Music Therapy - BM | University of the Pacific

Music Therapy undergraduate degree at University of the Pacific consists of four years of coursework followed by an internship, and leads to Board Certification. In addition to the core music therapy and foundational music courses, you will be able to take advantage of other diverse course offerings at Pacific. Students can pursue coursework in psychology, biology, special education, physical therapy, sports science or speech language pathology.

This program requires an interview with faculty. Interviews are conducted on the same day as the live audition or by telephone if submitting a video-recorded audition

Faculty

Eric Waldon

Program Director

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Fei-Lin Hsiao

Program Director, San Francisco

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Casie Little

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Karen Moran

San Francisco Campus

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Vienna Sa

San Francisco Campus

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Maya Zebley

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Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy

Master of Arts in Music Therapy

Four-year Academic Plan

Music Therapy Course Catalog

Master of Arts in Music Therapy

Learn how to apply and audition

Conservatory Admission Information

Why study music therapy?

Music therapy is an established health profession that uses music within a therapeutic setting to address the needs of children and adults with disabilities or illnesses. Highly trained and nationally Board-Certified music therapists use music interventions in a focused and concentrated manner to bring about healing and change, building on the inherent qualities of music to influence physical, emotional, cognitive and social responses.

INTERNSHIP DIARIES

What’s it like to intern at Music Worx?

Music therapy major Maddie Horton ’22 has found her passion for helping others through music. She is interning with Music Worx in San Diego. It’s a unique opportunity because Maddie gets to serve a wide variety of clients from hospice or pediatric care to homeless populations and more.

Learn more about Maddie’s internship

Passion for music and helping others

When I learned about music therapy, I fell in love with the idea of combining my passions for music and for helping others. The more time I spend at Pacific, the more I also fall in love with the community here. My favorite thing about Pacific is the various organizations, clubs, etc., that make up this diverse community.

Madelene Raneses ’21
BM, Music Therapy, Voice

Music Therapy Board-certification

To achieve certification, you must complete on-site clinical training as required by the American Music Therapy Association. Your interests, talents and career goals are carefully considered when matching internships. The needs of the community are served through work in special education classrooms, mental health and developmental centers, nursing care facilities, and programs for at-risk youth. Typically, you will work full-time for six months under the supervision of a board-certified musical therapist. Many of these trainers are leaders in the profession, and share a wealth of knowledge in such areas as pediatric or adult medicine, child development, special learners, autism, mental health, chemical dependency, forensic treatment, gerontology, wellness, or private practice and business development. All internships are approved by the American Music Therapy Association.

Curriculum Highlight

Music Therapy Fieldwork

As a music therapy major, you will benefit from our unique learning model where classroom and fieldwork learning are integrated throughout the curriculum. In this practical setting, you will be able to develop specializations matching your interests, talents and personal career goals.

Our graduates

Music Therapy is one of the fastest growing health professions and is considered one of the best careers in today’s job market. Pacific graduates enter the field equipped to use music-based interventions in a focused and concentrated manner to address health-related, psychological, educational and other rehabilitative needs. Pacific prepares students to work in medical, mental health, school, and private practice settings with children, adults and older adults.