph.D. (I.Ph.D.) program is innovative in its flexibility and variety. The I.Ph.D. integrates the primary discipline (music education/music therapy) with a co-discipline, such as psychology or education. The I.Ph.D. is designed for the student who is interested in college teaching and post-doctoral work in music therapy. UMKC music therapy students benefit from the faculty's well-established local, national and international recognition in education, research and service.
Bachelor of Arts: Music Therapy
