Accredited Massage Therapy Schools

Thanks to the increasing popularity of massage related therapeutic treatments, there are many accredited massage therapy schools available to prepare students for rewarding careers in the wellness industry. Most of these schools bill themselves as “accredited,” but what does that mean? Read on to see why you need to attend an accredited massage therapy school if you want to succeed as a professional massage therapist.

When any school, regardless of the subject matter, is given regional and/or national accreditation, this means that the members of an impartial review committee have granted their approval to the institution for its level of programs and facilities. Receiving accreditation is neither a given nor forever—a school’s faculty and administration must work diligently to ensure that its offerings are continuously up to par so that accreditation can be renewed.

So what’s the big deal about accredited massage therapy schools anyway? Since massage therapy has a lot to do with hygienic procedures and the careful manipulation of your clients’ muscles and tissues, it is important that an official, outside source is keeping a close eye on things. Accreditation is a point of pride for many schools, and with each accreditation a school receives, the better it looks in the competitive field of higher education.

There are many accredited massage therapy schools across the country, and one might be in your immediate area. If not, there are also accredited online programs in massage therapy, which allow you to complete coursework over the Internet and later link you to a supervisor and clients in the real world so that you can supplement your program with vital, hands-on practice.

While accreditation ensures that a program is competent in what it offers and that it prepares its students to be successful, not all accredited massage therapy schools are the same. Once you determine that a school is accredited, be sure to look further into the curriculum and practical experience and make sure that it fits your needs and learning style. Remember, clients are often very happy and relaxed after a massage, and it helps a great deal to have a happy and relaxed massage therapist who is confident in their work after graduating an accredited massage therapy school.