If you have a love of music, this postgraduate program MA Music Therapy at the University of South Wales, will teach you how to use that passion to help others. Students will be trained in a variety of ways to become a Music Therapist including through theoretical, clinical and musical experiences.

Clinical placements are a key component of your training. In addition you will explore group processes and relate them to clinical practice, in addition to working with students from other programs to enhance your learning experience.

Clinical placements are at the heart of your music therapy training. Additionally, you will explore group processes and relate them to clinical practice, as well as working alongside students from other courses to enhance your learning experience. 

Students will be given a strong grounding in human development and observational skills. Understanding how we develop relationships with others and how music therapy links to these experiences will support you in your clinical work. Please see below for a list of Modules

Year One: MA Music Therapy

  • Theory and Practice of Music Therapy
    This module contains seminars and workshops with experiential and participatory content relating to theories and concepts relevant to Music Therapy practice. Experiential groups and supervision will also form part of the teaching. You will also study the diverse needs and abilities of different client groups. You will undertake a placement of 15 weeks for one day a week that starts in January of the teaching year. The placement will be in a USW approved setting
  • Music Therapy Skills 1
    This module covers the development of music therapy specific skills; role play, skill-sharing and peer learning as well as repertoire development. We celebrate and value the diversity of skills our students bring to the course and utilise these in our teaching.

Year Two:

Therapeutic Approaches and Evidence-Based Practice
This module incorporates lectures, seminars and workshops pertaining to specialist Music Therapy practice. There will be group supervision and other experiential groups as well as an introduction to research methods. You will also undertake a placement for one day a week for 20 weeks in a University-approved clinical setting.

Music Therapy Skills 2
This module incorporates analysing clinical music therapy material and the development of further specialist music therapy skills. There is a strong focus on personal musical and professional development.

Year 3:

Music Therapy Research and Practice
This module incorporates the teaching of research methods and application of these methods in practice, group supervision and experiential groups. A unique feature of this course is a live research project undertaken by the year group and their tutors collaboratively. This enables you to learn through doing with your peers and tutors, with the opportunity to disseminate the research results, thereby leaving the training with a publication under your belt. There are seminars and lectures with a focus on specialist Music Therapy practice and research plus a one-day a week for 20 weeks placement in a University-approved clinical setting. 

Please note it is a course requirement that you attend personal therapy with an experienced therapist for a minimum of 15 weeks in each year of the training.  

Interested in finding our more about how to become a Music Therapist? Interested in applying for this MA Music Therapy at the University of South Wales? Contact Jackie at Barclay Educational Services JSB@barclayedu.com OR head to the Contact Page on our website https://barclayedu.com/