Music Therapy, PhD

Doctor of Philosophy

Course Delivery

100% Online
Total Credits

90
In-State Tuition Per Credit

$515.00
Out of State Tuition Per Credit

$681.00

Music Therapy, PhD

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Music Therapy is an IU Online degree offered by the Herron School of Art + Design. The overarching goals of the program are guided by the American Music Therapy Association advanced professional competencies. This degree provides you opportunities to explore the vast ways music can benefit health and well-being while you begin your independent research program. You will also prepare for faculty positions in one of the fastest growing music professions.

Degree Requirements

Students in the program declare an area of concentration and can earn their master's degree in music therapy as they complete their Ph.D. requirements. All students complete 90 credit hours, including 18 to 24 hours of dissertation research credits, culminating in an original scholarly contribution to the field of music therapy. Students who have already earned a master’s degree may be able to transfer up to 30 credits into their plan of study.

Requirements are broken down as follows:

18 credit hours focused on music therapy advanced competencies
9 credit hours in other studies in music
12 credit hours in a declared minor
6 credit hours in life sciences
12 credit hours in electives
33 credit hours in research credits/dissertation

Transfer Credits

For applicants who have already completed a master’s degree:

A transcript review by the graduate committee will determine if any of your credits are applicable to the PhD requirements.
If you completed a thesis-based master’s degree, up to 30 credits can be transferred. Specifically, up to 21 credits of graded graduate coursework can be applied and up to 9 credits of appropriate master’s thesis-level research credit can be applied.
If the applicant completed a “coursework only” master’s degree, up to 21 credits of graded graduate coursework (equivalent to 500-level or higher) can be applied.

For applicants without a master’s degree:

Applicants will be advised to take appropriate coursework and, if applicable, master’s thesis-level research credit that applies toward the PhD in Music Therapy requirements.

Admissions

To be accepted to this program, you must have:

Evidence of current board-certification status (MT-BC)
A minimum of three years (or its equivalent) of clinical practice as a music therapist

To apply to this program, complete an online application that includes:

Three letters of recommendation from professionals familiar with your academic, clinical, or research background
A statement of purpose
TOEFL or IELTS scores (international students only)

Application Dates

Fall (priority date, financial aid): Jan 2
Fall (applicants outside continental US): May 1
Fall (applicants within continental US): July 1
Spring (applicants outside continental US): Sep 1
Spring (applicants within continental US): Nov 1
Summer (non-international applicants): Apr 1

Courses

Core

MUS-N 530	Philosophy and Theory of Music Therapy	3 Credits
MUS-N 531	Quantitative and Qualitative Research in Music Therapy	3 Credits
MUS-N 532	Music and Medicine	3 Credits
MUS-N 533	Advanced Clinical Techniques in Music Therapy	3 Credits
MUS-N 535	Music Therapy Clinical Supervision	3 Credits

Find course descriptions with our Search Schedule of Classes/Courses tool.

Tuition & Fees

Cost for Indiana Residents

Per Credit Hour
Tuition: $515.00

3 Credit Hours
Tuition: $1545.00

Note:

Additional fees will apply.

Cost for Out of State Residents

Per Credit Hour
Tuition: $681.00

3 Credit Hours
Tuition: $2043.00

In accordance with Federal Financial Aid requirements, IU has calculated a “Cost of Attendance” for this program based on the most common enrollments from students who are enrolled full time for the academic year. We’re showing you the estimated cost of attendance for the full 2023–24 academic year (fall and spring semesters). Cut these numbers in half to figure out the cost of a single semester. Your actual costs for housing and food, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses will vary based on:

• The number of credit hours you take
• Whether you’re an Indiana resident
• Your personal choices
• Your travel habits

Your cost of attendance may differ from these estimates.

Full time Students

Part time Students

Direct Costs:

Tuition & Mandatory Fees

Indiana Residents

See per credit hour rate listed above

Non-residents

See per credit hour rate listed above

Direct Costs:

Tuition & Mandatory Fees

Indiana Residents

See per credit hour rate listed above

Non-residents

See per credit hour rate listed above

Indirect Costs:

Food & Housing $15,570

Books & Supplies $770

Transportation $2350

Personal Expenses $2200

Indirect Costs:

Food & Housing $15,570

Books & Supplies $280

Transportation $2350

Personal Expenses $2200

If you would like a more detailed estimate of expenses, please use IU's Tuition and Fee Calculator.

IU Tuition & Fee Calculator

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