For information regarding auditions for the Music Department, please click here.

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To learn more about how to apply to the SRU Music Therapy Program, click here.

About Our Program

The SRU Music Therapy Program celebrated 40 years of music therapy in 2017 with the founder of the SRU MT Program, Dr. Sue Shuttleworth, and the Director of Music Therapy, Dr. Susan Hadley providing remarks about the strong history of our program. We have four music therapy faculty teaching in the program as well as an on-campus clinic to train music therapy students throughout their studies at SRU. 

The Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy prepares students to engage in musical experiences with a diverse range of people to assist them in reaching optimal health and personal growth. For additional information about our music therapy program, contact the music therapy faculty members:

• Susan Hadley, Ph.D., MT-BC (Director of Music Therapy & Coordinator of Graduate Music Therapy Program)
• Nicole Hahna, Ph.D., MT-BC, Fellow of the Association for Music & Imagery (Coordinator of Undergraduate Music Therapy Program)
• Vern Miller, MMT, MT-BC (Coordinator of Clinical Placements & Coordinator of Equivalency Program)
• Freddy Perkins, MMT, MT-BC

Certification & Licensure

SRU's Music Therapy Program is approved by the American Music Therapy Association. Students completing this program are eligible to sit for the national board certification exam to obtain the Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) credential. Pennsylvania does not require state licensing; however, some states do require licensing for music therapists. If you are interested in practicing in another state, please contact the licensing board in that state.

Our Clinic

Check out this video on our music therapy program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2kG-qEXYh4#action=share

Our Students

Our SRU music therapy students experience many opportunities for clinical work, music therapy research, and collaboration with the music therapy faculty. Here is a video featuring one of our students: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwCe0cClRys

SRU Music Therapy Success Story

Learn more about SRU's Music Therapy Program from a student's perspective here.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The student will be able to identify and analyze the basic elements of music both visually and aurally including analyzing musical compositions focusing on theoretical and historical aspects. (UO: 2,6)
• The student will be able to identify, explain and appreciate music of different historical periods, cultures, and composers. (UO: 1,2,6,9)
• The student will be able to use critical thinking skills and communicate effectively in oral, written, and electronic mode. (UO: 1,2,6,10)
• The student will be able to harmonize, transpose, compose, arrange, and orchestrate music utilizing concepts of the basic elements of music as well as instrumental and vocal characteristics. (UO: 2,6)
• The student will be able to demonstrate basic conducting patterns, techniques, expressions, and rehearsal techniques with vocal and instrumental ensembles. (UO: 2,6)
• The student will be able to understand and appreciate the creative process of the arts by exploring creative ways to express feelings, perform music, and select resources and procedures for instruction/therapy with their students/clients. (UO: 2,6,7,8,9)
• The student will be able to play scales, accompaniments, song repertoire, songs by ear, and transpose melodies with harmonization on the guitar. (UO: 2,6)
• The student will be able to explain and identify jazz concepts and styles and perform clinical instrumental improvisation techniques. (UO: 1,2,6)
• The student will be able to perform as a member of a musical ensemble demonstrating proper techniques of ensemble performance such as balance and blend, as well as musical and social interaction, and cooperation to achieve shared goals. (UO: 2,5,6,7,8,9)
• The student will be able to play scales, repertoire, hymns, music therapy literature, accompaniments, songs by ear, and transposed melodies with harmonization on the piano. (UO: 2,6)
• The student will be able to sing or play his/her primary instrument with appropriate techniques of posture, breathing, tone production, articulation/bowing, diction, intonation, expression, and style. (UO: 2,6)
• The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of instrumental/vocal repertoire by performing music of different styles, periods, and composers. (UO: 2,6)
• The student will perform in a student recital or performance class every semester. (UO: 1,2,5,6,7)
• The student will be able to identify instrumental/vocal strengths and weaknesses. (UO: 1,2,5,6)
• The student will be able to use technology in composition, performance, analysis, teaching and research. (UO: 2,6,10)
• The student will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in clinical foundations in the areas of exceptionality, principles of therapy, and the therapeutic relationship. (UO: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9,10)
• The student will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in music foundations in the areas of music theory and history, composition and arranging skills, major performance medium skills, keyboard skills, guitar skills, voice skills, non-symphonic instrumental skills, improvisation skills, conducting skills and/or movement skills. (UO: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9,10)
• The student will demonstrate knowledge, skills and/or abilities in music therapy in the areas of foundations and principles, client assessment, treatment planning, therapy implementation, therapy evaluation, documentation, and/or termination/discharge planning. (UO: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9,10)
• The student will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in the professional role, ethics, and interdisciplinary collaboration. (UO: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9,10)
• The student will demonstrate knowledge and skills in research methodology. (1,2,3,4,8,10)
• The student will participate in and benefit from supervision and/or perform administrative duties. (UO: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9,10)
• Demonstrate a basic foundation on voice, piano, guitar, and percussion.  Lead and accompany proficiently on instruments including, but not limited to voice, piano, guitar, and percussion.  Sing in tune with a pleasing quality and adequate volume both with accompaniment and acapella. (UO: 2,6)

Related Links

Music Therapy, BM Program Page

Professional Licensure/Certification Page

Curriculum Guide

GPA Requirement

Major GPA: 2.5 or higher
Overall GPA: 2.0 or higher

Summary*

* All undergraduate degree programs require a minimum of 120 credits.  Some courses meet multiple requirements, but are only counted once toward the 120 credit total required to graduate.

Rock Studies 2 Requirements

¹

Course offered in multiple subjects; cannot take course in first major subject.

Basic Math Requirement

Check with your adviser or a current degree audit report to see if you have been exempted from this course. The credit earned in this course will not be counted toward the 120 credit hour minimum needed to earn a degree.

DIVERSITY,  EQUITY,  AND INCLUSION REQUIREMENT

Students must take and pass a course with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) designation prior to graduation.  Students can meet this requirement by taking any DEI - designated course in any program at any time during their undergraduate career. 

Major/Concentration Requirements

• 41 major credits must be taken at SRU or PASSHE
• 41 major credits must be taken at the 300 level or above

¹

Voice majors –exempt from MUSI 133.

²

Course counts for 50% of Major requirements and Major GPA

³

Grade of “C” or better required.

⁴

Successful completion of upper division review prior to registration.

⁵

Class Piano cannot be counted toward the minor applied. Piano majors must select another instrument.  Students must earn a ‘C’ or better each semester to move on to the next level.

*

Some courses may require pre-requisites. Please see course descriptions to determine if there are any pre-requisites for that specific course.

REQUIREMENTS OUTSIDE THE MAJOR DEPARTMENT

proficiency requirements

ENSEMBLE POLICY

While students are encouraged to participate in a variety of ensemble experiences, students must participate in at least one ensemble on their primary instrument every semester in which they are enrolled at SRU and taking applied lessons.  

Students are required to complete an ensemble placement audition each semester after which ensemble directors, in consultation with applied teachers and advisors, will assign semester ensemble placements. Only once all ensembles have been staffed and no other opportunities exist for a specific primary instrument will participation on a secondary instrument be counted toward this requirement. 

In addition, music education students whose primary instrument is voice must play an instrument in an instrumental ensemble for at least one semester and music education students whose primary instrument is anything other than voice must sing in a vocal ensemble for at least one semester.

Additional Information: Internship Requirements

• MUSI 450 Music Therapy Internship must be taken for 2 semesters, either for 7 credits for 900 hours (1 semester at 6 credits & 1 semester at 1 credit) or for 12 credits for 1040 hours (1 semester at 6 credits & 1 semester at 6 credits). The total pre-and post-internship music therapy clinical hours must equal at least 1200 hours.
• MT Majors are required to maintain a 2.0 overall GPA and 2.5 major GPA to remain in the program. All MT majors must successfully pass an Upper-Division Review (UDR) and Exit Interview to remain in the program. Failure to maintain the required GPA and/or pass UDR or the Exit Interview will mean that a student has to re-apply and re-audition for the MT program.

Completed Requirement Checklist

Requirement

• Piano Proficiency: MUSI 303, IMAC IV
• Music Therapy Skills Proficiency 2
• Music Therapy Skills Proficiency 4
• Music Therapy Upper Division Review
• Music Therapy Portfolio
• Musicianship Health Competency:  MUSI 203, Musician’s Health.
• Music Therapy Exit Interview

Co-curricular and Experiential Learning

Students are encouraged to explore additional curricular and co-curricular opportunities. There is a strong correlation between long-term student success and participation in the following types of programs and activities:

1. International study programs (short-term, semester)
2. High-Impact Practice (HIP) designated classes
3. Student-faculty research
4. Student leadership development
5. Career education and development
6. Internships
7. Field Experiences
8. Student Teaching
9. Volunteering (schools, health care facilities, churches, communities)

Important Curriculum Guide Notes

This Curriculum Guide is provided to help SRU students and prospective students better understand their intended major curriculum. Enrolled SRU students should note that the My Rock Audit may place already-earned and/or in progress courses in different, yet valid, curriculum categories. Enrolled SRU students should use the My Rock Audit Report and materials and information provided by their faculty advisers to ensure accurate progress towards degree completion. The information on this guide is current as of the date listed. Students are responsible for curriculum requirements at the time of enrollment at the University.

PASSHE - Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Institutions

MUSIC THERAPY - BM (5273)
This program is effective as of Spring 2023
Revised 07.17.2025
UCC 11.29.2022

Recommended Four-Year Plan

¹

Piano Proficiency: Music Therapy students are expected to achieve piano proficiency by the end of Class Piano IV or after their fourth semester of lessons for applied piano majors. Students will not be permitted to start their internship until the proficiency is passed. See guidelines. Piano majors will select another instrument for their minor applied requirement.

²

Skills Proficiency: Music therapy students must pass all aspects of the Skills Proficiencies before they can take upper-level MT classwork

³

Course offered in multiple subjects; cannot take course in first major subject

⁴

Music Therapy majors music take both Instrumental Improvisation and Keyboard Improvisation.

⁵

Voice majors must take Diction for Singers. Class is offered on a rotational basis. Even year program starts take this class during the freshman year. Odd year program starts take this class the sophomore year. 

⁶

MT Upper Division Review must be taken during Semester IV

⁷

Music Therapy Exit Interview should be taken during Semester VI

**This document serves as a guide. Earning a degree requires at least 120 credits, though some majors require more. Before registering for courses, consult your academic adviser and review your curriculum guide. Be sure to review and confirm your plan with your adviser at least once each academic year.

Major Code: 5273
Revised: 07.17.2025