Role Characteristics
- Engage in music therapy sessions by playing, singing and listening
- Encourage people to use a range of accessible musical instruments, such as percussion and their own voice to express themselves
- Agree therapy objectives with people under your care
- Help people explore sound to create and express themselves as they need
- Review therapy sessions to monitor their effectiveness and help people reflect
- Work with other health and care professionals
Skills
- Active listening
- Creative thinking
- Empathy
- Goal-setting
- Observation
- Record keeping
Day in the life
Find out more about a career in Music Therapy.
Routes into this role
Here are some example routes that can lead into this role.
- GCSEs
- Undergraduate degree
- Degree apprenticeship
- Postgraduate degree
- BTEC, T-Level or A-Levels
How to become
To become a Music Therapist, you will need a degree in Music Therapy and registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). There are many ways to access university-level education and you can explore lots of current opportunities in the section below.
You might:
- Study A Levels, BTECs, or T Levels – useful subjects might include Music, Psychology, Health and Social Care, Sociology, English, Drama or Performing Arts. Explore some current opportunities below.
- Complete an Access to Higher Education course – a college course designed for adults who want to access higher education but don’t have the traditional requirements like A Levels.
- Complete a Foundation course – a year-long university course designed to prepare you for studying Music, Music Therapy or a related subject if you do not have the required qualifications or grades to go straight into a degree.
You will then be ready to study at a university level. This can include:
- Studying an undergraduate degree in Music followed by a postgraduate qualification in Music Therapy.
- Studying an integrated undergraduate degree in Music Therapy, where available.
Alongside education, you may also want to build some relevant work or voluntary experience in healthcare, education, mental health, community arts, social care or support services and think about developing your communication, empathy, active listening, creativity and relationship-building skills.
Where can this role lead
From your role as a Music Therapist, you could continue supporting people to improve their emotional wellbeing and communication through creative therapies as either an Art Therapist or a Drama Therapist.
You could also specialise in supporting people's mental health and emotional wellbeing as a Counsellor or Psychotherapist.
Developing broader support and therapeutic skills while building on your experience of person-centred care could lead to a role as a Social Worker.
Progression might look like seeking a leadership role within therapy or mental health services, applying your skills to become a Service Manager, or progressing into Project Manager roles within health, care and community settings.
If you enjoy improving people's lives but want to focus less on delivering therapy directly, you could look at roles such as Employment Advisor, Community Development Support Officer, or Project Manager.
Location
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Hospitals
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Community Settings
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Schools, colleges and universities
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Prisons
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Care Homes
Working hours
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Weekdays
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Part Time
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Full Time
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Casual Hours
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Overtime
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Flexible Hours
Opportunities
Leeds City College Creative Arts courses
- Organisation
- Leeds City College
Qualify as a Music Therapist
- Organisation
- British Association for Music Therapy
Virtual work experience
- Organisation
- Aspiring Allies
Volunteering in Health and Care
- Organisation
- Volunteering Opportunities