Music Psychology in Practice

If you’re passionate about the emotional, social and psychological impact of music and want a career supporting people, communities and creative environments, then ICMP’s BA (Hons) Music Psychology in Practice degree is the perfect place to start. Available in London, Liverpool and Leeds, this innovative three-year degree will provide you with the scientific foundations, creative tools and applied experience to thrive in this exciting industry.

Across this music psychology degree, you’ll explore how music shapes identity, society and wellbeing, while learning the most interesting and employable aspects of psychology, wellbeing and community music making in 2026 and beyond. You’ll develop hands-on skills in community music, group facilitation, ensemble leading, songwriting for wellbeing and inclusive creative practice. You’ll also build strong research capabilities across qualitative, quantitative, arts-based and decolonised methodologies, positioning you for work or postgraduate study in psychology-connected fields.

From your first day on this music and wellbeing course, you’ll dive into topics like perception and cognition, trauma-aware practice, music and mental health, creative interventions, ethical community work and the psychology behind musical behaviours. You’ll study real-world projects in schools, health settings, community groups and third-sector organisations, guided by expert specialists in music psychology, creative health and social impact. Your tutors will range from award-winning musicians and psychotherapists to experienced music industry therapists and heads of large music companies, as you develop professional skills from these leading experts in their fields.

You’ll collaborate with fellow ICMP students in workshops, performances, research projects and social-impact initiatives, building a rich portfolio of applied work. You’ll also learn directly from industry practitioners shaping the sector, including music psychologists, community musicians, psychotherapists, wellbeing specialists, choir leaders and industry changemakers.

By graduation, you’ll have a strong understanding of how music influences human behaviour, identity and mental health, and will have developed the skills required to excel in roles across community arts, creative health, social impact, education, coaching and the evolving music industries. You’ll also possess excellent research abilities, having gained the academic grounding needed for further psychology-focused postgraduate study.

Course Modules

Level 4 (Year 1)

• Foundations Of Music Psychology And Research

• Music, Identity And Society

• Re-Thinking The Music Industries: Systems Power And Possibility

• Music Making, Wellbeing And Inclusive Practice

• Introduction To Community Music

• Working In Music: People, Communities And Practice

Level 5 (Year 2)

• Applied Research Methods For Music And Communities

• Music, Health And Community Practice

• Career Coaching, Leadership And Professional Identity

• Creative Entrepreneurship Funding And Ethical AI In Music

• Community Ensemble Leadership (Optional)

• Music & Inclusion – Disability, Gender, Race And Access (Optional)

• Community And Collaborative Songwriting (Optional)

• Social Activism And Music As Resistance (Optional)

Level 6 (Year 3)

• Community Music Facilitation And Leadership

• Industry Coaching And Future Directions

• Applied Research And Professional Practice Portfolio

• The Third Sector, Policy And Sustainable Practice

• Responsible And Sustainable Content Creation

• Music Across The Lifespan (Optional)

• Contemporary Issues In Decolonising Music And Education (Optional)

https://www.icmp.ac.uk/course/ba-hons-music-psychology-in-practice