I came across the Music Therapy Foundation Course by the University of Roehampton during my search for ways to support my preparation for the entrance exam of a music therapy master’s degree. The course has helped me understand theoretical concepts underlying music therapy and has given me the opportunity to experience practical techniques. In the following, I want to present different aspects of the course and draw a personal conclusion.
Journey To Music Therapy is dedicated to sharing comprehensive information on music therapy training, while also taking the opportunity to reflect on my personal experiences of becoming a music therapist. I hope this blog inspires you to explore the possibilities of music therapy, guiding you in finding the right path for you.
The Foundation Course
The Music Therapy Foundation Course by the University of Roehampton is a short course running from October to March of every year. “The course will provide an overview of music therapy practice in the UK and follow the psychodynamic model as taught on the Roehampton University MA training.” (University of Roehampton, n.d.) It can be attended on-campus in London or online; both versions of the course cost £1375 (1648,32 €). Since I was living in Germany, I chose the online version. The course is facilitated by two lecturers from the university, taking place on Wednesday evenings (18x) and Saturdays (2x). The attendance of at least 70% of the course and the successful submission of a reflective paper qualifies participants for a digital attendance certificate (University of Roehampton, n.d.).
It is important to note, however, that the structure of the short course has changed since I participated. The new model proposes a distinction between an intermediate and an advanced course – from October to December and from January to March, respectively (University of Roehampton, n.d.). Each course consists of ten meetings (8x Wednesday evenings, 2x Saturdays) at a cost of £875 (1048,93€) (University of Roehampton, n.d.).
Contents
The course covered a variety of topics relevant to music therapy within the scope of a psychodynamic approach. We started out with a definition of music therapy (see my fist blog entry for a definition). The first session introduced me to free musical improvisation: we were tasked to pay attention to our interaction through music and it was an impressive experience despite the online setting. Furthermore, we reflected on the qualities of a therapist in relation to the qualities of a musician and our own characteristics. An important distinction was introduced with the concepts of subjectivity and objectivity, providing a foundation for practice and research. The lecturers presented various theories concerning internal and interactional psychological processes, consciousness and unconsciousness, communication, and attachment. After the presentation and discussion of theories, we would be asked to improvise music portraying different theoretical aspects (thematic improvisation).
In later sessions, we explored different client groups, e.g. people with learning disabilities, with mental health disorders, with dementia, autistic people, people in prison, and in palliative care. This included working with case examples: we analysed audio or video recordings of music therapy sessions, deriving interpretations from the case material against the background of our theoretical knowledge, and identifying the aim of techniques employed by the therapist. In this section of the course, we practiced patient-therapist role play.
With songwriting and a glimpse into vocal psychotherapy (a distinct form of music therapy utilising voice and breath by Diane Austin, requiring a two-year part-time postgraduate qualification), we learned about techniques beyond free and thematic improvisation. In addition to musical skills, the course encouraged us to hone our ability to describe music. Description is a key element of phenomenological music therapy, focusing on the subjective experience of therapist and patient (Forinash & Gonzalez, 1989, p. 38f.).
The course gives an insight into the field of music therapy in the UK, specifically, where music therapy is a well-developed, protected profession. One of the sessions was reserved for the presentation of different master’s programmes in the UK, with an emphasis on the Roehampton MA.
Personal Conclusion
My personal conclusion aims to answer the questions “Does the course offer a good preparation for the entrance exam of master’s programmes?” and “Is it worth the cost?” To this end, I want to list the advantages and points of criticism which I observed.
First of all, the attitude of the lecturers was very supportive. They encouraged us to share verbal reflections and to embrace unusual musical expressions. Throughout the course, it was emphasised that there was no right or wrong in making music, which set the foundation for a safe learning environment. Moreover, there has been explicit support to accomplish our individual goals. I fondly remember the lecturers allowing time within the sessions for the rehearsal of auditions. Getting feedback from the lecturers and the group has given direction for further development. The lecturers would also follow up on our progress, e.g. ask about the outcome of an interview. Participants with other aspirations than a master’s degree also profited from the guidance of the lecturers, as they could provide relevant information and expert opinions. In my case, the assistance from lecturers even extended past the time frame of the course: I reached out to one of them recently and their information was immensely helpful regarding a placement.
The course created an international (although there was a tendency towards the UK and Ireland) community of people interested in music therapy from different walks of life and with different goals concerning the course. Most prominently, the group included people with extensive work experience in the social sector, which felt inspiring considering my less experienced position. While some wanted to become a music therapist like me, others were simply interested in the field, possibly looking to integrate some techniques into their pedagogical repertoire. Whether or not training to be a music therapist was the objective, our mutual interest in music therapy did not only reflect in our interaction with the course, it also sparked informal support, e.g. in the form of a WhatsApp group. The exchange with people who also wanted to pursue a master’s degree gave me a sense of ease that I am not coming from an inferior position to start the degree. In addition to a loose network, I gained a close friendship with one of the participants.
Musically, the course contributed to my readiness to improvise. Prior to the course, I had not encountered improvisation, but I knew that this was a requirement for some entrance exams of postgraduate courses. The weekly group improvisations lowered the threshold for me to build a routine of practicing improvisation. With time, it became easier to let go of aesthetic expectations. The sessions placed emphasis on the social element of improvisation, which is of utmost importance in therapy.
In addition, the task to keep a reflective journal kept me engaged with the concepts of the course and enabled me to keep track of my personal development.
The above-mentioned advantages of the course contributed to my well-rounded preparation for the entrance exam of a music therapy master’s degree. Indeed, everybody from our cohort who aimed to pursue a master’s degree got in. Learning about the orientation of study programmes in the UK helped me make a decision which offer to accept. I decided against the universities in the UK, as music therapy in psychiatry is underrepresented there compared to Germany. I would even propose that the advantages reach beyond the application process. Knowing about psychodynamic theory and having experienced group improvisation can be regarded as an asset – still in the master’s degree. In the first weeks of my master’s degree the theoretical lectures and the musical classes are decoupled, therefore I appreciate that I got the opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and musical expression in the short course. I am also glad that I participated in in-depth reflection on the role of the therapist and on my personal motivation to become a therapist, as this is missing in my current study programme so far.
The negative points are quite manageable: I did not receive any feedback on my reflective letter (which should have been the case), and I would have liked the presentation slides to be more structured. I would also judge the course fee to be expensive, but that impression might be influenced by my familiarity with the German education system and a lacking reference point. Considering the positive aspects, however, I would say that the course is worth the cost.
I also want to touch on the restructuring of the short course. Due to the division into two courses, I could imagine that there is a fluctuation of participants between the first and the second course. This might have a negative impact on the group cohesion, the level of informal support, and the formation of friendships between participants. I can understand, however, the possible motivation behind this: the separate courses might alleviate the drop-out of participants that could be seen in the comprehensive course. Moreover, the combined price for both parts of the course spiked compared to the fee that I paid just one year ago, although the total hours stayed the same. Another point for criticism is the less detailed description of the courses. I remember that the website of the short course used to state the topics for each date, but this information is not available anymore. I am always keen to know what I am signing up for and I definitely would have felt more hesitation in the face of this limited course description. Nevertheless, in my opinion, these alterations would not outweigh the key benefits of the course, namely the opportunity to experience and practice musical improvisation, to learn about theoretical concepts and applications of music therapy, to follow reflective practice, and to build a valuable network to lecturers and participants.
Continue The Journey
I hope my review could give you an idea of what to expect from the Music Therapy Foundation Course by Roehampton, helping you with the decision if the short course is right for you. Let me know if you have any questions about the Roehampton course, and feel free to comment any topic suggestions for the future – I would be happy to take them into account. In next month’s article, I want to give you an insight into the application process for different master’s degrees in music therapy.
Sources
Forinash, M., & Gonzalez, D. (1989). A Phenomenological Perspective of Music Therapy. Music Therapy, 8(1), 35–46.
University of Roehampton (n.d.). Music Therapy Foundation Course. Available online: https://www.roehampton.ac.uk/study/short-courses-and-professional-development/music-therapy-foundation-course/. 2024-11-15.
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