Arcadia Scotland

Each term we have the pleasure of welcoming students who study at Edinburgh Napier University while also taking on internships as a part of our Work in Thought and Action course. Students work in a range of industries, bring a wealth of interests and enthusiasm, and produce great work for a range of Scottish institutions.  

One of our students this term, McLaine Beeman is pursuing her internship in Music Therapy with Nordoff Robbins Scotland.  We recently caught up with McLaine, who has given us insight into the experience, what type of work she's doing and how everything is going.  We're thrilled to share some of her experiences with you.

1.Where are you working and what projects are you working on this term?

I am currently working with Nordoff Robbin’s Scotland, the leading Music Therapy charity here in Scotland. I get the unique opportunity to observe therapists’ daily routine, aid in the day to day tasks necessary to keep a business running, and learn more about the field I will soon be joining. Whether it’s diligent research work or blowing off steam in the instrument room, I find this internship to be  an incredibly helpful and balanced introduction to the field of Music Therapy and how it functions in the UK.

2. What does an average day at your placement look like?

An average day includes joining the busy Edinburgh morning commute; organizing the instrument rooms to ensure everything is working and in its place; catch up on readings for my independent research, as well as aid the researcher on staff with any projects that come up; and observe a Music Therapy session whenever appropriate.

3. What skills and knowledge have you gained through your placement?

I have gained both practical skills such as time management, professionalism, and planning, as well as career-specific skills such as networking, researching specific specializations, and being able to define my own practice.

4. What has been the best thing about living and working in Scotland?

My favorite thing about living in Scotland has been observing-and joining!-the bustle of daily life. I love my bus rides in the morning to internship, because I see all sorts of people going on their way- young students in ties and nice jackets, women stepping out of bakeries with their bread for the day, men wearing minimal outerwear, clearly impervious to the cold weather- I love all of it. I feel very lucky to have had the chance to catch even a glimpse of this wee world!

McLaine has done excellent work so far this term and we look forward to reading and hearing more about her research as the term goes on.

If you are interested in taking on a work placement while also gaining academic credit, please don't hesitate to check out our website or to get in touch with questions.