Massage Therapy

Intro

This flexible diploma program combines online courses with evening on-campus clinic requirements to teach you about effective massage treatments and give you hands-on, instructor-supervised practice with various massage techniques.

Degrees

Massage Therapy

Degree:

Diploma

Location:

Wadena Campus

Credits:

Overview

Program Overview

You’ll learn the practices and techniques of Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, sports massage and other specialties, and gain an understanding of how anatomy, kinesiology and physiology apply to massage practices, with this diploma program. There’s a growing awareness of the benefits of therapeutic massage, and career opportunities are expanding. You’ll graduate with the skills and training to immediately begin delivering professional massage treatments that support people’s health and well-being.

Our flexible program combines online courses with on-campus requirements at the student clinic on our Wadena campus. You’ll gain hands-on experience in the instructor-supervised clinic, and evening clinic hours offer convenient scheduling around work and family commitments.

The program covers:

Anatomy, physiology and kinesiology as they relate to massage practice
Appropriate massage therapy treatment decisions
Professional standards of practice as defined by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork
Professional and ethical business behavior

Accreditation

See program accreditation details at Accreditation.

Related Programs

You may also be interested in our Cosmetology diploma program or our Esthetician and Nail Technician certificate programs.

Scholarships/Cost

M State has one of the lowest tuition rates in Minnesota, and thanks to grants, scholarships and sponsorships, more than half of all M State students have a completely tuition-free experience.

Learn all about our low tuition rates and fees at Detailed Cost. To explore financial aid options, visit Paying for College. We also offer Zero Textbook Cost programs and courses, which can save you substantial money on books; learn more at Z-Degrees.

Program Cost Estimate

Massage Therapy Diploma

Foundation Scholarships

M State's two foundations award more than $280,000 in student scholarships each year. You may be eligible — learn more at Foundations.

Workforce Development Scholarships

More than 40 programs at M State offer Workforce Development Scholarships to new students. See if your program is eligible and apply at Workforce Development Scholarships.

Business and Industry Sponsorships

M State collaborates with local businesses to offer valuable student support, such as financial assistance, internships, part-time jobs and full-time career opportunities. Find details at Business and Industry Partner Sponsorships.

Sample Classes

THPY1110 - Massage Techniques and Ethics

Credits:

3 (2/1/0)

This course provides students with an in-depth knowledge of massage techniques. Emphasis will be on the application of the basic massage stokes and their variations. Students will learn proper draping and positioning techniques and recommended client protocol. In regards to ethics, a variety of topics will be discussed and explored in order to help the students form their own written code of ethics.

THPY1118 - Kinesiology

Credits:

3 (2/1/0)

This course teaches students to identify the location and movements of skeletal muscles. Students will identify bones and boney landmarks. They will learn muscle origin and insertion using specific boney landmarks as points of anatomical reference. They will learn directional terms and terms of movement. Students will learn to identify and describe the movement of each muscle.