Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Music
Nature of the Program
Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Through a course of study focused on the disciplines of music, human development, and music therapy combined with the University¹s General Education Foundations, the BM in Music Therapy imparts essential competencies in three main areas: musical foundations, clinical foundations, and music therapy foundations.
Upon successful completion of the bachelor's degree, graduates are eligible to take the national board certification exam in order to obtain the credential MT-BC (Music Therapist Board Certified), which is required for professional practice in the United States.
Admissions for 2025-2026
Acceptance into an undergraduate music degree program is contingent upon both admission to WVU as an undergraduate student and a successful performance audition. Auditions are held from late fall through the early spring semester. For maximum scholarship consideration, students are encouraged to complete the application (including audition) before March 1. Audition information can be found on the College's website or by contacting the CCAM Office of Recruitment at (304) 293-4339. Special accommodations may be made by contacting the School of Music at (304) 293-4532 or Music@mail.wvu.edu.
For admission consideration, all students must submit separate applications to the University and to the School of Music. The audition is a preliminary assessment of a student’s potential for success. For the Bachelor of Science in Music and Health, students must audition at a minimum performance level four. If a student is admitted, their standing is confirmed or revised after the first semester of study.
Students should own their own instrument under normal circumstances (except for piano).
- Apply to West Virginia University (How to Apply)
- Audition for the School of Music (Apply Now)
Acceptance into an undergraduate music degree program requires admission to WVU as an undergraduate student and a successful audition and/or interview. The audition and/or interview is a preliminary assessment of a student's potential for success in their intended major.
- BA Music - audition required
- BA Music Business and Industry: Applied Music Emphasis - audition required
- BA Music Business and Industry: Multi-instrumental Emphasis - interview required (no audition)
- BM Composition - audition and portfolio review required
- BM Music Education - audition and interview required
- BM Music Therapy - audition and interview required
- BM Performance - audition required
- BS Music and Health - audition required
Students who cannot attend one of our regularly scheduled audition days should contact the School of Music at:
(304) 293-4532 or Music@mail.wvu.edu.
Music majors can change from one music curriculum to another with faculty approval, particularly during the freshman or sophomore year, without significant loss of course credit. Students are encouraged to explore and follow the curriculum for which they are best qualified and in which they can achieve the greatest success. Evaluation of students’ work by the School of Music faculty informs these decisions. If students wish a broader, liberal arts-oriented program, they may pursue a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music.
Major Code: 3717
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 11 | |
| Music Therapy Program Requirements | 57 | |
| Music Therapy Major Requirements | 69 | |
| Total Hours | 137 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1 and 5 | 9 | |
| MUSC 191 | First-Year Seminar | 2 |
| Total Hours | 11 | |
Music Therapy Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GPA of 2.75 is required each semester and cumulatively. | ||
| Minimum GPA of 2.75 is required in all MUSC and clinical foundations courses. | ||
| Minimum grade of C- is required in all MUSC and clinical foundations courses. | ||
| Applied Lessons *Students must present a half recital on the major instrument/voice OR two performances in upper-level recitals prior to the internship. | ||
| Principal Instrument *minimum proficiency level 6 required; half recital, 2 upper-level convocation performances, or other 30-minute public performance(s) approved by the director of music therapy required | 12 | |
Applied Music 100 Level (MUSC 121-127) | ||
Applied Music 200 Level (MUSC 221-227) | ||
Applied Music 300 Level (MUSC 321-327) | ||
| Class Piano (MUSC 130-132) *minimum proficiency level 1.5 required | 3 | |
| MUSC 137S | Music Therapy Class Guitar 1 | 1 |
| MUSC 237 | Music Therapy Class Guitar 2 | 1 |
| 8 Semesters of Music Ensemble (at least 6 major ensembles; 1 vocal & 1 chamber or world music required) | 8 | |
| Major Ensembles | ||
| Band: Wind Symphony | ||
| Band: Symphonic | ||
| Band: Marching | ||
| University Community Choir | ||
| Orchestra | ||
| Chamber Singers | ||
| University Mountaineer Chorus | ||
| Jazz Ensemble 1 | ||
| Jazz Ensemble 2 | ||
| Small/World Ensembles | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Small Group | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Small Group 2 | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz and Ethnic | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Vocal Ensemble | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Other | ||
| Chamber Music: Jazz Vocal Ensemble | ||
| Gamelan | ||
| Steel Band | ||
| African Music Ensemble | ||
| Brazilian Music Ensemble | ||
| Experiential Music Ensemble | ||
| Taiko Ensemble | ||
| Fife and Drum Ensemble | ||
| Music Convocation | ||
| Music Convocation (Four Semesters) | ||
| Musical Foundations | ||
| MUSC 113 | American Popular Music pre-requisite for MUSC 270 and/or MUSC 271 | 3 |
| or MUSC 116 | Music in World Cultures | |
| MUSC 129 | Music Technology 1: GarageBand | 1 |
| MUSC 138 | Voice Class 1 | 2 |
| MUSC 161 | Aural Theory 1 | 2 |
| MUSC 162 | Written Theory 1 | 3 |
| MUSC 163 | Aural Theory 2 | 2 |
| MUSC 164 | Written Theory 2 | 3 |
| MUSC 200S | Fundamentals of Conducting | 2 |
| MUSC 261 | Aural Theory 3 | 2 |
| MUSC 262 | Written Theory 3 | 3 |
| MUSC 263 | Aural Theory 4 | 2 |
| Select one of the following: | 2-3 | |
| Instrumentation and Orchestration | ||
| Popular Music Analysis Seminar | ||
| Songwriting: Composition and Analysis | ||
| Counterpoint, 16th Century | ||
| Counterpoint, 18th Century | ||
| Analysis of Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Music | ||
| Compositional Techniques in Contemporary Music | ||
| Electronic Music | ||
| Techniques for Electronic Music Performance | ||
| Jazz and Commercial Music Harmony | ||
| Counterpoint, 20th Century | ||
| MUSC 270 | History of Western Musical Traditions 1 (May fulfill GEF 6) | 3 |
| or MUSC 271 | History of Western Musical Traditions 2 | |
| MUSC 432 | Methods and Pedagogy (voice pedagogy) | 2 |
| Total Hours | 57 | |
Music Therapy Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GPA of 2.75 is required each semester and cumulatively. | ||
| Minimum GPA of 2.75 is required in all MUSC and clinical foundations courses. | ||
| Minimum grade of C- is required in all MUSC and clinical foundations courses. | ||
| MUSC 185 | Introduction to Music Therapy | 3 |
| MUSC 205 | Clinical Foundations of Music Therapy | 3 |
| MUSC 230S | Music Therapy Methods 1 | 3 |
| MUSC 231 | Music Therapy Methods 2 | 3 |
| MUSC 330S | Principles and Practices of Music Therapy | 3 |
| MUSC 331 | Advanced Principles and Practices of Music Therapy | 3 |
| MUSC 444 | Psychological Foundation of Music | 3 |
| MUSC 445 | Evidence Based Practice in Music Therapy | 3 |
| MUSC 239S | Music Therapy Practicum 1 | 1 |
| MUSC 239A | Music Therapy Practicum 2 | 1 |
| MUSC 339S | Music Therapy Practicum 3 | 1 |
| MUSC 339A | Music Therapy Practicum 4 | 1 |
| MUSC 440 | Music Therapy Practicum 5 | 2 |
| MUSC 440A | Music Therapy Practicum 6 | 2 |
| MUSC 485S | Music Therapy Internship | 9 |
| Clinical Foundations | ||
| BIOL 102 & 102L | General Biology 2 and General Biology 2 Laboratory (May fulfill GEF 2) | 4 |
| PALM 205 | Introduction to Human Anatomy | 3 |
| PALM 206 | Human Anatomy Laboratory | 1 |
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology (May fulfill GEF 8) | 3 |
| PSYC 241 | Introduction to Human Development (May fulfill GEF 8) | 3 |
| PSYC 281 | Introduction to Psychological Disorders (May fulfill GEF 8) | 3 |
| SOWK 147 | Human Diversity (May fulfill GEF 7) | 3 |
| SPED 404 | Special Education in Contemporary Society (May fulfill GEF 4) | 3 |
| STAT 111 | Understanding Statistics (May fulfill GEF 3) | 3 |
| or STAT 211 | Elementary Statistical Inference | |
| MUSC Electives | 2 | |
| Total Hours | 69 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| Major Ensemble | 1 | Major Ensemble | 1 | ||
| MUSC 121-127 Applied Lesson | 2 | MUSC 121-127 Applied Lesson | 2 | ||
| MUSC 130S | 1 | MUSC 129 | 1 | ||
| MUSC 137S | 1 | MUSC 131S | 1 | ||
| MUSC 161 | 2 | MUSC 163 | 2 | ||
| MUSC 162 | 3 | MUSC 164 | 3 | ||
| MUSC 185 | 3 | MUSC 189 | 0 | ||
| MUSC 191 | 2 | MUSC 205 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | MUSC 237 | 1 | ||
| PSYC 101 | 3 | ||||
| 18 | 17 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| Music Ensemble | 1 | Major Ensemble | 1 | ||
| MUSC 221-227 Applied Lesson | 2 | MUSC 221-227 Applied Lesson | 2 | ||
| MUSC 132S | 1 | MUSC 113 or 116 | 3 | ||
| MUSC 138S | 2 | MUSC 189 | 0 | ||
| MUSC 189 | 0 | MUSC 231 | 3 | ||
| MUSC 261 | 2 | MUSC 239A | 1 | ||
| MUSC 262 | 3 | MUSC 263 | 2 | ||
| MUSC 230S | 3 | PSYC 241 (GEF 8) | 3 | ||
| MUSC 239S | 1 | Select one of the following: | 2-3 | ||
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | ||||
| 18 | 17 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| Major Ensemble | 1 | Major Ensemble | 1 | ||
| MUSC 321-327 Applied Lesson | 2 | MUSC 321-327 Applied Lesson | 2 | ||
| MUSC 189 | 0 | MUSC 331 | 3 | ||
| MUSC 200S | 2 | MUSC 339A | 1 | ||
| MUSC 270 or 271 (GEF 6) | 3 | SPED 404 (GEF 4) | 3 | ||
| MUSC 330S | 3 | BIOL 102 & 102L (GEF 2) | 4 | ||
| MUSC 339S | 1 | ||||
| PSYC 281 (GEF 8) | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 14 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| Vocal Ensemble | 1 | World or Chamber Music Ensemble | 1 | MUSC 485S | 9 |
| MUSC 440 | 2 | MUSC 432 | 2 | ||
| MUSC 444 | 3 | MUSC 440A | 2 | ||
| PALM 205 & PALM 206 | 4 | MUSC 445 | 3 | ||
| STAT 111 or 211 (GEF 3) | 3 | SOWK 147 (GEF 7) | 3 | ||
| GEF 5 | 3 | MUSC Elective | 2 | ||
| 16 | 13 | 9 | |||
| Total credit hours: 137 | |||||
Major Learning Outcomes
Music Therapy
Learning outcomes for this degree are directly related to the essential competencies, experiences, and opportunities stated by the National Association of Schools of Music and the American Music Therapy Association. They include:
- Advanced keyboard skills, including the ability to play at sight, accompany, transpose, and improvise.
- Ability to sight-sing and take aural dictation.
- Skills in voice, especially as related to group singing. Ability to communicate using a basic repertory of traditional, folk, and popular songs.
- Guitar skills sufficient to accompany self and ensembles. Ability to perform a basic repertory of traditional, folk, and popular songs in several keys, with or without printed music.
- Knowledge of and performance ability on percussion and other instruments sufficient to facilitate rhythm-based musical experiences for individuals and groups.
- Conducting skills adequate to the therapist¹s needs in providing repertory and leadership to small and large vocal/instrumental ensembles.
- Composition and arranging skills sufficient to compose songs with simple accompaniment; and to arrange, transpose, and simplify music compositions for small vocal and non-symphonic instrumental ensembles.
- Movement skills to direct and move expressively in structured rhythmic and improvisatory movement experiences.
- Knowledge of the basic principles of normal human development, exceptionality and psychopathology, principles of therapy, and the therapeutic relationship.
- Knowledge of the basic foundations and principles of music therapy, including history and philosophy; the psychological, physiological, and sociological bases for the use of music as therapy; music therapy methods, techniques and materials with their appropriate applications to various client populations.
- Knowledge of various client populations; client assessment; treatment planning; therapy implementation and evaluation; clinical documentation (both oral and written) and termination/discharge planning.
- Knowledge of professional standards of clinical practice; professional role and ethics; interdisciplinary collaboration in designing and implementing treatment programs; supervision and administration.
- Knowledge of research methods to be able to interpret information, demonstrate basic knowledge of historical, quantitative, and qualitative research, and to apply research findings to clinical practice in music therapy.