Inside UMN’s Music Therapy Program

Across the country, the practice of music therapy is growing rapidly. Board-Certified music therapists (MT-BC) use an evidence-based approach while working with people of all ages who have a wide variety of strengths and needs. MT-BCs provide tailored music-based treatments for service users for the acquisition, improvement, or maintenance of physical, speech and language, cognitive, emotional, academic, and social skills. 

“Music can improve lives in so many ways,” says Patrick Warfield, director of the School of Music at the University of Minnesota. “But what Board-Certified music therapists do is special. Using evidence-based approaches, they can create personalized interventions that assist in everything from enhancing memory to improving communication skills to helping people express feelings and manage stress. This is why we are so proud to have one of the nation’s strongest music therapy programs. Our faculty and students create new knowledge and transform lives.” 

The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) explains that 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.” It is not therapeutic music, like bedside performances, entertainment in nursing homes, or background music during surgery.

The University of Minnesota School of Music is proud to offer one of the premier music therapy programs in the nation, led by Professors Michael Silverman PhD, MT-BC, Todd Schwartzberg, PhD, MT-BC, and Kayla Shafer, MA, MT-BC. Graduates earn the academic skills and clinical experience necessary to complete internships, pass the Music Therapy Board Certification exam, and become a MT-BC. 

The wider Twin Cities community serves as the program’s backdrop, providing an ideal environment for learning that reaches beyond Minneapolis and St. Paul. “Our program is situated in the middle of a vibrant and diverse community of people, organizations, and businesses,” says Professor Todd Schwartzberg, PhD, MT-BC. “This allows us the opportunity to partner with various Board-Certified music therapists in our community.” 

The music therapy program facilitates student clinical training opportunities with MT-BCs in the community. Locations for these experiences include hospitals, schools, nursing homes, private practice, and other clinical sites. Collaboration with the esteemed local music therapy network in the Twin Cities has led to a 100% job placement rate for program graduates.

A stand-out aspect of the School of Music’s music therapy program is the Judith A. Jellison On-Campus Music Therapy Clinic and Classroom (OCMTC). Located in Ferguson Hall, it serves as a tool for service users to participate in music therapy as well as clinical learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. 

Observation room of the Judith A. Jellison On-Campus Music Therapy Clinic and Classroom

In the OCMTC, students observe sessions through a one-way mirror and also work directly with service users. Music therapy approaches might involve working on an individualized speech goal by singing a song to support the development of articulation and rate of speech, or by matching gross and fine motor movements to a specific rhythm to assist physical skill growth. With some service users, students might work on personalizing an at-home care plan with their family members, generalizing the skills learned in music therapy to their home environments. 

Jessica Peckham, Senior

The factor that drew me here was the on-campus clinic. The opportunity to be able to observe and work with service users while learning with professors that I'm comfortable with and who are just here to support me through that was something that really stood out.

- Jessica Peckham, Senior
 

MT-BCs are expected to meet and continually develop their competencies in the areas of music, therapy, and music therapy skills. Undergraduate students participate in ensembles and other music courses, just like other music students. The core music curriculum at the School of Music, with courses like music theory and aural skills, builds the base of music knowledge needed to successfully lead therapy sessions with service users. 

Emily Van Wyhe, Graduate student

My time in the clinic has been an amazing learning experience! It is such a privilege to get to work with the service users, and to see them grow each week.

- Emily Van Wyhe, graduate student