Theoretical Underpinnings of Music Therapists’ Decisions to (Not) Pursue Doctoral Study: A Framework for a Professional Development Seminar to Promote the Pursuit of Doctoral MT Education

abstract: Despite a substantial increase of Masters of Music Therapy degree recipients between 2002 (Cohen et. al, 2002) and 2017 (American Music Therapy Association, 2017), these numbers are not paralleled among recipients of PhD degrees with music therapy emphases. Additionally, it is notable that...

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Other Authors: Adams, Stephanie (Author)
Format: Dissertation
Language:English
Published: 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.57350
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spelling ndltd-asu.edu-item-573502020-06-02T03:01:27Z Theoretical Underpinnings of Music Therapists’ Decisions to (Not) Pursue Doctoral Study: A Framework for a Professional Development Seminar to Promote the Pursuit of Doctoral MT Education abstract: Despite a substantial increase of Masters of Music Therapy degree recipients between 2002 (Cohen et. al, 2002) and 2017 (American Music Therapy Association, 2017), these numbers are not paralleled among recipients of PhD degrees with music therapy emphases. Additionally, it is notable that the Master’s Level Entry (MLE) Subcommittee Report (2017) notes “lack of doctoral programs and/or doctoral level music therapy faculty needed to sustain graduate level music therapy education programs” (p.18) as a deterrent to the move to Master's-Level Entry within the music therapy milieu. This underscores the importance of doctorate-level music therapists to the profession. Could increasing the prevalence of doctorate-level music therapists help to promote advanced studies in music therapy, and in turn augment the status of music therapy education and training? The purpose of this project was to examine advanced-level music therapists’ perceived catalysts and barriers to pursuing a doctoral degree in music therapy. Incorporating the Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent et. al, 1994) as the underlying framework, qualitative data was garnered via semi-structured interviews with advanced-practicing music therapists located in the southwestern United States. A thematic qualitative data analysis was conducted, whereby parent codes reflected key constructs of the theoretical lens and child codes were developed inductively. Interviewees highlighted advantages of pursuing a PhD including: professional status, educational growth, and opportunities to educate others. Likewise, they identified pertinent barriers pertaining to finances, narrow job market, and dominance of research foci over clinical skills. In light of these findings, a framework for a hypothetical, Southwest-based professional development seminar was developed and embedded into the SCCT context. The hypothetical program encompassed key objectives to educate participants about the key processes, benefits and drawbacks of pursuing the music therapy doctorate, and aimed to help participants develop penchants toward the pursuit of doctorate degrees. The nine modules featured discussions and interactive learning techniques, in addition to proffering individualized mentoring from music therapy doctorate recipients as a key mainstay of the program. Modules addressed the following topics: Introductions and testimonials; PhD application and funding processes; Clinical skills; Work/life/school balance; Faculty responsibilities (research, teaching and service); Mock interview/audition; and Mentorship presentations. Dissertation/Thesis Adams, Stephanie (Author) Belgrave, Melita (Advisor) Pivovarova, Margarita (Committee member) Powers, Jeanne (Committee member) Arizona State University (Publisher) Music therapy Adult education Higher education eng 85 pages Masters Thesis Music Therapy 2020 Masters Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.57350 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ 2020
collection NDLTD
language English
format Dissertation
sources NDLTD
topic Music therapy
Adult education
Higher education
spellingShingle Music therapy
Adult education
Higher education
Theoretical Underpinnings of Music Therapists’ Decisions to (Not) Pursue Doctoral Study: A Framework for a Professional Development Seminar to Promote the Pursuit of Doctoral MT Education
description abstract: Despite a substantial increase of Masters of Music Therapy degree recipients between 2002 (Cohen et. al, 2002) and 2017 (American Music Therapy Association, 2017), these numbers are not paralleled among recipients of PhD degrees with music therapy emphases. Additionally, it is notable that the Master’s Level Entry (MLE) Subcommittee Report (2017) notes “lack of doctoral programs and/or doctoral level music therapy faculty needed to sustain graduate level music therapy education programs” (p.18) as a deterrent to the move to Master's-Level Entry within the music therapy milieu. This underscores the importance of doctorate-level music therapists to the profession. Could increasing the prevalence of doctorate-level music therapists help to promote advanced studies in music therapy, and in turn augment the status of music therapy education and training? The purpose of this project was to examine advanced-level music therapists’ perceived catalysts and barriers to pursuing a doctoral degree in music therapy. Incorporating the Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent et. al, 1994) as the underlying framework, qualitative data was garnered via semi-structured interviews with advanced-practicing music therapists located in the southwestern United States. A thematic qualitative data analysis was conducted, whereby parent codes reflected key constructs of the theoretical lens and child codes were developed inductively. Interviewees highlighted advantages of pursuing a PhD including: professional status, educational growth, and opportunities to educate others. Likewise, they identified pertinent barriers pertaining to finances, narrow job market, and dominance of research foci over clinical skills. In light of these findings, a framework for a hypothetical, Southwest-based professional development seminar was developed and embedded into the SCCT context. The hypothetical program encompassed key objectives to educate participants about the key processes, benefits and drawbacks of pursuing the music therapy doctorate, and aimed to help participants develop penchants toward the pursuit of doctorate degrees. The nine modules featured discussions and interactive learning techniques, in addition to proffering individualized mentoring from music therapy doctorate recipients as a key mainstay of the program. Modules addressed the following topics: Introductions and testimonials; PhD application and funding processes; Clinical skills; Work/life/school balance; Faculty responsibilities (research, teaching and service); Mock interview/audition; and Mentorship presentations. === Dissertation/Thesis === Masters Thesis Music Therapy 2020
author2 Adams, Stephanie (Author)
author_facet Adams, Stephanie (Author)
title Theoretical Underpinnings of Music Therapists’ Decisions to (Not) Pursue Doctoral Study: A Framework for a Professional Development Seminar to Promote the Pursuit of Doctoral MT Education
title_short Theoretical Underpinnings of Music Therapists’ Decisions to (Not) Pursue Doctoral Study: A Framework for a Professional Development Seminar to Promote the Pursuit of Doctoral MT Education
title_full Theoretical Underpinnings of Music Therapists’ Decisions to (Not) Pursue Doctoral Study: A Framework for a Professional Development Seminar to Promote the Pursuit of Doctoral MT Education
title_fullStr Theoretical Underpinnings of Music Therapists’ Decisions to (Not) Pursue Doctoral Study: A Framework for a Professional Development Seminar to Promote the Pursuit of Doctoral MT Education
title_full_unstemmed Theoretical Underpinnings of Music Therapists’ Decisions to (Not) Pursue Doctoral Study: A Framework for a Professional Development Seminar to Promote the Pursuit of Doctoral MT Education
title_sort theoretical underpinnings of music therapists’ decisions to (not) pursue doctoral study: a framework for a professional development seminar to promote the pursuit of doctoral mt education
publishDate 2020
url http://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.57350
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