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Music Therapy (B.M.)

The Music Therapy program was established in 1980. SWOSU is the only university in the state of Oklahoma offering both the undergraduate and graduate music therapy degrees. Students may pursue either Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy or Equivalency/Registration in Music Therapy at SWOSU, both will satisfy the required eligibility for taking the national Certification Examination for Music Therapists for the credential of Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) and in the state of Oklahoma, the Licensed Professional Music Therapist (LPMT).

To complete the Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy, freshman and transfer students with keyboard/voice or instrumental emphases must fulfill the requirements of the degree in General Education, fundamental music, and music therapy core curriculum.

Equivalency/Registration in Music Therapy provides those holding Bachelor's degree in (especially) Music Education the opportunity to fulfill the music therapy competence requirement of the American Music Therapy Association.

Graduation will be only granted to the students completing the required coursework and an approximately 1040-hour internship, which makes one eligible for the Board Certification Examination for Music Therapists. MT-BC is the primary recognized music therapy professional credential in the U.S, and to practice in the state of Oklahoma, the credential of LPMT is required.

Internships

University-Affiliated Internship Sites and Clinical Training Directors

Enid, OK

Guthrie, OK (In Process)

Oklahoma City

Tecumseh, OK

  • Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center: Valerie Joy Yocum, MM, LPMT, MT-BC Joy.Yocum@oja.ok.gov, 405-598-2135 ext. 355

Amarillo, TX

  • Amarillo Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Carol Gardner, DA, LPC, MT-BC, Gardner, Carol.Gardner@va.gov

International

Taitung, Taiwan

  • Taitung Christian Hospital: Yen-Po Lai, MM, MT-BC

AMTA-Approved Internship Sites - National Roster

Job Opportunities

Pre-internship clinical experiences are an integral part of the music therapy study. Agencies in Weatherford as well as neighboring communities (Clinton, Hydro, metropolitan Oklahoma City , and Enid) are affiliated with SWOSU Music Therapy Program and provide a wide range of pre-internship clinical training options for students in music therapy field studies.

Agencies are listed below to provide an overview of the diversity of sites available to students sorted by the distance from Weatherford, OK.

Weatherford, OK

  1. Brookdale Assisted Living Center+
  2. Faith Hospice+
  3. Weatherford Public Schools:
    1. Burcham Elementary School+, Developmental 3 Early Intervention to 1st grade students with developmental, emotional and physical disabilities
    2. East Elementary School+: 2nd-3rd grade students with developmental, emotional and physical disabilities
    3. West Elementary School+: 4th-5th grade students with developmental, emotional and physical disabilities
    4. Weatherford Middle School+: 6th-8th grade students with developmental, emotional and physical disabilities
    5. Weatherford High School+: 9th-12th grade students with
      1. Developmental, Emotional and Physical disabilities in the inclusive music classes
      2. Students in the Alternative Education (with substandard academic performance and excessive absences, substance and emotional abuses, and parenting obligations)
    6. Weatherford Regional Hospital+: Maternity and short-term hospitalization
    7. Weatherwood Assisted Living Center & Memory Care Unit+: Long-term assisted living care facility which also offers residential care for ones with various levels of dementia
    8. SWOSU Counseling Services via SWOSU Music Therapy Center: 1:1 & Small-Group Music Therapy Services on life skills and stress management*: ChihChen Sophia Lee, PhD, LPMT, MT-BC

To be established in a near future:

  1. Red Rock West Behavioral Health Services
  2. Moment of Bliss Midwifery (Music Therapy Assisted Childbirth) +
  3. SWOSU Music Therapy Center: 1:1 & Small-Group Music Therapy Services*: ChihChen Sophia Lee, PhD, LPMT, MT-BC
  4. Russell-Murray Hospice+

Hydro, OK

  1. Hydro Eakly Public Schools+: Pre-K to 12th grade students with developmental, emotional and physical disabilities
  2. Maple Lawn Nursing and Rehabilitation Center+: Residential facility for ones needing long-term assisted living and nursing care

Clinton, OK

  1. Action Associates+: Shelter for Women and Children experiencing domestic violence and abuse
  2. Clinton Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Retirement Home*: Residential units for veterans needing long-term assisted living, nursing, and memory care

Oklahoma City, OK

  1. The Children Center Rehabilitation Hospital*: Children/Adolescents under 18 of age who are medically fragile and/or require pediatric rehabilitation: Rachel Nowels, LPMT, MT-BC, Jennifer Shafer, LPMT, MT-BC, Alexandra Robison, LPMT, MT-BC, Stephanie Bates, LPMT, MT-BC
  2. Integris Medical System: Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Center*: Inpatient Intensive Rehabilitation Services; Suzanne Heppel, LPMT, MT-BC
  3. Legend Assisted Living and Memory Care*: Long-term assisted living care facility which also offers residential care for ones with various levels of dementia: Melissa McCormick, LPMT, MT-BC
  4. Oakwood Springs Hospital: Behavioral Hospital offering both Inpatient and Outpatient mental health and addiction treatment to adults, adolescents and their families*: Rebecca McCoy, LPMT, MT-BC & Krysta Warner, LPMT, MT-BC
  5. Saint Anthony Hospital Behavioral Medicine*: Inpatient and outpatient Adolescent and Geriatric psychiatric services; Katy Kirk. MM, LPTM, MMT, MT-BC
  6. University of Oklahoma Children’s Hospital*: Pediatric General and Oncological Medical Services; Katy Kirk, MM, LMPT, MMT, MT-BC

To be established:

  1. AllianceHeath Midwest City Regional Hospital*: Inpatient and outpatient behavioral medicine for adolescents, adults and matured adults/senior,  Roseland Cravens, LPMT, MT-BC 

Guthrie, OK

To be established:

  1. Companion Hospice*: Kerri Blackburn, LPMT, MT-BC
  2. Peppers Ranch for Forster Care Children*: Amanda Martindale, LPMT, MT-BC

*: Sites currently with on-staff MT-BC/LPMT; **: Sites proposed/advertising for on-staff MT-BC/LPMT

+: Sites currently without on-staff MT-BC are closely supervised by the graduate assistants with MT-BC/LPMT or University Faculty members close to 100% of each clinical assignment.

The new SWOSU Music Therapy Center, located north of the Berrong Music Hall, will be available to the public after September 2020.  It will be equipped to host individual, small to large group music therapy sessions. The music therapy services at the clinic are partially provided by the state licensed, board-certified music therapy faculty members, which may be eligible for the third-party reimbursements by Medicare under the Partial Hospitalization Program using HCPCS code, Medicaid as the sole or co-treating contractual service provider approved by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (in process) or as one of the Related Services included in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and some private insurances granting the prior authorization, in addition to the method of Social Supplement Incomes (SSI) or private payments.  Services incorporated upper-class SWOSU music therapy students closely supervised by the SWOSU music therapy faculty members are charged with a reduced fee. To inquire for music therapy services at SWOSU Music Therapy Clinic, please contact Dr. ChihChen Sophia Lee via e-mail or phone: 580.774.3218.