Music: Music MA; Field: Music and Health Sciences

Master of Arts (Field: Music and Health Sciences)

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Faculty of Music's additional admission requirements stated below.

  • A Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Music Therapy degree with an average standing of mid-B or better over the final two years, or an equivalent program and standing from another recognized university. Applicants who have taken courses in music therapy, psychology, kinesiology, and/or rehabilitation science are preferred. Applicants whose undergraduate degree does not meet this standard may be required to take appropriate prerequisite courses.

  • Selected applicants will be scheduled for an interview. Depending on circumstances, an assigned essay may be substituted for the interview with faculty approval.

  • Two letters of reference commenting on the applicant's professional experience and academic ability.

Program Requirements

  • Coursework. Students must complete 4.0 full-course equivalents [FCEs] as follows:

    • Required courses (3.0 FCEs)

      • One of the following quantitative methods research courses (0.5 FCE), approved by the advisor:

        • CHL5201H Biostatistics I

        • JOI1287H Introduction to Applied Statistics

        • NUR1075H Introductory Statistics for Health Sciences Research

        • REH1120H Research Methods for Rehabilitation

      • MUS7110H Neurosciences of Music: Scientific Foundations, Clinical Translations (0.5 FCE)

      • MUS7412H Elementary Improvisation Methods (0.5 FCE)

      • Three of the following courses (1.5 FCEs) or other course(s) as approved by the department:

        • MUS4248H Optimizing the Singing Mind

        • MUS4613H Performance Techniques for Hospice Palliative Care

        • MUS7400H Introduction to Music and Health Care

        • MUS7406H Music Psychology

        • MUS7407H0 Clinical Research Practicum

        • MUS7415H Topics in Music and Health I

        • MUS7416H Topics in Music and Health II

    • Elective courses (1.0 FCE) from health-related music courses or from health-related departments as approved by the advisor. Students may choose to enrol in a recommended collaborative specialization during their study, such as the Collaborative Specialization in Aging, Palliative and Supportive Care Across the Life Course or the Collaborative Specialization in Neuroscience. The course(s) taken as part of the collaborative specialization may count towards this elective requirement.

  • All students are assigned a faculty advisor.

  • Students must pass, by the end of Year 1, a comprehensive examination (oral) in music and health, based on four selected essays representing a cohesive research direction. Two attempts to complete the exam are permitted. If the second attempt is unsuccessful, the department will recommend termination of the student’s program.

Program Length

3 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S)

Time Limit

3 years full-time

0 Course that may continue over a program. The course is graded when completed.