Introduction
Qualify to work as a music therapist in the UK and overseas on this accredited Masters degree in music therapy. Study in a centre of world-leading research and gain experience on clinical placements.
Already have an ARU degree? You may be eligible for our Alumni Scholarship for students starting postgraduate courses.
We have been training music therapists since 1994 and were the first UK university to establish a music therapy Masters degree. We work closely with colleagues at the internationally renowned Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research.
We earned the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2021 for our music therapy research, receiving particular recognition for our focus on the wellbeing of people living with dementia.
We welcome applications from people with relevant musical skills and appropriate clinical experience.
Supported by experts, you’ll gain a strong foundation in the principles and practice of music therapy, underpinned by the latest research and evidence base.
Our MA Music Therapy is accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council, so when you graduate you’ll be eligible to register with the HCPC – a legal requirement for your future career as a practising music therapist in the UK.
ARU has been ranked in the top 20% of universities in the world for Good Health and Wellbeing in the 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings.
100% overall satisfaction: our course received the highest possible score for student satisfaction in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2022 (fewer than 20 respondents).
Course options
Key facts
Student experience
MELODIC: Music therapy Embedded in the Life Of Dementia Inpatient Care
MELODIC is an ARU study investigating how music therapy can reduce distress on NHS inpatient wards for people with dementia.
Find out more about MELODIC
Caterina and Ana
Read about MA Music Therapy student Caterina's experience at Hollanden Park Hospital with supervisor Ana.
Read Cat and Ana's Spotlight interview
"The tutors were the pioneers in Music Therapy"
Sreeraj now works as a Music Therapist with the NHS after completing our Masters. Find out how the course helped him.
Music Therapy placement special
MA Music Therapy student Caterina and her placement supervisor Ana talk about how Caterina's placement at Hollanden Park Hospital inspired her Major Project.
Listen to our podcast with Cat and Ana
Rachael Stalker
Rachael graduated from our MA Music Therapy in 2022, and now works as a music therapist at a Special Needs School. Find out how her placements on the course prepared her for work.
Find out more about Rachael's experience
Jamal Glynn
Jamal graduated in 2011 as the first MA music therapist in the world to use the steelpan as primary instrument. After this, he returned home to Trinidad, and within three weeks was assigned to the Ministry of Health.
Read more about Jamal's experience
Rosie Axon
After graduating from our MA Music Therapy, Rosie became Founder and Director at Chiltern Music Therapy, a not-for-profit organisation that provides music therapy to people of all ages across the UK.
Read more about Rosie's experienceEntry requirements
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Fees and paying for university
Facilities and showcase
Specialist facilities and support
As a postgraduate Music Therapy student at ARU you’ll:
- work in our purpose-built therapy centre, used for professional therapy consultations
- get support from our team of renowned music therapists
- learn from experts about the implications of the latest neuroscience research on therapy practice
- find out about our world-leading research work, including international projects such as Homeside.
Hands-on learning
There’s nothing like first-hand experience. Here at ARU, you’ll take part in clinical placements under the supervision of qualified therapists. Placements vary, and you could find yourself working in community settings, schools, hospitals or hospices. It’s great preparation for your future career.
Take a closer look
Our Creative Showcase shines a spotlight on what makes ARU creative and cultural – our spaces, places and people. Find out more about our community, the difference we make, the stories we tell, and the things that inspire us. You can also explore the work of our graduating students in our digital graduate showcase.
Accreditation
Health & Care Professions Council
Our MA Music Therapy is accredited by the Health & Care Professions Council, allowing you to register with the HCPC when you graduate and work as a professional music therapist.
Lecturers
Alexandra Georgaki
Senior Lecturer
Helen Odell-Miller
Emeritus Professor
Jorg Fachner
Professor
Jodie Bloska
Clinical Research Fellow
Jonathan W Pool
Senior Research Fellow
Ming Hung Hsu
Senior Research Fellow
Careers
When you graduate, you will be eligible to register with the Health and Care Professions Council. Registration is a legal requirement for practising music therapists in the UK and valued increasingly in other countries.
As a qualified music therapist you’ll be able to work in the NHS, hospices, social services, education and the voluntary sector. You can also work privately or as a freelance with clients including adults and children with learning difficulties, mental health needs, or with communities such as refugees or the homeless.
ARU’s links with the British Association for Music Therapy and our International Research Consortium will help you make contacts and gain employment and research opportunities.
Graduation doesn’t have to be the end of your time with us. You could choose to continue your academic career with a research programme at ARU, such as our PhD Music Therapy or PhD Dramatherapy. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and save £400 on your fees.
You might also be interested in our CPD Course Collaborative Music Practice in Health Care.
Want to talk to someone?
Do you have a question that we haven't answered so far? Talk to our application experts. You can also ask our Student Ambassadors about life at ARU.
We're here Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm (please note we close at 3.30pm on the first and third Thursday of the month for staff training), and Friday 9am-4.30pm.
The Queen's Anniversary Prize for our music therapy research
Our world-leading music therapy work, in particular our focus on the wellbeing of people living with dementia, earned The Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2021. These prizes are the highest national honour in higher and further education. They recognise outstanding work that shows the highest levels of quality and innovation and delivers significant public benefit.
Find out more about the Queen's Anniversary prize
Life in Cambridge
Our friendly, bustling campus is a stone’s throw from the centre of Cambridge, often described as the perfect student city.
Our favourite places in Cambridge Did you know...? Facts about Cambridge Watch: Our Cambridge
Benefits of postgraduate study
Improve your employability, progress in your career, and take on an intellectual challenge with our flexible postgraduate degrees.
Postgraduate study at ARU