Music Therapy
Mailing Address
2121 Euclid Ave., MU 111
Cleveland, OH 44115
Campus Location
Music and Communication Building
2001 Euclid Avenue
Room 111
Cleveland, OH 44115
Contact
Phone: (216) 687-3807
musictherapy@csuohio.edu
Transition to a Career in Music Therapy
If you already have a college degree but want to become a music therapist, our Post-Bacc Equivalency Program provides a direct path. This program allows students with degrees in music or other fields to complete the required music therapy coursework without having to earn a second bachelor’s degree. You’ll only take the courses you need to meet the educational and clinical training standards set by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). After finishing the program and a six-month internship, you’ll be eligible to sit for the national board certification exam to become a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC). Once you are board-certified, if you choose to work in Ohio, you will be eligible for music therapy licensure (Licensed Professional Music Therapist or LPMT).
Program Benefits
- Accelerated Pathway – Build on your prior degree instead of starting from scratch.
- Clinical Readiness – Develop real-world skills through supervised fieldwork.
- Certification Eligibility – Meet academic and clinical requirements to sit for the MT-BC exam.
- Career Versatility – Work in healthcare, education, wellness, or private practice.
The equivalency program is a perfect fit for a variety of backgrounds and career goals, including:
Recent Music Graduates
If you have a degree in music performance, education, or composition and are drawn to a recognized healthcare profession where you can help people in direct and meaningful ways.
Professional Musicians & Artists
For working musicians seeking to apply their creative skills and artistry in therapeutic and clinical contexts, expanding their career options.
Second-Career Seekers
If you are transitioning from another field—like education, counseling, or healthcare—and want a structured pathway into a helping profession that values your past experience.
Our innovative curriculum is housed within the College of Health, highlighting music therapy as a respected and impactful health profession. You will complete core coursework across the essential domains of music therapy practice:
- Music therapy foundations and the therapeutic function of music
- Psychology of music and human development
- Clinical musicianship
- Ethics, multicultural perspectives, and professional standards
- Research in music and health
You'll also gain essential real-world skills through supervised practicum experiences and a final clinical internship. This hands-on training happens at diverse sites like hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centers, and mental health facilities, preparing you to enter the field as an ethical, culturally responsive, and evidence-based practitioner.
This program leads directly to eligibility for board certification (MT-BC) through the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) in the United States. Once you are MT-BC certified, you will also be eligible for music therapy licensure (Licensed Professional Music Therapist or LPMT) in Ohio.
As a music therapist, you can find fulfilling employment in a growing field, working in settings like:
- Hospitals and rehabilitation centers
- Long-term care facilities and hospice
- Schools and mental health agencies
- Wellness and private practice
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree in music or another field. Musical proficiency on at least one instrument or voice can support student success.
Why Choose Our Program?
As part of the College of Health, our program highlights music therapy as a respected and impactful health profession. Join us and:
- Learn through an innovative curriculum that equips you to lead in the future of music therapy.
- Work closely with supportive faculty who are experts in both music therapy and the healing potential of music.
- Receive personalized guidance to help you meet competencies and reach your goals with confidence.
- Gain hands-on experience through strong clinical partnerships at diverse practicum and internship sites.
- Develop as an ethical, culturally responsive, and evidence-based practitioner ready to make a difference.
Three Pathways to Music Therapy Equivalency
Music therapy attracts people from a variety of backgrounds. Whether you’ve just completed your degree, built a music career, or are ready for a professional change, our equivalency program can open the door to becoming a board-certified and licensed music therapist.
Many students earn a bachelor’s degree in music performance, education, or composition without realizing that music therapy is a recognized healthcare profession. If you’re a recent graduate who loves music but feels drawn to helping people in more direct and meaningful ways, our equivalency pathway provides an efficient transition.
- Build on your existing degree instead of starting over.
- Gain specialized training in psychology, clinical techniques, and the therapeutic use of music.
- Enter the field prepared to make a difference in hospitals, schools, and community health settings.
For working musicians—singer/songwriters, band members, church musicians, or private instructors—our equivalency program offers a way to expand your career options while keeping music at the center of your work.
- Learn how to apply your creative skills in therapeutic and clinical contexts.
- Add professional credibility through academic coursework and supervised training.
- Open new career doors in healthcare, mental health, and wellness without leaving your artistry behind.
Some people come to music therapy later in life, after years in education, healthcare, business, or other fields. If you’re considering a second career, our equivalency program offers a structured pathway into a helping profession where your past experiences remain valuable.
- Transition into a career that blends creativity, compassion, and evidence-based practice.
- Reframe your professional background as a strength when working with diverse clients.
- Pursue board certification (MT-BC) and licensure (LPMT) and begin a new chapter of meaningful service.
Mailing Address
2121 Euclid Ave., MU 111
Cleveland, OH 44115
Campus Location
Music and Communication Building
2001 Euclid Avenue
Room 111
Cleveland, OH 44115
Contact
Phone: (216) 687-3807
musictherapy@csuohio.edu