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Does studying physiology in a community college prepare me for a Massage Therapist license?
I don't have many colleges near me that focus on massage therapy. I have found 4 schools so far and I'm not sure if studying physiology at a 4 year college will prepare me enough for the license's test. #massage-therapist #college #therapeutic- #college-advice massage
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Katrina’s Answer
So in most states (and I looked up NY to be sure), you do not need a 4-year degree to become a massage therapist. You do however have to have a certification/degree from an accredited massage therapy school. These programs can vary in length but seem to average about 2 years from what I've seen. So if you want to pursue this route, I would be looking specifically for schools that provide this certification.
I would also encourage you (if you haven't already) to speak with or shadow therapists in the field (you can e-mail or call local places and just ask). Or if you go for a massage, ask them about what it's like to go to school. I would encourage you to ask about how they get paid too, some therapists I know get an hourly rate, and others get paid commission on the service, but only a minimum wage rate if their client does not show.
If you are interested in pursuing physiology, Hassan provided a great list of other options that you could consider. Physical therapy and athletic training in particular definitely utilize a lot of massage and hands-on techniques, and they do tend to have a bit of a higher pay rate (though they need more schooling). Best of luck!
I would also encourage you (if you haven't already) to speak with or shadow therapists in the field (you can e-mail or call local places and just ask). Or if you go for a massage, ask them about what it's like to go to school. I would encourage you to ask about how they get paid too, some therapists I know get an hourly rate, and others get paid commission on the service, but only a minimum wage rate if their client does not show.
If you are interested in pursuing physiology, Hassan provided a great list of other options that you could consider. Physical therapy and athletic training in particular definitely utilize a lot of massage and hands-on techniques, and they do tend to have a bit of a higher pay rate (though they need more schooling). Best of luck!
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Jessica’s Answer
Hi there! I'm a massage therapist in Oregon. Massage is a regulated profession, and it's regulated at the state level (i.e., there is no national license. If you move from one state to another, you may or may not meet the new state's criteria to get a license). You can find the exact licensing requirements for your state by doing a quick google search. Stick with your state's official government website. (Here's the link for New York: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/mt/mtlic.htm)
Generally, however, most states will require the following:
1. have a high school diploma and/or be 18 years old
2. graduate from a massage school/program (generally takes about a year--maybe longer depending on your state, no more than 2 years though--and generally costs in the ballpark of around $15Kish)
3. pass a national exam
4. pass a criminal background check and pay for your state license (and any local fees if necessary)
5. take ongoing continuing education in order to renew your license (probably every two years)
Studying physiology at a 4-year college is costly and unnecessary if what you really want is to be a massage therapist. You would still need to attend massage school, and having the four-year degree in physiology may or may not give you a leg up in massage school. You will learn all you need to know in massage school. You won't learn everything there is to learn about physiology in massage school, but you will learn what you need to give a safe and effective massage. More important than physiology will be kinesiology and muscle anatomy, but you'll also get everything you need to know in massage school.
Even though it's less costly and time-consuming than a 4-year degree, it's still a chunk of time and money. And when all is said and done, the only thing you can do after going to massage school and getting a massage license is be a massage therapist. It's not really a stepping stone to any other career. If you're planning on going to a 4-year university regardless and just want to keep your options open, you might want to look into exercise physiology, sports/athletic training, or physical or occupational therapy. Those professions might actually require a graduate-level degree though. Although as Katrina noted, they will pay more. A typical massage therapist working in a chiropractic office or franchise might make $35-40K/year if they work their butt off. If you have successful marketing skills and want to go into private practice as a massage therapist, it's absolutely theoretically possible to make $100K/year....I just don't personally know anyone who's successfully done that.
Generally, however, most states will require the following:
1. have a high school diploma and/or be 18 years old
2. graduate from a massage school/program (generally takes about a year--maybe longer depending on your state, no more than 2 years though--and generally costs in the ballpark of around $15Kish)
3. pass a national exam
4. pass a criminal background check and pay for your state license (and any local fees if necessary)
5. take ongoing continuing education in order to renew your license (probably every two years)
Studying physiology at a 4-year college is costly and unnecessary if what you really want is to be a massage therapist. You would still need to attend massage school, and having the four-year degree in physiology may or may not give you a leg up in massage school. You will learn all you need to know in massage school. You won't learn everything there is to learn about physiology in massage school, but you will learn what you need to give a safe and effective massage. More important than physiology will be kinesiology and muscle anatomy, but you'll also get everything you need to know in massage school.
Even though it's less costly and time-consuming than a 4-year degree, it's still a chunk of time and money. And when all is said and done, the only thing you can do after going to massage school and getting a massage license is be a massage therapist. It's not really a stepping stone to any other career. If you're planning on going to a 4-year university regardless and just want to keep your options open, you might want to look into exercise physiology, sports/athletic training, or physical or occupational therapy. Those professions might actually require a graduate-level degree though. Although as Katrina noted, they will pay more. A typical massage therapist working in a chiropractic office or franchise might make $35-40K/year if they work their butt off. If you have successful marketing skills and want to go into private practice as a massage therapist, it's absolutely theoretically possible to make $100K/year....I just don't personally know anyone who's successfully done that.
Updated
Hassan’s Answer
http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/mt/mtlic.htm outlines the NY license requirements for massage therapist and http://www.nysed.gov/COMS/RP090/IRPS2C lists the approved education institutions.
I'm not sure std. physiology programs would prepare you for the Massage Therapist exam. These programs would https://nycollege.edu/school-of-massage-therapy/ and https://www.pacificcollege.edu/prospective/programs/new-york/massage/therapies/aos but they're physiology degrees.
If you're ready to study physiology at a 4 year college then maybe explore something like https://www.nyit.edu/degrees/exercise_science_bs which would open up a range of careers like
Athletic Trainer/Therapist
Ergonomist
Exercise Physiologist
Kinesiologist
Physical Education Teacher
Physical Therapist
Recreation and Sports Director
I'd expect that those would allow you earn more money that you could as a massage therapist.
I'm not sure std. physiology programs would prepare you for the Massage Therapist exam. These programs would https://nycollege.edu/school-of-massage-therapy/ and https://www.pacificcollege.edu/prospective/programs/new-york/massage/therapies/aos but they're physiology degrees.
If you're ready to study physiology at a 4 year college then maybe explore something like https://www.nyit.edu/degrees/exercise_science_bs which would open up a range of careers like
Athletic Trainer/Therapist
Ergonomist
Exercise Physiologist
Kinesiologist
Physical Education Teacher
Physical Therapist
Recreation and Sports Director
I'd expect that those would allow you earn more money that you could as a massage therapist.