he Music Education major is for students interested in becoming certified music teachers. An undergraduate Music Education degree will prepare and qualify a person to teach choral, instrumental and general music at the elementary and secondary school levels.

Music Education students receive a great deal of individualized attention. They also benefit from the School's diversity, with unique course offering and experience opportunities that will enrich their study.

To help undergraduates develop their musicianship to the fullest extent possible, four years of study on a principal instrument are required. Music theory and music literature are emphasized as are music education methods and techniques courses, which enable them to develop skills in teaching music to various age levels.

Emphasis is on understanding the processes involved in musical development and learning, as well as on techniques and materials needed to facilitate musical learning.

Music teachers must have a broad knowledge of the world in which they will teach. To help students develop a broad perspective, the Music Education curriculum includes courses in humanities, social sciences, natural and physical sciences and mathematics.

Professional Education and Music Education courses require both observations of and active participation in elementary and secondary school classrooms. The undergraduate program culminates in a complete semester of full-time teaching in a public school setting, with experience at both the elementary and secondary levels.

Since music educators conduct many types of ensembles, their preparation for this skill becomes paramount in the undergraduate years. Participation in various performing ensembles is required throughout the resident semesters. Ensemble participation is designed to acquaint students with a wide variety of repertoire, provide them with high level performance experience in various types of ensembles, and allow them to observe conducting and performance techniques which can serve as models for use in secondary school choral and instrument programs.

tudents wishing to major in Music Education/Jazz Emphasis develop their skills in jazz performance, improvisation, and pedagogy in addition to traditional performance while earning certification as a music teacher. The program, which may require one additional summer of study, combines the essential features of the Music Education Program with the Studio Music and Jazz Program.

Students admitted to this program must successfully complete both classical and jazz auditions. 

tudents may choose a double major in Music Education/Music Therapy. This program allows students to work toward certification as a music teacher and board certification as a music therapist. Two internships are required - one in music education and one in music therapy - making this a five year program.

tudents pursuing the Master of Music degree in Music Education examine current theory and issues in educational philosophy and psychology as they impact music education while expanding their musical knowledge, performance skills, and teaching techniques. The program allows for emphasis in elementary/general, instrumental, music therapy, string pedagogy, and vocal/choral. A certification option is available for students holding music degrees but lacking teacher certification. The program culminates with either a thesis or comprehensive examination. Master's students may pursue degrees through either full-time or part-time study.

The Specialist Degree in Music Education (M.Spec) is a 30-credit program beyond the Master of Music degree, but independent of the Doctor of Philosophy degree. The program emphasizes course work rather than research and is intended to develop high level professionals in the field of elementary and secondary school music education.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree program is designed as a three-year curriculum (60 credits beyond the master's degree). The program culminates with the defense of the dissertation.

usic therapy involves the use of music to accomplish a variety of therapeutic aims, including the restoration, maintenance and improvement of mental and physical health. A music therapist may work with individuals of all ages who require treatment due to behavioral, social, learning or physical disabilities. Employment may be in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, special education settings, hospices, correctional facilities or private practice.

In essence, music is used as a tool to help people maintain or improve upon important life skills, such as communication, physical movement, emotional growth and social skills. Music therapy can be a satisfying career for the individual with a strong musical background who is also interested in a health care profession.

The bachelor of music degree in music therapy is designed to help students acquire basic clinical competencies. The music therapy curriculum requires a solid foundation in musical skills, including music theory, history, conducting, applied instruction, and participation in ensembles. Students must also complete courses in the sciences, such as biology, anatomy, physiology and psychology. In addition, a large part of the curriculum focuses on learning the theory, research and techniques in music therapy that students will later use as professional clinicians. Finally, certain general education requirements must also be met, such as algebra and English composition. Upon completion of coursework, students enter a six-month, full-time clinical internship. When the internship requirement has been met, students can take the board certification exam in music therapy and begin practice as a clinician.

The courses included in the music therapy curriculum are carefully selected in accordance with standards set by the American Music Therapy Association, the National Association for Schools of Music and the University of Miami. Overall, the curriculum is designed to prepare students for a successful career working with a variety of clinical populations across a broad range of health care and educational settings.

Music therapy courses at the University of Miami provide students with an intensive and experiential learning environment. Students benefit from the diverse clinical backgrounds of the music therapy faculty that include working with children and adults with developmental disabilities, at-risk adolescents, adults with mental illness, children and adults with neurological disorders, as well as individuals receiving treatment for chemical dependence, performance anxiety, pain management and relaxation. In addition, students learn a variety of treatment approaches, such as instrumental improvisation and neurologic music therapy. The music therapy program currently enjoys clinical affiliations with several community agencies serving such populations as children with autism, cerebral palsy and Down Syndrome; juvenile offenders and adults with mental disorders. Practicum experiences often take place at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, a world-renowned center for medical research, treatment and clinical care.

The master's degree in music therapy is designed to help students acquire advanced clinical skills and to obtain research experience by completing a thesis. Appropriate candidates include individuals who have completed either a bachelor's degree in music therapy or a music therapy equivalency program (see below). Students must also be either board-certified or eligible to take the exam. Individuals who have not already completed these entry-level requirements must do so before applying for graduate studies in music therapy.

Once accepted into the master's degree program, students will complete graduate-level coursework in three main areas: 1) music (i.e. performance, conducting, musicology, theory and composition), 2) research methods and statistics, and 3) scientific and clinical foundations of music therapy.

The academic content of the master's degree is determined in accordance with standards set by the American Music Therapy Association, the National Association for Schools of Music and the University of Miami. Overall, the curriculum is designed to prepare students for either advanced-level clinical work or additional opportunities in research or college teaching.





The Music Therapy Masters Degree/Equivalency Program is the ideal option for the person who already has an undergraduate degree in music and who wants to study music therapy at the graduate level. This three-year program includes all of the undergraduate prerequisites that are necessary for entry-level clinical practice, as well as all of the masters level coursework in advanced clinical skills and research. Students have the opportunity to complete clinical practica and conduct thesis research within several different areas of the University, including the various hospitals and clinics associated with the School of Medicine.

Students entering the masters degree/equivalency program are expected to have already completed a bachelor’s degree in music, including the courses listed below. If any of these courses have not yet been completed, they can be taken here at the University of Miami. Taking these additional courses, however, may lengthen the amount of time required to finish the program. In certain situations, alternate courses from other universities can substitute for the required courses. Depending on the nature of the class, this decision will be made by the Dean of Undergraduate Studies in the Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music, in conjunction with the Music Therapy Program Director.

In order to determine exactly how many credits are required to finish the masters degree/equivalency program, the student should obtain their official transcripts for their previous degree and meet with the music therapy program director.

Courses to be completed prior to entering the Music Therapy Masters Degree/Equivalency Program:
	Music Requirements: Music Theory I, II, III & IV Music History I & II Conducting (one semester) Arranging (one semester) Applied Lessons (6 semesters) Performing Ensembles (8 semesters) Piano Competency (4 semesters of either lessons or group piano) Behavioral Science Requirements: Introduction to Psychology

In the first year of this program, students take the undergraduate prerequisite courses in music therapy. Upon successful completion of these courses, students are eligible to begin the official sequence of graduate level courses in their second year. In the second and third years, students will complete the same graduate level courses as required for the traditional masters degree in music therapy. The six-month internship requirement is fulfilled following the three years of coursework.
Following completion of the internship, students can submit the final version of the thesis to the Graduate School and are eligible to sit for the music therapy board certification exam. Candidates can then become professional members of the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and seek employment as a music therapist. The curricular requirements for this program include the same 30 credit hours listed for the masters degree, plus 41 credit hours in undergraduate prerequisite courses.

If you have questions about any of the graduate programs in music therapy, please contact the music therapy program director:

Shannon K. de l’Etoile, Ph.D., MT-BC
Assistant Professor and Music Therapy Program Director
The University of Miami
Frost School of Music
Music Therapy Program
P.O. Box 248165
Coral Gables, FL 33124
305.284.3943
sdel@miami.edu

Degree Programs

Bachelor of Music in
Music Education

Bachelor of Music in
Music Education/Jazz Emphasis (Vocal)

Bachelor of Music in
Music Education/Jazz Emphasis (Instrumental) 

Bachelor of Music in
Music Education and Music Therapy (double major)

Bachelor of Music in
Music Therapy 

Master of Music in
Music Education / Elementary-General Music Emphasis

Master of Music in
Music Education / Instrumental Emphasis

Master of Music in
Music Education / String Pedagogy Emphasis

Master of Music in
Music Education / Vocal Choral Emphasis

Master of Music in
Music Therapy

Specialist Degree in
Music Education

Doctor of Philosophy
in Music Education

"I was offered

scholarships to

other music

schools, but at

UM I felt I'd have

more direct

contact with the

faculty.  I can't

say enough about

the music school

faculty as

well as the

administrators. 

Every one of

them, on every

level of music, is

the best there is."

Matt Pierson, Senior Vice President/General Manager Jazz for Warner Brothers Records, Inc.