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Music Therapy
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Course

Course

Course structure

This Master's program combines online and on-campus learning to accommodate practicing professionals. The curriculum includes:

  • 2 years part time, 60 ECTS
  • Accredited by the National Flemish Accreditation Organization (NVAO)
  • Weekly online classes on Fridays
  • Four intensive on-campus weeks per year at the Enschede Academy of Music
  • Guided tutorials and self-paced learning modules
  • 280 hours of supervised clinical practice through internships or professional work

The program requires approximately 20 hours of study per week, allowing you to balance your education with professional commitments.

Intensive Weeks Academic Year 2025/2026:

  • Neurologic Music Therapy Training Week (only Year1). 20 - 26 September, 2025 
  • Intensive Week 1. 17 - 21 November, 2025
  • Intensive Week 2. 26 - 30 January, 2026
  • Intensive Week 3. 20 - 24 April, 2026

A comprehensive program

At the master’s course Music Therapy, you will deepen your clinical, musical and research expertise. Guided by choices laid out in a self-authored personal study plan, you will investigate the effect of music and/or music therapy on a population of your interest. This will further contribute more research and innovation to the music therapy profession. The course is built on three fundamental pillars:

  • The course equips you with advanced therapeutic approaches grounded in evidence-based practice. Through a diverse range of specialized courses, you'll master contemporary interventions while developing your clinical expertise in areas that align with your professional interests. The curriculum encompasses certified Neurologic Music Therapy training, including hands-on experience with Parkinson's patients, advanced therapeutic approaches, and cognitive behavioral music therapy techniques. You'll learn to develop precise microinterventions and explore integral models for medical settings, all while strengthening your professional skills and clinical reasoning.

    Central to this training is a substantial supervised clinical practice component, requiring 280 hours of internship for pre-master's students or equivalent clinical work experience for practicing music therapists. Throughout different courses, you'll examine the intricate relationships between neuroscience, musical elements, therapeutic dynamics, and interprofessional collaboration.

  • At the heart of effective music therapy lies the therapist's ability to harness music as a transformative therapeutic tool. Our program cultivates your musical versatility while seamlessly integrating these skills into clinical practice. Through intensive training in improvisational techniques across diverse musical genres, you'll master both traditional instruments and cutting-edge music technology.

    In our improvisational skills courses and counselling modules, you'll embark on a journey of self-discovery that shapes your distinctive identity as a music therapist. Guided by expert faculty and enriched by peer collaboration, you'll develop the confidence to use music therapeutically across various clinical contexts. The program extends beyond individual practice into community engagement. Through supervised community projects, you'll design and implement music-based interventions that address the unique needs of diverse populations. This hands-on experience bridges theory and practice, preparing you to create meaningful impact through music therapy in both clinical and community settings.

  • Research forms the cornerstone of our master's program. Under individual coaching, you'll design and conduct original research investigating music's therapeutic impact on your chosen population. Whether you pursue a feasibility study, develop innovative interventions, lead a community music therapy project, or conduct an in-depth literature review, your work will advance our understanding of music's role in healthcare.

    Your research journey is supported by our professional network, including partnerships with universities, healthcare facilities, and the prestigious ArtEZ Professorship in Music-Based Therapies and Interventions. Through collaborative study groups, you'll develop sophisticated research methodologies, while expert supervisors guide you through every stage of your project.

    We also offer music therapy research residencies with clients diagnosed with Korsakoff syndrome. 

    Furthermore, you'll develop skills in academic writing and presentation, preparing you to share your findings with music therapy professionals and the broader healthcare community. 

    Guided by your personalized study plan, you'll investigate music therapy's effects on populations that matter to you. Your research will contribute valuable insights to the profession while developing your unique specialization.

Your tuition includes complete certification as a Neurologic Music Therapist from the Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy—a valuable professional credential at no additional cost.

Students during the Neurological Music Therapy Training. Photo by: Marlies Bosman

The master’s in Music Therapy at ArtEZ offers weekly music therapy sessions for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. Our students actively participate in the sessions, giving them an opportunity to improve their advanced clinical skills.  

Our annual Master of Music Therapy Symposium showcases graduate research, offering you both inspiration for your own work and a platform to share your discoveries with the professional community.

 

 

Thanks to the master's course, I now speak the language of the people in my professional field, such as doctors, psychologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. I am now better able to see the interconnections and produce the reasoning to support my ideas. That improves collaboration.