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Becoming a Golden Hawk means more than just cheering on our (really good) varsity teams – it means being a student who cares about your community, who works hard in the classroom, and who takes advantage of all the learning opportunities that can happen outside the classroom, too.
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Music Therapy (MMT)
waterloo
Faculty of Music | Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Our Master of Music Therapy (MMT) program is the longest-running graduate music therapy program in Canada. We have the only clinical improvisation analysis and low frequency lab in Canada, established in 2013 for improvisation and low frequency sound research. The clinic is funded through the Manfred and Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy Research (CIMTR), also housed at Laurier.
The philosophy of our program is music psychotherapy. Clinical musicianship, which includes skills in improvisation, song-writing, and therapeutic music listening, and psychotherapeutic techniques are developed through clinical, theoretical and experiential practices.
Based on your reserach interests, you will conduct a Major Research Paper (MRP) with the option of doing an original research study or clinical case study. We teach both evidence-based and practice-based research and offer supervision expertise in qualitative, clinical, arts-based and music medicine research. If you are interested, you can conduct your study at the Improvisation Analysis and Low Frequency Sound Laboratory. Our cutting-edge equipment includes Matlab, Logic Software, Music Therapy Toolbox, Sound Beam, Mallet Kat-studio, Digital keyboard, drumsets, Physioacoustic chairs, neurofeedback equipment and more. The Manfred and Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy Research (CIMTR) offers Research Assistantship opportunities for several students every year. We also offer Teaching Assistantship opportunities for our students.
Program Structure
Our MMT program is offered as a full-time, one-year (three terms) program for those with a Bachelor of Music Therapy, or as a two-year (six terms) program for those with a Bachelor of Music degree (honours), or (providing all program pre-requisties are met) other applicable honours degree.
In our two-year program, you’ll complete one practica in your first year and a one-day-per-week practicum for two terms in your second year. For your first practicum, you’ll work with another student and clients at Laurier’s onsite clinic. You’ll also partake in group sessions in off-campus community settings. In your second year, you’ll work in an off-campus facility. At the end of your first and second years, a full-time summer placement will give you additional clinical experience. Practicum courses are linked with classroom courses so that you can make connections between music therapy/music psychotherapy theories and practices. In the practicum courses, you’ll be able to work with a variety of client populations.
Our one-year programme has two fields and students can choose according to their interests and future plans:
- The Music Therapy Field includes 6 academic courses integrated with 3 practicum courses. You will be placed in an off-campus facility one day per week and during a full-time summer placement.
- The Music Psychotherapy Field includes 10 academic courses and one practicum course. You will be placed in an off-campus facility during a full-time summer placement.
ARE YOU AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT?
More information can be found on the International Applicants page.
Contact Us:
Sample Core Courses
- Music Psychotherapy Assessment & Ethical Practise
- Clinical Improvisation II: Balancing Form and Freedom in Music Psychotherapy
- Clinical Music Psychotherapy Skills I, II, III, IV
- Music Psychotherapy Foundations: Theories, Approaches, Techniques & Interventions I, II, III
- Safe and Effective Use of Self in Music Psychotherapy I, II
- Music Psychotherapy, Diversity, and Social Justice
- Qualitative Music Therapy Research
- Major Research Paper
- Music Psychotherapy Placement I, II, III, IV, V
Funding
- Teaching assistantships and research assistantships are available.
- Major award holders (OGS, QEII and Tri-Council) are eligible for a $1,000 Incentive Scholarship.
- A list of all funding opportunities available to Laurier graduate students, including information about OGS, QEII and Tri-Council, is available on our graduate funding webpage.
Requirements
- For our one-year program, a four-year (honours) undergraduate degree in Music Therapy is required.
- For our two-year program, a completed degree in music or related field such as psychology.
- A minimum B average in your final year of academic study.
- Evidence of advanced clinical experience (one-year program only).
- Piano performance abilities at a minimum Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) Grade 6 (if piano is not your primary instrument).
- Evidence of advanced musical qualifications, including ability to perform advanced repertoire.
- Ability to improvise on your primary instrument.
- Completion of the CASPer Test. Note: You must take the CASPer Test on a date available to Wilfrid Laurier University applicants.
- Successful completion of the following prerequisite psychology courses: Introduction, Developmental (Child, Adolescent or Adult) and Abnormal Psychology.
- A minimum grade of B- (70-72%) is required in each of the psychology prerequisites.
- If you have not completed all the psychology prerequisites or CASPer by the time of your application, you must provide evidence that you have registered for these requirements.
- The committee will select applicants for audition and interview based on their application. If you are selected, you will receive detailed instructions about how to prepare for the audition/interview.
Careers
Our graduates have gone on to work in health care, education and private practice. Examples of jobs held by our graduates include:
- music therapist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Kensington Hospice
- music therapist/music psychotherapist, Grand River Hospital
- music therapy supervisor/ music psychotherapy supervisor
- professional orchestral player
- music therapy community practice owner
- music therapy university professor and researcher
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