Music Therapy


A therapist playing guitar for a child holding a percussion instrument

The KU Music Therapy Program

trains students to be competent musicians and effective therapists who are equipped to be collaborative innovators in a complex world in order to proactively move the profession forward.

As part of the music therapy program, students facilitate supervised therapeutic interventions in diverse clinical placements, including but not limited to various units within hospitals, hospice programs, early intervention environments, mental health community-based programs, older adult assisted living facilities, and juvenile and adult correctional settings.

Undergraduate through doctoral students have opportunities to engage in professional conference presentations and independent and collaborative research projects guided by faculty mentors. KU music therapy faculty includes four full-time, board-certified music therapists who are involved in ongoing clinical practice and who contribute to clinical, theoretical, and research knowledge in the field.

They are recognized as national and international leaders in music therapy and are involved in committees and governing bodies of the profession’s national association and serve on the editorial boards of top-tier journals. These music therapy faculty members teach all music therapy courses, from introductory through mastery levels. 

Our mission

The mission of the KU Music Therapy program is to train students to be competent musicians and effective therapists who are equipped to be collaborative innovators in a complex world to proactively move the profession forward. 

A History of Innovation

As part of the music therapy program, students facilitate supervised therapeutic interventions in diverse clinical placements, including but not limited to various units within hospitals, hospice programs, early intervention environments, mental health community-based programs, older adult assisted living facilities, and juvenile and adult correctional settings. Undergraduate through doctoral students have opportunities to engage in professional conference presentations and independent and collaborative research projects guided by faculty mentors. 

KU music therapy faculty includes four full-time, board-certified music therapists who are involved in ongoing clinical practice and who contribute to clinical, theoretical, and research knowledge in the field. They are recognized as national and international leaders in music therapy and are involved in committees and governing bodies of the profession’s national association and serve on the editorial boards of top-tier journals. These music therapy faculty members teach music therapy courses, from introductory through mastery levels. 

Exterior image of Murphy Hall on KU Lawrence Campus

Music Therapy at KU provided opportunities I couldn’t have had anywhere else, professors support you in discovering who you are as a therapist and provide opportunities to individualize your education and pursue your passions!


Brian Locascio
Bachelor of Music, Music Therapy '20