MA Music Therapy
Page last updated 14 April 2025
This course is open for applications
Introduction
With a strong emphasis on experiential learning, improvisation, song writing and listening, this flexible and highly regarded course is aimed at giving you the knowledge and practical skills to enter an existing practice or start your own.
Accreditations and partnerships:
Why study music therapy?
If you believe in music's power to foster connection, expression, and creativityand feel inspired to explore it furtherthis course is for you. This three-year, part-time master's course is designed for musicians who want to make a real impact through music therapy.
You don't need formal music qualifications or a degree, but you should have substantial musical experience and be able to show this at the interview.
You'll need an intuitive and expressive connection with at least one instrument or your voice (including rap, if preferred). While harmonic support on piano, keyboard, or guitar is useful, it's not essential.
If you don't have a degree, we'll assess your ability to study at a master's level.
Why UWE Bristol?
With a strong focus on experiential learning and improvisation, this course is informed by psychodynamic and person-centred principles and equips you with the clinical, theoretical, and practical skills needed to enter the profession.
You'll develop an improvisational approach and gain experience in both individual and group music therapy practice.
In the first year, you'll work with children and adolescents, the second year focuses on adults, and the third year explores more complex areas, such as palliative care, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), and forensic services.
This flexible programme allows you to study while working. You'll learn from experienced tutors and research staff with strong connections within the profession. Regular visiting lecturers provide insights from a broad range of practice.
The course leads to registration as a music therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Where will it take me?
Graduates go on to work in areas such as the NHS, education, social services, charities, prisons, and private practice. You'll be fully equipped for a rewarding career in music therapy, using music to support people of all ages and backgrounds in a variety of settings.
Personalised virtual tour
There's no need to visit us in person to explore our facilities and campuses. Take a personalised virtual tour and discover it all for yourself from wherever you are.
Take a virtual tourStructure
Content
Personal development runs throughout the course, and you must be prepared to undertake what may sometimes be challenging and rigorous explorations of your professional and personal issues and influences - excellent preparation for a music therapist. During the course, we ask you to be in confidential personal therapy with a suitably qualified therapist, for example, a creative arts therapist, a counsellor or psychotherapist. The number of hours is not specified, but the Health Professions Council requires you to have had substantive and sustained experience of personal therapy during the three years of the course (40 to 60 hours is recommended). Please note, this cost is not included in the course fee.
There is also a counselling component within the professional practice modules. You will experience a music therapy training group facilitated by external music therapists. You will need to set aside regular time, beyond personal therapy and attending taught sessions, for reflection and study.
All course modules are compulsory:
Year one
- Music Therapy Professional Practice with Children and Young People - This incorporates a placement within a child setting, and seminars to develop related musical and clinical skills.
- Music Therapy Theory and Child Development - Taught seminars and online lectures cover theory, research and case material relating to child work in music therapy.
Year two
- Music Therapy Professional Practice and Skills with Adults - This incorporates a placement within an adult setting, and seminars extending related musical and clinical skills.
- Music Therapy Theory and Practice in Adult Settings - Face-to-face seminars and online lectures covering theory, research and case material relating to child work in music therapy.
- Qualitative and Quantitative Methods - This inter-professional module comprises face-to-face seminars and online lectures on qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Year three
- Music Therapy Advanced Professional Practice - You'll secure a placement, and under expert supervision, extend your entrepreneurial, musical and clinical skills.
- Dissertation in Psychology - Design and implement a research project in music therapy.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved we will inform you.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching is based on lectures and seminars, small group practical sessions and individual tutorials. There is a strong experiential basis to the course, which is led by a team of experienced music therapists and complemented by visiting specialists from a range of related professions.
The course is highly flexible and attracts a diverse demographic, with musicians from many backgrounds - this allows for valuable peer-learning opportunities.
For more details see our glossary of teaching and learning terms.
Study time
Three years, part-time:
We run an induction programme during mid-September, before the start of Year one.
Years one and two
If you are studying on the part-time MA you'll need to set aside a minimum of 2.5 days a week to complete the course. In the first two years you'll spend one day a week at UWE Bristol, with a further day on placement between November and May. Placements are arranged, wherever possible, close to your home. At least half a day of personal study a week is required. UWE Bristol days are currently Tuesdays for Year one, and Mondays for Years two and three.
Year three
During the final year, you attend the campus less regularly roughly every three weeks. Throughout the year, we provide remote supervision of your research to allow weekly clinical supervision of advanced practice.
Assessment
We assess your work and progress through written essays, practice portfolios and viva presentations each year, and also one research exam, a microanalysis, a music practical and a research portfolio.
You will need to submit all written work electronically and have access to the internet. You will also need your own recording equipment for use on placement.
For more details see our full glossary of assessment terms.
Features
Professional accreditation
This course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), while the British Association for Music Therapy (BAMT) provides a useful professional link. The BAMT is the professional body for music therapists and a source of information, support and involvement for the general public.
Study facilities
The course runs largely from and at the Glenside Campus, where there is a self-contained space for music-making and other facilities for small group teaching and supervision, plus excellent library facilities including the music therapy collection. The Glenside library is one of the best healthcare libraries in England, with a huge selection of books, journals, and audio-visual materials including access to specialist health and social case software packages.
At the main Frenchay campus nearby, you have 24-hour access to computing facilities. We are developing our facilities available via UWE online and other distance learning approaches, particularly for the course's third year.
Find out more about the facilities and resources UWE Bristol has to offer.
Take a personalised virtual tour of the Psychology, Sociology and Criminology facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.
Life
Postgraduate support
Our support includes access to fantastic facilities, study tools and career consultants, plus practical help to access everything from funding to childcare.
Bristol
A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.
Sports, societies and activities
There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.
Health and Wellbeing
We provide support in the way you need it.
Campus and facilities
Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.
Careers
Careers / Further study
Completing the MA Music Therapy means you will be eligible to apply for registration with the HCPC, in order to start practising as a fully qualified music therapist.
Opportunities for Master's-qualified music therapists are diverse. Previous students have gone on to practice as HCPC-registered music therapists sometimes alongside other musical work such as performing and teaching and also apply their knowledge and expertise to positions in healthcare and education. Our links with music therapy experts and practitioners give excellent insights into future careers, and part of the course is geared towards helping you find placements, attract employers or set up your own practice.
Our award-winning careers service helps you develop your employment potential through career coaching, a vacancy service for internships, placements, jobs, global opportunities, volunteering and community activity plus support for entrepreneurial activity, and access to employer events.
Learn more about NHS careers.
Fees
Indicative Additional Costs
Part time course
Supplementary fee information
More information can be found on our fees and funding pages.
Entry
Entry requirements
It is recommended that applicants have:
- a good undergraduate degree with professional music skills
- a high level of practical performance in any musical tradition, including digital technologies and a particular interest in live improvisation
- sufficient skills to be able to provide harmonic support
- experience of working in relevant areas such as Health or Education (including voluntary work)
- personal skills suited to working as a therapist
- wide reading on the subject of music therapy
- the ability and strong commitment to follow a personally demanding part-time course.
Selection
If successful at this stage, you'll be invited to a face-to-face interview and audition at Glenside Campus. If you live overseas or have exceptional circumstances, we can arrange this to be done remotely. We'll provide you with guidance on how to prepare for the interview and audition.
Before you start your course, you'll be required to complete:
- an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check
- a Health Check.
Read more about professional checks.
How to apply
If you have a specific query please contact the Programme Leader.
For further information
- Email: Admissions@uwe.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 83333