 
SBV, forerunners of music therapy music therapy in clinical practice, research and education in India have launched today the first Master’s degree in Medical Music Therapy from a health sciences university in the country from its Centre for Music Therapy Education and research. The center is headed by Dr. Sumathy Sundar, Ph.D. and is under the faculty of Allied Health Sciences of the university. This program is unique with the adoption of choice based edit system (CBCS) recommended by NAAC and UGC as a major reform in higher education. It is a learner-centric program with immense flexibility to the learners to pursue diverse career options as clinical practitioners, teachers, and researchers in music therapy. The electives offered are pain management, procedural support, mind-body Medicine, brain biomarkers and psychiatric rehabilitation, community Health, neurological rehabilitation, and pediatric applications and Developmental delays and learning disabilities. Learning is by a unique combination of self-directed learning and faculty-led discussions using audio and video equipment, podcasts, webinars, seminars, and national/international conferences and web-based discussions with the faculty of the overseas partners, The IMC University of Applied Sciences, Krems, Austria. The Master’s degree program also prepares the students to pursue a twinning Ph. D. program in music therapy between SBV and IMC University of Applied Sciences, Krems, Austria. Dr. Maria Montserrat Gimeno, Associate Professor from the State University of New York who was an external member of the Board of Studies of the Master’s degree Program in Medical Music Therapy was also present during the launch of the program.
