Dual Degree: Master of Music Therapy / M.S. in Counseling and Development
TWU offers graduate students the opportunity to pursue a dual degree in the Master of Music Therapy and the Master of Science in Counseling and Development. No student will be granted the dual degrees until she/he is eligible for the board certification exam in music therapy (i.e., the student must have completed the equivalency program including internship or already have completed an approved undergraduate degree in music therapy).
Students pursuing the dual degree option will have two advisors – one in the Department of Music and Theatre and another in the Department of Human Development, Family Studies, and Counseling – to assure proper sequencing of courses.
The guidelines for the master's level preparation in Counseling and Development and Music Therapy Dual Degree within the State Board of Examiners for Professional Counselors (LPC) are listed under the Degree Requirments. This dual master's degree consists of 70 semester credit hours.
The M.S. in Counseling and Development is accredited by the Council for Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
M.S. in Counseling and Development
- Critically consume research literature.
- Demonstrate ethical and social responsibility.
- Demonstrate multicultural competence.
- Engage in crisis and conflict resolution.
- Apply counseling and development knowledge to professional practice.
Master of Music Therapy
- Connect theory with professional practice.
- Integration and facilitation of research.
Admissions
All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.
This academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours Required
For a minimum of 70 semester credit hours (SCH) students can meet the educational requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and the educational requirements to sit for the national examination administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (MT-BC).
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Music Therapy Area | ||
| MU 5403 | Music Theory Pedagogy | 3 |
| or MU 5443 | Analytical Techniques in Music | |
| MU 5533 | Philosophies and Theories of Music Therapy | 3 |
| MU 5543 | Multicultural Perspectives in Music Therapy | 3 |
| MU 5643 | Music Therapy Research | 3 |
| MU 5933 | Styles in Music | 3 |
| MU 5973 | Professional Paper | 3 |
| Counseling Area | ||
| COUN 5143 | Addiction Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5173 | Abnormal Behavior: Crisis Impacts and Treatments | 3 |
| COUN 5303 | Professional Orientation and Ethics in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5313 | Counseling Theory and Practice | 3 |
| COUN 5323 | Psychological Appraisal of the Individual | 3 |
| COUN 5353 | Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Planning for Counselors | 3 |
| COUN 5363 | Prepracticum | 3 |
| COUN 5364 | Practicum in Counseling and Development | 4 |
| COUN 5373 | Group Counseling Procedures | 3 |
| COUN 5443 | Multicultural Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5453 | Counseling for Career Development | 3 |
| COUN 5493 | Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Ethics, Law, and Practice | 3 |
| HDFS 5003 | Lifespan Human Development | 3 |
| HDFS 5931 | Professional Portfolio | 1 |
| Course in couples, marriage, or families (consult Advisor) | 3 | |
| Internship | ||
| COUN 5894 | Internship in Counseling (2 semesters - joint internship in music therapy and counseling with joint supervision by MU and FS faculty) | 8 |
| Total SCHs | 70 | |
Special Requirements
No grade below B is accepted towards any graduate degree in the Department of Human Development, Family Studies, and Counseling (HDFSC). If more than one grade below B is earned while enrolled in any HDFSC graduate program, the student will be dismissed from the program and will be ineligible to re-enroll in any program within the department for a period of six years. In addition, students enrolled in the M.S. in Counseling and Development program who earns a grade of PR twice in COUN 5363 , COUN 5364 , COUN 5373, HDFS 5893, or who earns one grade below a B and a PR in any of the aforementioned courses will be dismissed from the program.
Additional information about specific program requirements can be found in the C&D Student Handbook.
Testing for drugs, specific immunizations in addition to those required by TWU, proof of personal medical insurance, and/or passing a criminal background check may be required by certain facilities associated with the required clinical work or for certification/licensure. If students are unable to be cleared on any of these requirements, they may not be eligible to continue in the program or to become certified/licensed. The cost of any required background checks, immunizations, and/or drug testing are the responsibility of the student.
Final Examination
In addition to the completion of a professional portfolio, professional paper, or thesis, students must complete a final examination consisting of an oral defense of this document. The student's advisory committee determines the outcome of the exam. The examination may be repeated if deemed appropriate by the student's advisory committee, with the approval of the respective department chair. The advisory committee should consist of three faculty members from Music and Counseling & Development, all of whom must hold Graduate Faculty status.
Certification and Licensure
Certification as a Music Therapist (MT-BC) is achieved by passing a national examination administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. Students completing the dual degree program must be eligible for board certification in music therapy prior to the awarding of the dual degree. Eligibility for board certification as a music therapist is achieved EITHER by completing an undergraduate degree in music therapy prior to admission to the dual degree program OR by completing an undergraduate equivalency program in music therapy concurrently with the dual master’s degree curriculum. Completion of the undergraduate equivalency or an undergraduate degree in music therapy does not guarantee eligibility to take the board certification exam. Questions regarding specific criminal background and its possible effects on eligibility for board certification should be addressed directly to the Certification Board for Music Therapists.
Licensure as a Professional Counselor is achieved by passing a state examination, after completion of coursework and the required supervised clinical work (3000 postmaster’s internship clock hours). Questions regarding eligibility for licensure as a counselor should be addressed to the Counseling and Development Program Coordinator in the Department of Human Development, Family Studies, and Counseling or directly to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors.
Required for Graduation with Dual Degree
Eligibility to take the CBMT Board Certification Examination in Music Therapy.
Required for Licensure as LPC
LPC Examination and Postgraduate Experience (3000 hours)
