Lori Gooding
- Associate Professor of Music Therapy
- Director of Music Therapy
- Coordinator of Music Education and Music Therapy
Music Therapy
Building careers using music in service to and rehabilitation of others.
Music Therapy at FSU is one of the leading programs in the nation and has graduated outstanding alumni for over 60 years.
Our graduates seeking a position at all levels, whether clinical or faculty, have enjoyed a 100% placement rate. FSU music therapists are in prestigious positions in medicine, mental health, special education, hospice, and older adult services throughout the U.S.
Learn in the classroom and through community practica with professional MTs
The MT program is competency based and sequenced across courses for greater complexity in skill development. The MT program prepares one for the National Certification Test, the professional designation MT-BC, and a professional career using music in service to and rehabilitation of others. Multiple opportunities in all areas of MT exist in the Tallahassee community for students to work with FSU alumni in observing and learning clinical skills.
We shape musicians into therapists
Music therapy students study with faculty known for their research productivity and development of innovative clinical programs. MT students interact with and learn from experienced graduate student clinicians acquiring sophisticated teaching, counseling, and psychological therapeutic skills.
Strong Community
FSU offers the unique combination of a large comprehensive classical music program with caring personal contact between faculty and students; with rich opportunities for multicultural music experiences and ensembles, jazz, and popular music repertoire development; with vast resources in related coursework in psychology, sociology, and gerontology, and large numbers of clinical MT programs thriving in the community who share a passion for training MT students. Our faculty are full-time residential teacher, clinicians, and scholars who have vast experience in education and building relationships in the international music therapy sphere. Our students join an amazing family that will support you for your entire career and beyond.
For more information about the Music Therapy program, contact Dr. Lori Gooding.
Music Therapy Faculty
Undergraduate Programs
- At the freshman level students begin with orientation to the field interacting with professional music therapists in the community
- The undergraduate curriculum is sequenced throughout the 4 years to teach and require greater acquisition of music and therapeutic skills. Students work with all of the renowned faculty and with advanced graduate students while completing practica throughout over 30 agencies in the Tallahassee community with comprehensive MT programs.
- Students also complete classical music requirements at the highest College of Music levels of musicianship.
- Students finish all undergraduate courses and then intern for 40 hr/wk for 6 months. They are then eligible to sit for the National Certification Exam.
Graduate Programs
Students with a bachelor’s degree in music may be admitted to the equivalency/graduate program completing undergraduate MT courses required for professional practice in the field then a 6 month internship. At completion of the internship, these students sit for the National Certification test to become MT-BCs (Music Therapist-Board Certified), the professional designation in the field. While doing equivalency work, these students are also enrolled in graduate MT courses. After returning from internship, they complete the graduate credit for the Master’s Degree in Therapy.
- Students who wish to continue their professional development in graduate study can obtain a Master’s degree that allows specialization, advanced clinical skill development, and research in a specific area of music therapy.
- Students work individually with faculty actively involved in advanced clinical programs, program development, and research.
- The doctoral program in music education/music therapy at FSU offers those seeking a career path in university research and teaching a flexible degree that matches goals and strengths to opportunities in the profession.
- Faculty mentors work with students to craft a personalized program in research areas in music therapy such health data mining, music therapy for premature infants, hospice music therapy, and mental health.
- Graduates move into leading academic positions in some of the top universities in the US.