Welcome to the
Department of Music Therapy
Metternichgasse 12 © Stephan Polzer
Department of Music Therapy
The Department of Music Therapy (Department 14) is home to Europe’s oldest academic music-therapy training programme, which has been training music therapists since 1959.
Since the 2020/2021 academic year, the new curricula for the bachelor’s and master’s degree programme in music therapy has been in effect.
The first class in the bachelor’s programme began on 1 Oct. 2020.0}
The completion of the seven-semester bachelor’s degree programme (210 ECTS) qualifies its recipients to practise their profession with shared responsibility as defined in the Austrian Music Therapy Act (MuthG).
Beginning in the 2024 summer semester, the four-semester consecutive music therapy MA programme (120 ECTS) will be offered, which qualifies its recipients to practise their profession with sole responsibility as defined in the Austrian Music Therapy Act (MuthG).<
The diploma programme in music therapy will be discontinued in 2025.
Since 2013, students have also had the option of completing a doctoral programme in music therapy as part of the mdw’s PhD programme. Since 2019, the Music Therapy Research Centre Vienna (WZMF) has been institutionally established as a division of the Department of Music Therapy at the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.
Department head
Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Dr. sc. mus. Thomas Stegemann
Deputy department head
Univ.-Prof. in Mag.a Monika Smetana, PhD
Department office
Antonia Sinko, MA
Coordination of studies
Kathrin Lipke, MA
Music therapy in Austria
Music therapy is a legally recognised health profession in Austria. According to the Music Therapy Act (MuthG, § 6, par. 1), music therapy is defined as an “independent, scientific, artistic, creative, and expression-promoting form of therapy”. It encompasses the conscious and planned treatment of persons who suffer in particular from physical, emotional, intellectual, and social disorders and states of distress, utilising the artistic medium of music in the context of a therapeutic relationship.
Music therapy—particularly in the tradition of the Viennese school of music therapy—is closely related to other scientific disciplines such as psychotherapy, psychology, medicine, musicology, and pedagogy.
The aims of music therapy practice include:
1. prevention, including health promotion,
2. treatment of acute and chronic ailments,
3. rehabilitation,
4. promotion of social competencies, including supervision, and
5. teaching and research.
Department head
Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Dr. sc. mus. Thomas Stegemann
Office hours by advance appointment only: Metternichgasse 12, 1030 Vienna; department office hours: Thur., 11 a.m.–noon (during the semester) or by appointment.
Mail: musiktherapie@mdw.ac.at
Homepage: thomasstegemann.at
Deputy department head
Univ.-Prof.in Mag.a Monika Smetana, PhD
Secretary
Antonia Sinko, MA
Tel.: +43-1-71155-3914
Fax.: +43-1-71155-3949
sinko@mdw.ac.at
office hours: mo-thu 10:00-12:00
(additional office hours by appointment)
Coordination of studies
Kathrin Lipke, MA
Tel.: +43-1-71155-3915
1030 Wien, Metternichgasse 12