Overview

Discover the power of music in care settings
Learn how to integrate music intentionally and effectively into care environments with this foundational online microcredential. Designed for professionals in healthcare, caregiving, education, and community roles, this course explores the core principles, real-world impact, and practical applications of music care.
- Apply music care strategies to enhance quality of life and support holistic care
- Build confidence using your voice and music to connect, comfort, and communicate
- Earn a microcredential to showcase your understanding of music care theory in action
This course was developed in collaboration with MUSIC CARE by Room 217, a national leader in music care training since 2009, to help more caregivers access the power of music in care.
Information Box Group
Program highlights Learn More
- Earn a microcredential to recognize your understanding of music care
- Fully online course designed to fit your schedule
- Gain practical skills to confidently use music in care settings
The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context course features:
- Receive a non-academic Microcredential in The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context
- 14 hours, asynchronous, online course
- Learn from leading industry experts
What you'll learn Learn More
- Understand the goals and impact of music care in today’s healthcare and community settings
- Explore music fundamentals, sound environment, and the voice as instruments of care
- Apply music care strategies and develop a real-world music care initiative
Through our Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context program, you’ll learn to:
Through the Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context program, you’ll learn to:
- Describe the goals of music care and how they can be applied to care settings
- Discuss the context and impact of music care within a changing health care system
- Situate music care as an approach rather than a scope of practice
- Recognize various music fundamentals in care
- Demonstrate a sensitivity to the impact of sound and music in care space
- Utilize the music care strategies and brainstorm a proposal for a music care initiative in a real-life care setting
- Build confidence using the voice as an instrument of care
- Outline how musical strategies can be used for wellness and self-care
Program Overview

Online

Approx. 3-4 hours per week

Microcredential
Learn more about the Fundamentals in Music Care: Theory and Context program
- Recreational Therapists and other activity professionals
- Personal Support Workers (PSW) and Health Care Aides (HCA)
- Nurses
- Social workers
- Chaplains
- Educators
- Volunteer and Family Caregivers
- Musicians
- Anyone interested in music in care
- Educator
- Recreational Therapist
- Activity Professional
- Personal Support Worker (PSW)
- Nurse
- Social Worker
- Chaplain
- Volunteer and Family Caregiver
- Musician
- Music Care Volunteer
- Wellness Facilitator
- Healthcare Practitioner/Coordinator
- Hospice and Palliative Care
Through the Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context program, you’ll learn to:
- Describe the goals of music care and how they can be applied to care settings
- Discuss the context and impact of music care within a changing health care system
- Situate music care as an approach rather than a scope of practice
- Recognize various music fundamentals in care
- Demonstrate a sensitivity to the impact of sound and music in care space
- Utilize the music care strategies and brainstorm a proposal for a music care initiative in a real-life care setting
- Build confidence using the voice as an instrument of care
- Outline how musical strategies can be used for wellness and self-care
What our recent graduates say
Krystal
Health and Social Service Skill Development graduate
I wanted to reinvent myself and change my career path and I was able to do that.
I wanted to be able to reinvent myself and change my career path and I was able to do that because of McMaster Continuing Education. Being a nurse, there are so many different avenues of nursing that I can try new things and continue to learn. The instructors were really understanding. When you’re working full-time, having someone that will promptly answer your questions and make time for you when you need it, they made it really easy.
Krystal
Health and Social Service Skill Development graduate
I wanted to reinvent myself and change my career path and I was able to do that.
I wanted to be able to reinvent myself and change my career path and I was able to do that because of McMaster Continuing Education. Being a nurse, there are so many different avenues of nursing that I can try new things and continue to learn. The instructors were really understanding. When you’re working full-time, having someone that will promptly answer your questions and make time for you when you need it, they made it really easy.
Krystal
Health and Social Service Skill Development graduate
Other programs you may be interested in
- Home
- Find Programs & Courses
- Health and Social Services Programs
- The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context
Microcredential in The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context
The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context Course

Earn a Microcredential in The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context with McMaster Continuing Education
Upon successfully completing this course, you will receive a microcredential recognizing your learning achievement. Complete with details of the skills and specialized knowledge you have acquired, the microcredential is digitally shareable, making it easy to add to your resume, LinkedIn profile and to share with current or prospective employers.
Explore the requirements below and register today!
Information Box Group
Microcredential in The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context
To receive a non-academic Microcredential in The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context, learners must complete all content and evaluative components.
Course
Please note: Tuition price does not include HST
- Home
- Find Programs & Courses
- Health and Social Services Programs
- The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context
The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context Course
The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context Course
Advance your career with The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context online course
Explore the course below and register today!
Information Box Group
Please note: Tuition price does not include HST. This will be added at checkout.
The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context Course Schedule
The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context Course course schedule to help you plan your academic year.
Registration: Fall and Winter terms open in mid-July and Spring term opens in mid-March.
Program Requirements: Review certificate or diploma tab.
Time Zone: Courses run in the Eastern Time (ET) Zone.
Course Fees: A McMaster Part Time Student fee is included in the cost of academic credit courses. There is no tax on courses unless indicated at the bottom of the schedule chart.
Additional Fees: New students pay a one-time, non-refundable $39 activation fee for their first academic-credit course. Not every program or course requires textbooks. Learn more about textbooks.
Learning Formats: Each course is offered in Online, Online Self-Study, or Virtual Classroom formats, as shown below. Visit Learning Formats for details.
| Course Name (Course Code) | Cost | Units | Fall 2025 | Winter 2026 | Spring/Summer 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Fundamentals of Music Care: Theory and Context (MUS 101) | $395.00 | — | Jan 12 - Feb 22 Format: Online | — |
The schedule table is subject to change. Please visit the course pages to browse classes currently available for registration and the latest cost information.
Admission Requirements
Admission Requirements
This program is open enrolment, which means there is no formal application or admission procedure. To enrol in a course, simply register online. Our courses can be taken as part of a program or individually.
To enrol in McMaster Continuing Education programs, you must:
- Have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent OR
- Be a mature student as defined in the Undergraduate Calendar of McMaster University OR
- Be deemed an exceptional case
To ensure you are successful in your online courses, you are required to have knowledge and skills with general computer applications, such as keyboarding, file management, video conferencing and word processing.
Language Requirements
If English is not your native language, you must meet McMaster University’s English proficiency requirements by either qualifying for an exemption or passing a McMaster-approved English test. You will not need to provide proof of meeting this English requirement prior to registration. If you demonstrate English proficiency below the required standard, you will be asked to provide proof or to withdraw.
Expandable List
- Visit continuing.mcmaster.ca/programs to find your program of choice
- Click on each tab on the program page to learn about credential options and requirements, schedule and fees, and a list of all courses in the program
- Select a course and then select an available offering, noting important information such as cost, delivery format, and start/end dates; then click ‘add to cart’
- Once you have added your courses, click the shopping cart icon at the top right-hand corner of the page (bottom of the browser screen on mobile)
- Review your cart and, once you’re ready to proceed with enrolment, click ‘proceed to checkout’
- As the next step, you will be redirected to Mosaic – McMaster’s Administrative Information and Enrolment system
- Once you are in Mosaic, select ‘new to McMaster’ or log in with your existing MacID and password (if applicable)
- Complete all required fields and select a program of study when prompted (i.e., a specific program or open studies for standalone courses)
- Finally, payment is required in full to secure a spot in your course(s)
A payment receipt email will be issued to you immediately after registering, and a course confirmation email will be sent to you overnight. Within approximately 24 hours of registering, you will also receive an important email containing credentials used to activate your MacID, which you must do before you can access courses in Avenue to Learn. Please review our Getting Started page to learn more about the next steps for beginning your studies after registration, and our Help Centre for our Refund Policy and other frequently asked questions. Please note that on average, each course requires 6-8 hours of study per week, per course (sometimes more) and some courses may have listed prerequisites. Please plan your schedule accordingly. Most students take 1-2 courses per term across a few different terms and a full-time equivalent course load is typically 3-4 courses per term.
For more information and a walkthrough on how to register, please check out this video.
- Payment must be made in full at the time of enrolment
- Online credit card or debit payments are preferred
- Accepted credit cards: Visa, MasterCard and American Express
- Accepted debit cards: Visa Debit and Debit Mastercard
- Google Pay is available for faster checkout
- Payments can be made from a Canadian Financial Institution and can take 2 to 4 business days to arrive in your McMaster student account. Once payment has arrived, you can register for your course. Please note that if the amount of the course fees owing is more than what was transferred to your student account, you will be dropped from the course.
- Problem processing your payment? Please reach out to your credit card company if your payment was declined. Otherwise, wait two hours before attempting your registration again.
Ready to get started?
Visit the Schedule tab to select your course and proceed with the registration steps.

