In this Guide
Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.
- Complete required courses for the BMus program and courses required to enter the Bachelor of Music Therapy (BMT) program including Introduction to Music Therapy and Psychology courses.
- Check out the Music (BMus) Experience and Career Guide for other opportunities available in first and second year.
- Apply for the interview and audition to enter the Bachelor of Music Therapy program at the end of your second year.
- Complete required Music Therapy and Psychology courses and explore other interests through electives.
- Investigate research opportunities with faculty members and seek out publication opportunities.
- Enhance your academic experience at Laurier through professional one-on-one, online and peer-to-peer resources available through Academic Advising and Support.
- Consider graduate education possibilities and plan your courses accordingly. If you’re thinking about applying to graduate school, talk with your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- Complete required Music Therapy courses and continue to explore other interests through electives.
- Complete your 1,000-hour internship through the Canadian Association of Music Therapists (CAMT) by registering for Music Therapy Internship courses (MU458A and MU459B).
- Register to write the Certified Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) exam.
- Learn about Research and Instructional Assistantship opportunities in Music.
- If you’re applying to graduate school:
- meet with the Program Coordinator, Master of Music Therapy (MMT), to discuss graduate school opportunities.
- sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop and book a further education application appointment.
As a Music Therapy student, you can:
- Join student clubs such as the Faculty of Music Students' Association (FOMSA), Association for Music Creators, Student Association for Music Educators, Laurier Acapella Association, Laurier Brass Ensemble, Laurier Music Med Club, Laurier Hip Hop, Orchestral Winds Laurier, WLU Piano Forum, or the Laurier Musical Theatre (LMT) and build leadership skills through joining an executive team.
- Participate in the Piano Lab.
- Look for performance opportunities within the Faculty of Music.
- Get involved as a DJ on Radio Laurier.
- Attend the Music Therapy Association of Ontario's Student Conference or Annual Conference, or the Canadian Association of Music Therapists Conference.
- Enroll in the elective spring semester course, MU353, “Inclusive Arts for Children” and provide leadership at the Arts Express Camp. Or volunteer at Arts Express without enrolling in the course.
Outside of your program, there are many co-curricular opportunities for you to participate in.
- Check out the Experience Catalogue for a full list of co-curricular experiences that are currently offered across campus.
- Volunteer with the Students’ Union (e.g., Laurier Orientation, Hawk Walk, EcoHawks, Food Bank, Emergency Response Team, Shinerama).
- Volunteer on campus with the Accessible Learning, Global Engagement, Sustainability Office, Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, WLU Student Publications and more.
- Get involved in the local community by volunteering off campus.
- Apply for on-campus jobs:
- Check Navigator frequently for job postings or contact individual departments directly.
- Search for job opportunities on the Students’ Union website.
- If you meet eligibility criteria, apply for the Laurier Work Study Program or International Student Work Experience Program.
- Attend Job Fairs to network with employers.
- Explore ways to get involved in research.
- Look into StartUp Lab opportunities for support in launching a new venture.
Job/Volunteer Search Tips
- While on-campus opportunities are posted year-round, recruitment often starts early! Start looking in the winter term for opportunities in the following academic year.
- Have your resumé and LinkedIn profile reviewed by Career Centre staff for both on and off-campus opportunities.
- Laurier offers a variety of co-curricular certificates that you can complete during your studies. Earn certificates in topics including academic development, professional development, wellness, leadership and career development.
- Participate in workshops, programming and events offered by the Career Centre, Gendered and Sexual Violence Prevention and Support, Laurier Library, the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and more.
- Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils and House Council and the Leadership Certificate.
- Connect with Global Engagement to learn about international options available to you including opportunities abroad and language and culture sharing programs.
Design Your Degree
These are a few popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge. See undergraduate options, minors and courses for more information.
Develop Your Knowledge and Skills
As a Laurier student, you will develop the following competencies through your curricular and co-curricular experiences.
Competency Framework
Competencies are categories of transferrable skills that appear on your online Experience Record to help you reflect on what you've learned from your experiences. The competencies include:
- Adaptability and Resiliency
- Collaboration and Teamwork
- Communication
- Creativity and Innovation
- Critical Thinking
- Digital Literacy
- Diversity and Intercultural Understanding
- Functional Knowledge
- Leadership
- Problem Solving
- Professional Attributes
- Self-Awareness
Functional Knowledge
- Develop a comprehensive view of music therapy within different healthcare, educational and community settings.
- Gain an awareness of how emotions, culture and society are expressed through music-making and listening.
- Develop clinical referrals and assessment protocols to meet the needs of clients.
- Think critically about how music affects clients in different contexts.
- Be aware of current theoretical trends in contemporary clinical practice.
- Develop skills in clinical musicianship.
- Gain an awareness of culture/societal change as expressed and represented through music.
- Identify the balance between music and words, and how these are effectively used, within the therapeutic relationship.
Discover Career Options
All your experiences at Laurier can help you prepare for your future. Attend Career Centre events and workshops or book a career consulting appointment to explore career and further education options.
0
Pursuing Further Education
0
Employed
13 Music Therapy respondents from the 2024 Laurier Graduate Survey conducted by the Career Centre. Graduates were surveyed within 12 months of graduation.
Alumni Careers and Pathways
Sample Further Education Programs Within the First Year After Graduation
- Master’s Degree - Music Therapy, Social Work, Speech-Language Pathology
- Bachelor's Degree - Education
Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation
- administrative coordinator
- music teacher
- music therapist
- recreation assistant
- school program facilitator
- sexual assault counsellor
Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation
- community support worker
- coordinator, community relations
- fraud and compliance analyst
- instructor therapist
- music therapist
- occupational therapist
- psychotherapist
- recording artist
- seniors community music therapist
Career Options and Resources
Need some guidance on what you can do with your degree? Discover some career options and find resources to help guide you.
Career and Industry Options
- community development/outreach
- corrections
- education/teaching
- entrepreneurship
- event planning
- geriatric care
- healthcare
- journalism/media
- library/museum
- long-term care
- mental health
- rehabilitation
- research
- social service
- technology
- wellness
Career Resources
- Canadian Association for Music Therapy
- Voices
- Approaches: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Music Therapy
- Canadian Music Educators Association
- Canada Council for the Arts
- Music and Film in Motion
- Music Therapy Association of Ontario
- Music Heals
- The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
- Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund
- Songwriters Association of Canada
- Freelance Musicians’ Association
- Music Canada
Your Experiences Tell Your Story
Share your story through your Laurier Experience Record. An interactive, shareable and official record of your hands-on experiences and learning opportunities at Laurier – the first of its kind in Canada!
Share Your Feedback
We'd love to hear from you. Complete the Laurier Experience Guide Feedback Survey to share your thoughts.