Music Therapy Major - MUTY

Mission Statement

The Music Program at Carroll University strives to provide excellent instruction and varied musical performing opportunities to music majors, minors, and non-majors, and offer musical experiences to both the Carroll University community and the wider public. We aim to produce graduates who are versatile, collaborative, and well prepared for careers in music education, music therapy, and other arts-related fields. Our teaching approach combines traditional classroom instruction with practical, hands-on experiences to ensure that students develop a comprehensive set of skills. We are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and nurturing learning environment for all students and exposing our students to music from diverse cultures, composers, and styles.

Music Therapy Mission

Carroll University’s Music Therapy Program aims to equip individuals with a strong foundation of the musical, clinical, personal, and professional skills needed to become a Board-Certified Music Therapist and effectively support people across a wide array of medical, educational, and community settings in an ethical manner.

Music Therapy Goals

• Musical Development: Students will develop technical music skills along with the aesthetic sensitivity and musical adaptability necessary in music therapy clinical practice.  
• Clinical Skill and Experience: Students will practice observation, assessment, treatment planning, treatment implementation, documentation, and evaluation skills in the classroom. Students will apply these skills and further develop their own therapeutic presence and approach in a variety of community-based clinical training experiences under the direct supervision of a Board-Certified Music Therapist.
• Personal Development: Students will have opportunities to practice self-reflection and develop self-awareness that will lay the groundwork for lifelong learning, effective self-care, and a sustainable clinical career.
• Professional Skills: Students will develop the organizational, communication, and critical thinking skills needed to meaningfully contribute in a professional team environment.

Progression Standards for Music Therapy Program

1. A cumulative GPA of 2.75 and satisfactory completion of the piano, guitar, and voice proficiency exams is required for admission to the professional phase (junior and senior years) of the program.
2. A student must maintain a cumulative university GPA and a semester GPA of 2.75 throughout the professional phase. A student who gets below a 2.75 cumulative and/or session GPA will be placed on academic probation for the following semester. To have the probationary status removed, a student must attain a 2.75 session GPA or higher in subsequent semesters.
3. If a student fails to attain a 2.75 session GPA, s/he will be dismissed from the program.
4. Grades of C or better are required in all music therapy (MTY designation) courses. If a grade below a C is achieved or an S is not achieved, the student may not progress to subsequent courses in the program until the course is successfully repeated.
5. A course may be repeated only one time. A student receiving a D, F, or U twice in music therapy courses (including practica) will be dismissed from the program.
6. When repeating a professional phase music therapy course, a student may be required to successfully complete ancillary learning experiences or clinical competencies/practica that validate theoretical knowledge.
7. The piano, guitar, and voice proficiency exams will only be administered once per semester. They may be repeated as often as necessary.

Reapplication Policy for Dismissed Music Therapy Students

The policy on reapplication defines the process by which students may seek readmission to the Music Therapy Program following a dismissal of the student from the program for failing to maintain good academic standing. Readmission candidates may apply for readmission to the program no sooner than one year and no later than three years from the date of the dismissal. Readmission candidates may exercise their reapplication option only once. Readmission candidates applying to the program must submit the materials required and shall be considered with all new applicants for admission. In addition, they must provide transcripts relating to any education experiences completed since leaving the program. A letter indicating why the readmission candidate believes s/he will succeed academically and technically in the program must accompany the application materials. Upon review of the materials, the program’s admission selection committee may render the following decisions: 1) Approval of the request for readmission to the program, or 2) Denial of the request for readmission to the program.