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This question is about what a massage therapist does.
What degree do you need to be a massage therapist?
You do not need a two or four-year degree to be a massage therapist. Most massage therapy programs award a diploma or certification after 500 to 1,000 hours of training. Nearly all states require massage therapists to be licensed before practicing.
Each state has its own professional guidelines for massage therapy practitioners, so before pursuing a program, it is important to find out what your state's requirements are and make sure your program meets them. Aspiring massage therapists should complete a certificate or diploma degree program from an accredited school.
During their studies, therapists will take coursework in medical terminology, body mechanics, and massage ethics. There will likely be additional coursework in anatomy and physiology. Additional hands-on experience will be required to complete the program. Each state's hours requirements will vary.
After completing the program, a licensing exam is required. In some cases, massage school graduates take a specialized exam created by the state. In other cases, states require completion of the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx). The MBLEx is administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards.
The MBLEx is a 100-question test that must be completed in less than 2 hours. Areas that are covered on the exam include ethics, client assessments, kinesiology, and the physiological effects of massage. In addition to the exam, prospective therapists must submit an application and provide proof that they have met the state's requirements.
A certification that is earned by completing a certain number of clinical hours and an examination is not necessarily required to get a massage therapy license but can make the process easier.
Other massage therapy certifications can be earned, including:
Veterinary massage
Palliative care
Sports massage
Spa management
Clinical rehabilitative massage
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