Online massage therapy programs provide an alternative, convenient way to learn massage therapy from the comfort of your home. Massage therapy schools typically arrange their curriculum around the areas that students will be tested on in national certification exams. These exams cover many diverse subjects, including anatomy, health ethics, self-care and pathology. In massage therapy school, students can expect to learn a great deal about therapeutic massage assessment and procedures, as well as physiology, kinesiology, professional ethics and business practices. Massage therapy students will also learn different massage specialties, including shiatsu, reflexology and hot stone massage.
Most of the learning you do in massage therapy school will be taught online. Lectures, assignments and discussions will take place online through e-mail, live chats and discussion threads and these can be viewed 24/7. While the majority of online massage therapy classes are Web-based, they are not 100 percent online. For actual massage training and hands-on techniques, you will most likely meet in- person once a week. While each school is different, most online massage therapy programs require students to meet in the classroom for massage training. These training sessions involve massage therapy instruction, demonstrations and practice. This is the time to ask questions and practice what you have learned thus far. Distance classes will help future massage therapists get most of their work done online and meet once a week for classroom training. The idea is to provide a convenient program with flexible classes and requirements. Online massage therapy students must earn credits by taking classes and completing practice hours to ensure that they have enough hands-on experience before entering the industry. The amount of practice hours varies by school, program, as well as your state’s massage licensing criteria. States with licensing criteria typically require 500 or more hours of training. During this time, you will give many massages to different participants to ensure that you reach the required amount of hours.
Massage therapy schools play a direct role in producing trustworthy, well-trained massage therapists who are ready to enter the field right out of school. A quality education begins with a reliable massage therapy degree program, which can be achieved through accredited online schools. A guaranteed way to find accredited schools and training programs is through trusted sources, such as The Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation. This independent accrediting agency is backed by the U.S. Department of Education, and ensures quality massage therapy and bodywork education from the schools it recognizes.
