HLTH4100 - Professional Massage Therapy Program

Course Description

Program Description

Massage Therapy is a personal health service utilizing soft-tissue manipulations to treat pain, improve range of motion, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. Massage therapists obtain the basic medical history for a client, assess any problems or conditions, and perform appropriate massage techniques based on the current health of the client. Licensed massage therapists may find work at spas, fitness centers, athletic teams, chiropractor and physician clinics, hospitals, physical therapy clinics, or be self-employed. Wages vary widely and can range from about $30-$100 per treatment hour.

Kauai Community College’s Massage Therapy Program is a 668-hour non-credit program comprised of coursework with theory, hands-on practice, competency testing, and clinical experience. The length of the program is approximately 10 months long.

Students who successfully complete the entire program at Kauai Community College will receive a certificate of completion and will be eligible to take the Hawai‘i State Board of Massage License Examination as well as qualify for the Massage and Bodywork License Examination (MBLEx) for U.S. mainland states.

Our program courses meet from Wednesday and Friday from 4pm-8pm and Saturdays 9am-5:30pm.

This two-semester integrated curriculum consists of face to face, lecture, discussion, and hands on lab non-credit courses, which meet the requirements of the Hawai'i State Board of Massage and the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Body Work Certification.

Course Outline

Education and training hours will consist of at least:

50 hours of in-class coursework on human anatomy, physiology and structural kinesiology 

100 hours of in class course work on theory and demonstration of massage, which includes:

1. Proper procedures in massaging
2. Record keeping
3. Hygiene 
4. Theory
5. Technique for specific conditions
6. contraindications of massage for specific techniques according to conditions
7. Draping
8. Assessment of the client's condition and the general technique to be applied

420 hours of practical massage therapy training under the supervision of a licensed massage therapist instructor

Massage Modalities include:

1. Energy Therapy
2. Chair Massage
3. Basic and Advanced Namikoshi Shiatsu therapy
4. Swedish Massage
5. Reflexology
6. Trigger Point 
7. Hawaiian Lomilomi 

Other topics covered include:

1. Ethics
2. Disease Pathology
3. Medical terminology
4. Fundamentals of therapeutic massage
5. Health and wellness
6. Structural kinesiology
7. Hawai'i State law, rules and regulations governing massage
8. Business management.
9. Adult and Infant CPR
    

Learner Outcomes

Upon satisfactory completion of this program, students should be able to:

• Recognize the role and scope of the massage therapist as a member of the healthcare team.
• Provide safe massage by integrating anatomy, pathology, physiology and kinesiology, principles of proper body mechanics, principles of infection control, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. 
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of basic principles of documentation, ethics, legal liability, and business practices involved in a massage therapy practice.
• Utilize the theory and practice of massage to effectively blend a variety of massage modalities into performing a full body massage.
• Identify indications and contraindications to determine techniques appropriate for each client.
• Identify the laws, rules, and regulations, governing the practice of massage.

Notes

Additional Fees will apply -ADDITIONAL LAB SUPPLY FEES (scrubs, linens, shoes, books, lotions, oils, paper towels, towels, cradle covers, etc) 

Financial Aid

Federal loans will not be eligible for this non-credit program. Alternative or Private loans are another option to consider for financing this education. Alternative/Private loans are designed to help students with educational expenses that exceed other financial aid such as grants, scholarships, work-study and federal loans. FAFSA is not required. Alternative loans are credit based; therefore, a co-signer may be needed.

For detailed information regarding Alternative Student Loans, please contact your lender or financial institution directly.

Other options for financial assistance can be found through various community-based employment and training programs as well as military spouse benefits. Please contact the respective agencies for details.

Kaua?i Community College is committed to providing all students with equitable access to its programs and services. For disability accommodations, contact our Disabilities Services Coordinator at (808) 245-8314. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact our Disabilities Services Coordinator well before the registration deadline to provide ample time to review and verify requests.