Massage Therapy Colleges in North America

Find Massage Therapy Colleges in the United States and Canada. Massage therapy colleges provide versatile training programs in a wide array of bodywork modalities and other natural healing therapies.

Depending on available healing arts programs, some massage therapy colleges extend introductory massage classes in basic massage techniques, anatomy, physiology, pathology and kinesiology that may be as brief as a weekend seminar or as an advanced course of study that may encompass over 1,000 training hours.

In a number of massage therapy colleges, prospective students may apply to a professional massage therapist certificate programs whereby candidates are afforded in-depth instruction and hands-on training in a vast assortment of massage methods, including: shiatsu or Watsu (a form of aquatic shiatsu), Zen body therapy, trigger point myotherapy, reflexology, Thai or Chinese medical massage, sports massage, deep tissue massage, Trager therapy, craniosacral therapy, Tai Chi, structural integration, Swedish massage, Rolfing, Lomi-Lomi and many others.

Some massage therapy colleges specialize in specific healing arts modalities such as reflexology, Qigong, prenatal or infant massage, orthopedic massage and the like. Several massage therapy colleges may offer certification in one or more of aforementioned training programs; and in some cases, may even extend degree opportunities in medical massage.

While each state and province differ in certification and/or licensing requirements, one should examine various massage therapy colleges for accreditation, curriculum, and tuition costs. While many massage therapy colleges make efforts to meet standards and requirements set by governing massage therapy boards, it is essential that potential students determine which courses of study will meet those standards - for example, if you are primarily taking a short course to gain an introduction to the art, then you may not be eligible to become nationally certified;* likewise, national certification is applicable to those students who have acquired a minimum of 500 training hours. (Applicable in the US) Some massage therapy colleges provide 300 training hours, which meet some state certification requirements; however, in order to become nationally certified, students must arrange to take additional advanced courses to earn eligibility to take the national certification exam.

Canadian students, who desire professional careers in massage therapy will find, too, that a number of provinces require licensure. In this case, a certain standard of training hours* must be met prior to becoming a licensed, practicing massage therapist. (Hours vary from province to province.) It is important that prospective students review curriculums at potential massage therapy colleges prior to enrollment.

Massage therapy colleges can provide promising educational opportunities to candidates interested in working the natural and complementary health care industry. Today, massage therapists can earn lucrative wages exceeding $30 per hour.* (Earnings depend on education, experience and geographical location.)

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding massage therapy colleges, let career training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.

Massage Therapy Colleges in North America
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