Massage Therapy

Important Information

Semester Sequence

Click on the Day Program or Evening Program to see a recommended schedule, or sequence of classes.

• Day Program - Full time       
• Evening Program - Part time     

Courses Needed for This Program*

Total Credits Required for Degree 60*

Notes

*Credit students who are new to college (no successfully completed transferable college credits from other institutions) are required to take ACDV 101 - Academic Development: Transitioning to College . This 1-credit course is designed to be taken in the first semester at CCBC. Students must provide an official transcript(s) from an accredited institution to document successful completion of college coursework for the ACDV 101 requirement to be waived.

Program Description

The Community College of Baltimore County Associate Degree Program in Massage Therapy adheres to the mission of the college by providing a quality education to students and recognizing individual learning needs. The Massage Therapy curriculum is designed to be completed in two years for full-time students or longer for part-time students. Graduates receive an Associate Degree in Applied Science in Massage Therapy.

Graduates of the program are prepared as skilled and responsible therapeutic massage providers and are eligible to take the MBLEX. Graduates meet the qualifications for and may apply for Maryland licensure through the Board of Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Examiners. For qualifications for other states students must check with the appropriate licensing or certifying agency for that particular state.

This program was approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission in November 2000. The CCBC Essex Massage Therapy Program is approved by the Maryland Board of Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Examiners and is accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA).

The Community College of Baltimore County does not discriminate against any individual for reason of race, sex, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sexual orientation or conditions of handicap in the admission and treatment of students, educational programs and activities, scholarship and loan programs, hiring of faculty and staff, or any terms and conditions of employment.

Mission:

The Massage Therapy Program at CCBC provides the highest quality education for our students. We prepare highly qualified Massage Therapists who are efficient, driven, effective and able to demonstrate the application of the full Body of Knowledge for the profession. Our constantly evolving coursework aims at preparing our students to be health care professionals who will be leaders in the community and prepared to help shape the future of the massage therapy profession.

Vision:

We will be the program of choice for students desiring to be massage therapists at a level that is purposeful, powerful and prepared for the future growth and expansion of the profession into the Integrative Health Care Model as well as into the community at large.

Values:

Learning: We are committed to teaching our students the value of lifelong learning and the pursuit of excellence in all their professional endeavors.

Responsibility: We foster understanding of the great trust that our clients place in our graduates and ensure that respect, service, cultural competency, knowledge, and professionalism are at the core of all of our courses.

Integrity: We teach and maintain the highest ethical principles in relationships with our faculty, students, graduates and the community we prepare them to serve.

Health and Wellness: We teach, learn and practice holistic health recognizing that we are body, mind and spirit and that we thrive when in balance with ourselves, our family, our community and our world.

School of Health Professions Policies

Students in the School of Health Professions are expected to conduct themselves according to an honor code; exhibit professional behavior; communicate effectively in English; provide proof of health insurance, immunizations, and a tuberculosis (TB) test; and submit to a criminal background check and random drug testing. Students are expected to pay the costs associated with these requirements.

Admission

Effective January 5, 2015, applications for all School of Health Professions programs, except Dental Hygiene and Physician Assistant, are processed in a new Central Application Service called CCBC CAS. The link to the CAS and the application instructions are located in the program admissions packet at the School of Health Professions website. You will need a CCBC student ID number and a CCBC student account password to complete the application. If you have questions about the CCBC CAS process, contact the School of Health Professions Admissions Office at (443) 840-1989 or read the FAQ selections at the bottom of each page inside the CAS application.

Admission to the Massage Therapy program is competitive and selective. Students must submit an online selective admission application through SIMON along with three character references and a short biography stating the reasons for pursuing a Massage Therapy career. In addition, students are required to participate in an interview with the Program Director. Application deadline is August 1 for fall admission and January 1 for spring admission; all paperwork should be submitted and the interview conducted prior to this deadline.

The massage program courses are only offered on the Essex Campus. 

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this degree, students will be able to:

1. fully comprehend and utilize knowledge of human anatomy and physiology and musculoskeletal kinesiology in the application of massage therapy; 
2. locate, analyze, assess and apply current outcome-based research in massage therapy;
3. provide a full body massage using a variety of techniques including Relaxation, Deep Tissue and Myofascial Massage; 
4. identify and understand client pathologies and health conditions, cautions and contraindications to massage, and appropriate massage techniques for each individual; 
5. use a deductive reasoning process to assess, set goals, plan appropriate massage approaches and evaluate outcomes for each client; 
6. create a therapeutic relationship, maintain boundaries, provide a supportive environment for their clients, and effectively communicate with clients and professionals using appropriate written and verbal skills including documentation/maintenance of client records;
7. develop successful and ethical business, accounting and marketing plans for their practice; and
8. take and pass National Certification Exams, become a Maryland State Licensed Massage Therapist and work as a professional Massage Therapist in the setting of their choice including allied health, integrative medicine teams, wellness centers, spas and salons and private practice.

Other

Towson University offers a Bachelor of Technical/Professional Studies in Allied Health. This program is a recognized Bachelor’s degree program designed to facilitate maximum transfer of academic credit for students with Associate’s degrees from a variety of health and health-related programs. Graduates of the Massage Therapy program at CCBC are eligible for participation in this program. For further information, contact the Program Director. For students who wish to transfer credits into CCBC from other institutions, please contact the Program Director for additional information.