A1. The admission requirements for Berklee's Master of Arts in Music Therapy are as follows: You must have an MT-BC certification or a music therapy certification from any country. You must have a degree in music therapy or its equivalent. Therefore, it is generally not possible for someone without music therapy education to apply for the master's program because it requires extensive practical experience. Additionally, the master's program is a low-residency online course (students are required to attend only a few in-person sessions each semester, with the majority of the coursework conducted online).  * Note: As of 2018, the program has stopped accepting new students.

A2. If you previously studied music and have taken a lot of general education courses, you might be able to transfer credits or test out of some courses. Depending on individual pace, it typically takes 5-7 semesters to complete all the coursework (there are three semesters in a year: spring, summer, and fall).

A3. Yes!So it’s strongly recommended to obtain scholarships, manage your time well, and discuss with professors for testing out of courses before enrolling.

A4. major grid of music therapy core music: Discuss with the professor before enrolling for the test out. Liberal arts (general courses): Try to use the credits you have taken before to transfer.

A5. To complete a music therapy degree, you need to finish five practicum courses and one full-time internship (1040 hours) to be eligible for the MT-BC certification and to graduate. The practicum courses are as follows: Practicum 1: Special Education – Services for special needs children, including children’s homes, schools for the blind, and special education schools. It may also involve working with children and adolescents with developmental delays. Practicum 2: Clinical Application – Focuses on elderly populations, primarily in nursing homes and day care centers. Practicum 3: Research Practicum 4: Adult – This involves more diverse populations, such as homeless shelters, shelters for abused women, veterans' service centers, etc. Choices are based on your personal interests. Practicum 5: Clinical Application – Focuses on children in hospitals, such as Boston Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital near Berklee. Internship: A full-time 1040-hour internship where you can choose your desired population and location in the U.S., and potentially even in your home country. * Note: As of 2018, the names have changed to Clinical Orientation to Music Therapy 1 & 2, Advanced Music Therapy Practicum 1 & 2, Music Therapy Elective.

A7. Be proactive in asking questions Practice guitar and more focus on popular music

A6. Berklee does not specifically lean towards any particular method or approach in music therapy. Each instructor has their own expertise, but generally, there is a significant emphasis on music, especially popular music. Therefore, the school expects students to have strong guitar skills and improvisation abilities. Additionally, Boston's multicultural environment makes multi-culture concepts important. So if you're interested, practicing guitar and learning a few sentences in Spanish can be very helpful.

A8. Networking: Berklee is particularly good at managing social networks, and many alumni work in major hospitals and institutions across the U.S. Resources: Boston is a place with extensive medical resources. You'll encounter various medical professionals just by walking a few steps, so you have the opportunity to explore different hospitals and institutions, gaining practical experience. * Updated in 2020: Even two years after graduation, I still feel the impact of Berklee’s networking and its alignment with societal progress. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when physical classes were not possible, students quickly developed online choirs and alumni newsletters. The school also offers majors or departments in recording engineering and computer music, adapting to the digital age and developing different specifications from traditional classical music schools.