Classes Covered in Massage School

Those who are considering going to accredited massage schools will probably have many questions about the kind of material that will be in massage therapy courses.

Bodywork is an intimate art. Massage therapists must be trained in anatomy and physiology in order to ensure that they have more than a surface understanding of the way the human body is constructed and how it works. Injury inflicted by an inexperienced or untrained massage therapist can have long-lasting results. A solid educational grounding is essential. Kinesiology, or the study of the way the human body moves, is another important massage school class. Many programs also include the study of psychology. Many massage therapists believe that the body “holds” emotional memory in the muscles. The act of massage can be an opportunity for the client to release this held-in energy. It is not at all unusual for a client to experience a profound, moving wave of emotion while on the table. Weeping, anger, fear, or sorrow is common. It is extremely important that the massage therapist be comfortable and tranquil during such a release. The study of psychology will help the therapist understand what the client may be experiencing, so that the therapist can make the massage experience a healing one.

In addition to classes in physical and human sciences, most accredited massage schools will include business courses. Without a solid understanding of how to operate on a business level, even the most trained and talented massage therapist will not succeed to the degree possible. The future therapist will need to learn how to market his or her service, balance the books, invest in equipment, arrange business loans, and more. In addition, he or she will receive training in business ethics.

Massage school classes will also include plenty of hands-on practice. Students will most likely be trained in Swedish massage first. Following that, students will pursue the style of massage offered by the school that is of the most interest to them.

At minimum, any massage therapy course requires 500 instructional hours. Some states require between 600 and 1,000 hours for certification. While it is possible to complete the education in six months, a one-year program is more common. Persons who attend school on a part-time basis should plan to take up to two years to complete the required massage school classes.