MA Music TherapyDepartment of Music and Performing Arts

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Entry RequirementsAdmission is by application and interview. Specific entry requirements are:

t Music degree or equivalent (another degree but with a high standard of musicianship)

t High standard of flexible musicianship demonstrated by grade 8 or equivalent, and preferably one other instrument

t Relevant clinical experience with adults and children

t Relevant motivation, maturity and ability to reflect on self in relation to others.

We will also consider applicants who may not have formal academic qualifications, but can demonstrate relevant life experience, high levels of musicianship and sufficient academic ability. All applicants are expected to have had some experience of working with people with special needs and people with mental health problems.

AssessmentAssessment takes place against clear criteria and learning outcomes which you will be prepared for. Assessed activities range from formal essay writing to experiential learning, group learning, clinical improvisation and fieldwork, including clinical placements. You will also be assessed through self-analysis and reflection in discussions with your personal tutor.

An assessment at the half-way point with one of the external examiners considers your progress and process towards becoming a music therapist. The final oral assessment involves presenting in-depth casework to two external examiners who are active in the clinical field.

Professional links/accreditationInvesting in this course allows you to gain a qualification, which is approved by the Health Professions Council (HPC). This is now a legal requirement for music therapists in the UK.

The course is also recognised by The Association of Professional Music Therapists. Staff members hold offices in this Association as well as in other National Allied Health Professional bodies. There are strong links with other practitioners such as psychiatrists and psychotherapists, and staff are employed in local NHS facilities as well as by our University, making for a strong professional profile.

We have also established professional collaborations with institutions across the world, providing a rich interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary milieu.

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Employment prospectsOur trainees have an excellent track record of gaining employment.

Music therapists are employed within a variety of contexts, such as the NHS, the education sector and community projects, whilst there are also opportunities to work privately or on a freelance basis. A qualified music therapist is able to work with a broad range of clients, including adults and children with learning disabilities and mental health problems, and other special needs. Increasingly, they are employed within hospices and related outreach settings and within medical environments, working with patients. In the NHS, ‘Agenda for Change’ has led to improved career paths. Music therapists are employed at levels similar to, or higher than, those of other Allied Health Professionals.

The Staff Team:Professor Helen Odell-Miller music therapy and adult mental health, older people, psychoanalysis and music therapy, voice improvisation, outcome research, arts therapies, supervision and professional practice. PhD supervision.

Professor Tony Wigram music therapy international research with adults and children, evidence-based practice, improvisation, autism, qualitative and quantitative research. PhD supervision.

Dr Amelia Oldfield music therapy with children and families, research in clinical areas including autism, interactive music therapy, single line improvisation. PhD supervision.

Eleanor Richards Music therapy and psychoanalysis, theories of child development, attachment theory, adults with learning disabilities, group work, keyboard improvisation.

Helen Loth music therapy with children and families, eating disorders, multi-cultural music, gamelan, professional practice, counselling.

Contact

Tel: 0845 271 3333 (Contact Centre)

Email: answers@anglia.ac.uk

www.anglia.ac.uk/mpa

A DVD about the MA in Music Therapy and other DVDs are available on request from the departmental office.

For more information or to apply on-line: www.anglia.ac.uk/apply

“ The course offers the chance to study more than just one period of English Literature and has taught me practical, transferable skills, such as research methods and presentation skills.”

Joanne Vine, MA (now studying for a Anglia Ruskin PhD)

Professional training Approved by the Health Professions Council (HPC)

www.anglia.ac.uk/mpa

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The MA Music Therapy provides you with a professional training in music therapy with an emphasis on clinical placements and an introduction to a variety of music therapy approaches. The course aims to train suitably experienced musicians as professional music therapists at Masters Level, adhering to the general clinical definition of music therapy within the UK. The MA Music Therapy qualifies you to work as a music therapist, and successful candidates will be eligible for registration with the Health Professions Council.

Our University has its own well-equipped and practising Music Therapy Clinic on campus where you will learn about clinical work through workshops and seminars. In addition you will attend placements in a variety of settings.

Music Therapy Research at Anglia Ruskin has recently been rated as world-leading in the Research Assessment Exercise, and courses within the Music and Performing Arts Department have been recognised as ‘Excellent’ for their learning and teaching.

“ Music therapy involves a relationship between patient and therapist with music forming the basis for communication within this relationship.”

How the MA is Organised:The MA Music Therapy course is a two year, full-time course, commencing in September, with five modules, each lasting a year as follows:

Year 1:Music Therapy Practical and Clinical Skills Music Therapy and Multi-Disciplinary Theoretical Studies Clinical Placements and Experiential Development 1

Year 2: Clinical Placements and Experiential Development 1Music Therapy Clinical / Theoretical Major Project

Attendance at the university is on Mondays and Tuesdays throughout the first year, with clinical placements and other teaching spread over Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. There is one day clear for private study/baby observations each week during two 12 week semesters, which run from September to December and February to May. In January and June each year, students must be available for assessments and casework. During the second year, attendance is required on Mondays at the university and one day a week is reserved for placements and casework, with more time for private study and student/peer led learning.

Methods of teaching and learningYou will be expected to involve yourself in self-reflection in small and large group activities, lectures and seminars which involve musical activity, case discussion and theoretical analysis. A high component of experiential learning is through tutorials and supervision groups embracing a central teaching style. Clinical placements are key to the experience.

Supervision and teaching is by leading

researchers in the field at professorial level.You will benefit from learning about the most recent effective music therapy approaches with adults and children. The approach to music therapy in the UK is characterised by two important elements: the use of improvised and/or pre-composed music, and the value attached to the relationship between patient and therapist. These elements, which call for rigorous musical, clinical and psychological training, inform the content of the course.

Music Therapy Practical and Clinical Skills (Year 1) All students are taught improvisation skills using keyboard, single line instruments and the voice, starting with work using the student’s main instrument.

Music Therapy and Multi-Disciplinary Theoretical Studies (Year 1) Foundations of clinical knowledge and theoretical understanding of music therapy and other related disciplines are taught by leaders in the field. Theory and practice are linked, through workshops and presentations by the core team and other experts.

Clinical Placements and Experiential Development (Years 1&2) You will undertake block placements in at least three clinical fields, including in the community, schools, hospitals, and hospices. University-based small supervision groups in year one prepare and support you for casework. Supervision from qualified music therapists on placements is also provided. You will work with a variety of patients/clients and gain experience of the multidisciplinary team. The weekly music therapy experiential group in the first year enables you to reflect on clinical experiences and on the process of becoming a music therapist. All students undertake individual personal therapy throughout the two years of training.

Music Therapy Clinical / Theoretical Major Project (Year 2) This will support you in the preparation and submission of a Masters Dissertation or Major Project. The dissertation may be research or more clinically orientated, depending on each student’s choice.

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Module Delivery

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