Section 1316.20  Professional Education Curriculum and Instruction Standards

a)         The educational requirements for licensure are as follows:

1)         Baccalaureate degree or higher in music therapy shall be from a college, university, or school that is a regionally accredited institution of higher education and recognized by the United States Department of Education;

2)         The programs, wherever they may be administratively housed, must be clearly identified, and labeled as offering music therapy or similar degree programs.  Such a program must specify in institutional catalogues and brochures its intent to educate and train music therapists;

3)         The program is an organizational entity within the institution;

4)         The program has an integrated, organized sequence of study;

5)         The program must require an individual to graduate from a program with courses that cover each of the areas listed in this subsection (see Appendix A (Course Descriptions) for a definition of the subject content for each area):

A)        Music Foundations

i)          Music theory and history;

ii)         Composition and arranging skills;

iii)        Major performance medium skills;

iv)        Functional music skills;

v)         Conducting skills; and

vi)        Movement skills.

B)        Clinical Foundations

i)          Therapeutic applications;

ii)         Therapeutic principles; and

iii)        The therapeutic relationship.

C)        Music Therapy

i)          Foundations and principles;

ii)         Client assessment;

iii)        Treatment planning;

iv)        Therapy implementation;

v)         Therapy evaluation;

vi)        Documentation;

vii)       Termination/Discharge planning;

viii)      Professional role and ethics;

ix)        Interprofessional collaboration;

x)         Supervision and administration; and

xi)        Research methods.

6)         The program has faculty responsible for the program and has a sufficient number of full-time instructors to make certain that the educational obligations to the student are fulfilled;

7)         The program has an identifiable body of students who are matriculated in that program for a degree; and

8)         The program involves interaction with faculty and other matriculated students.

b)         For the purpose of this Section, a course shall be defined as an integrated, organized course of study.  No student designed courses, independent study courses, workshops, or correspondence courses may be used to satisfy the course requirements in this Section.

c)         The Division has determined that all baccalaureate degree and higher degree programs approved by the American Music Therapy Association are approved programs.

d)         Individual Program Requirements

1)         Individuals applying for licensure as a professional music therapist who have not graduated from a program listed in subsection (c) shall submit their official transcripts and program materials to the Division for evaluation by the Board to determine if they meet the requirements of this Section.

2)         Individuals applying for licensure who are deficient in any of the content areas set forth in subsection (a)(5) may complete any content area deficiencies in a music therapy program or similar degree program.  No student designed courses, independent study courses, workshops, or correspondence courses may be used to satisfy the course requirements in this Section.