Massage Therapy Program - Non-Credit (MSTH)
Do you want to help others reduce stress, feel better and improve their overall quality of life?
HACC has offered its Massage Therapy Program since 2007 and guided students to pursue their passion in helping patients rehabilitate or relieve pain in the soft tissues of the body. Working alone, or in consultation with other healthcare professionals, Massage Therapists perform assessments and manipulate soft tissues of the body to effect a therapeutic response in the treatment and prevention of physical dysfunction.
Learn about the Massage Therapy Program at the Harrisburg Campus. The HACC Massage Therapy Program is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMAT) and Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP). HACC is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education approved provider.
The job requires a balance of academic and technical knowledge, clinical skills, manual dexterity, sensitivity and awareness. You want to have a sincere desire to help others, along with a commitment to the time, energy and focus necessary for the training process in order to become a solid practitioner.
With a certificate, you will be prepared to enter the healthcare profession as a massage therapist in settings that include:
- Chiropractic or medical offices
- Cruise ships
- Health clubs or fitness centers
- Health spas and resorts
- Nursing homes
- Private or group massage practices
- Physical therapy centers
- Sports medicine facilities
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Massage Therapy is a healing art, as well as a science. It requires a balance of academic and technical knowledge, clinical skills, manual dexterity, sensitivity and awareness. As you go through the training, you are required to act as both a client for 50% of the time and as a massage therapist for 50% of the time.
Our program is 900-hours of hands-on training and will prepare you to:
- Have a working knowledge of the structure and function of the human body and how it is affected by massage
- Take a client health history and determine an appropriate course of massage therapy treatment
- Perform relaxation massage
- Perform therapeutic massage
- Communicate effectively with clients and other healthcare providers
- Behave in an ethical manner
- Take the State Licensing Exam for Therapeutic Massage
Often, you are involved in community events, such as Chocolate Fest and Woofstock, to perform chair massages.
Prior to enrolling in the program, you must obtain the following clearance requirements at your own expense:
- Two-step PPD (Turberlin skin test)
- Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Background Check
- FBI check if you have not lived in Pennsylvania for the past two consecutive years
Lastly, our program is presented in a web-enhanced format, which includes both in-class sessions along with required coursework through virtual learning.
- View summaries of our noncredit courses at HACC by browsing our schedule.
- Review our program guide (pdf) to view a list of required courses, recommended course sequencing and program competencies.
Completion of this 900-hour certificate, state licensing exam and employment in the massage therapy field may allow transfer up to 30-credits towards HACC's Health Science AAS program.
For your convenience, you can complete the entire program at our Harrisburg Campus, provided you take some of the required coursework through multiple modalities (e.g. Online, Blended and/or Remote Learning).
Yes! Through the HACC Foundation, there are scholarships available. Please visit hacc.edu/scholarships for details and deadlines.
You can complete spring, summer and fall classes at HACC and apply based on the class schedule. Please contact us using the information listed in the "How Can I Learn More" section.
Future students, we are excited to connect with you and answer your questions. Please choose the option that works best for you to meet with us.
Current HACC students, please contact our Advising Department with any questions.
Meet Vincent: Veteran Changing His Career Path
“This is my newest challenge, a first time college student and in a career path completely different from anything else that I have ever done before.”
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