What are you going to do with THAT degree?

For those who don't know, I am studying music therapy. There are a few questions I always get asked when I tell somebody that I am studying music therapy: What are you going to do with THAT degree? Are you going to be a teacher? What kind of job are you going to do with that degree? Where would you work?

First, let me explain how I discovered music therapy. When I was younger, I wanted to become a teacher(for like half of my childhood). As I grew older and began to develop my passion for music, I knew I wanted to a have a job in music.  At first, I wanted to become a music teacher. As my sister went away to Maryville University, my parents had told me that her school didn't offer a degree in music. One night as I was looking at a brochure for Maryville, I was reading the list of degrees offered...I suddenly came across "Music Therapy". I looked up at my parents and said "what is music therapy?" My dad tried to explain it to me the best he could. As a curious teenager, I went online and looked it up. As I came upon the AMTA's website, I found the definition(http://www.musictherapy.org/about/quotes/). I knew that it was what I wanted to do with my life. Towards the end of my junior year of high school, I visited WIU and sat in a senior music therapy class..that day they happened to be discussing the definition of music therapy-I was hooked and knew that was what I wanted to do..

So here I am the summer after my freshman year of college, and it's still what I want to do with my life. Yes, there are those days where I think about studying music education, but then I am always reminded of why I am studying music therapy.  

This afternoon as I was outside, one of my elderly neighbors stopped to talk to me. He asked me what I was studying, and I answered. He then proceeded to ask if I was going to be a teacher..and I said no.  I explained how that's not what I want to do with my life, and how I want to be a music therapist. 

I love when people ask me what I am studying..and then what music therapy is because it gives me the opportunity to advocate for music therapy. But it becomes frustrating when people think that I am studying to be a full-time music educator-because I'm not! I am studying music therapy so I can become a music therapist. If I wanted to be a full-time music teacher, I would be studying music education. Yes, I teach trumpet lessons, and I love my students, but I don't want to be a band director. 

*What am I going to do with my degree? Become an MT-BC and share my love of music while helping others.

*Am I going to be a teacher? No, I am not going to be a full-time music educator or band director. I would love to teach trumpet and adaptive piano lessons, on the side, though.

*What kind of job am I going to get? I plan on getting a job where I will be a music therapist. (And obviously I will still play my trumpet!)

*Where will I work? Somewhere where I can be a music therapist. My dream job is working with children in either the school or hospital setting. And of course I will always have the dream of owning a private practice.

If you are interested in knowing more about music therapy, check out the American Music Therapy Association's website. (www.musictherapy.org) Explaining music therapy would need to be its own blog post!