Cellist Yo-Yo Ma once said, "Healing? I think that is what music is all about." But music therapy goes beyond "Mozart makes you smarter" or "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast." It is clinically proven to improve psychological and physiological functioning and is important therapy in medical, psychiatric and educational settings.

The Music Therapy program at Nazareth studies the impact of melody, harmony, and rhythm on children and adults with physical, communication, emotional and cognitive disabilities. Students participate in hands-on clinical training, working directly with clients both in the community and in Nazareth's on-campus Music Therapy Clinic. As part of their clinical practice, students learn to improvise and compose music for guitar and piano. They work in a number of educational and healthcare settings, and complete 6-month internships at the culmination of their degree program.

Program Highlights

• Focus on gaining skills in clinical practice through musical proficiency, research, and direct clinical experience for clinical practice or the pursuit of advanced degrees.
• Music Therapy majors complete eight semesters of study in a curriculum of education and clinical training, followed by a 6 month internship.
• Completion of the curriculum and clinical training approved by the American Music Therapy Association results in eligibility to sit for the national certification examination in music therapy administered by the Certification Board of Music Therapists (CBMT).

Program Director

Betsey King, Ph.D., LCAT, MT-BC
(585) 389-2724
bking2@naz.edu

Dr. King has been a board-certified music therapist since 1984, working in a wide range of clinical areas including special education, physical rehabilitation, medical, forensic and gerontology settings. As the co-founder of  Prelude Music Therapy, she has created and authored songbooks, therapy materials, and instructional texts, many of which are used in university and internship programs throughout the U.S.