Therapeutic Massage
Requirements for admission into the Therapeutic Massage Program:
- All applicants must complete the admission process to Tri-County Community College.
- Evidence of high school graduation or completion of GED certificate (High school seniors must send an interim transcript by January 31).
- Official copies of all high school and college course transcripts (High school seniors must have a final transcript sent within one month of graduation).
- All applicants must have taken the College Placement Test AND met the minimum placement test score(s) for placement into General Education courses OR completed developmental coursework with a grade of “C” or better, within the last five years. Students are asked to complete and sign the Therapeutic Massage Minimum Admission Requirements Verifications Checklist. (Available at Student Services in the Harper Building).
- Provide proof of experiencing two (2) one-hour long massage therapy sessions. The therapist(s) providing these sessions must be licensed (LMBT) by the NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy. Applicants are responsible for scheduling and paying for these appointments.
- Completed physical examination and medical history forms (once accepted into the program). (Medical forms will be made available to students after acceptance into the program. These forms must be completed and returned to the Admission Office within 30 days. The applicant will be contacted if any problems are noted on the forms and be allowed 30 days for resolution of these problems. Only 60 days total will be granted to complete the medical forms. Failure to complete requirements and adhere to deadlines will forfeit your acceptance into the Therapeutic Massage Program.) All requirements for admission into the Therapeutic Massage Program are due each year by May 1 and the acceptance process will be completed no later than July 1.
Ranking of Candidates:
Therapeutic Massage is a limited enrollment program with students beginning each fall. Resources, such as facilities and faculty, as well as approval standards, limits the number of applicants accepted into the program to ten (10). The ten applicants with the highest numerical score will be accepted into the program, awaiting medical history forms and proof of massage sessions (noted above).
- Applicants compete for admission based on quality points. Applicants earn quality points by completing the general education courses required for the program with a C or better. To calculate quality points, multiply the number of credit hours for each general education course successfully completed with a “C” or better by the quality point value assigned to the grade earned (A=4, B=3, C=2). In the event of a tie, Grade Point Average (GPA) will be used to determine ranking.
- The best grade earned for general education and recommended courses is used to calculate quality points and Grade Point Average (GPA). Although quality points are not awarded for grades of D, F, or W, these grades are used to calculate GPA. Quality points are not awarded for developmental coursework completed. If seats become available in a program after notification letters are mailed, then alternates will be notified (by rank order) of their acceptance. Alternates not accepted will need to reapply every year and will compete on equal basis with all other applicants.
- Applicants accepted for admission into the Therapeutic Massage program at TCCC are not required to complete a criminal background check. However, for you to become licensed in North Carolina to practice Therapeutic Massage, you must first pass the MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam.) In order to take that exam, you must submit to a criminal background check. If there is anything inappropriate found in that check, the NC Board of Massage & Bodywork Therapy will deny your application.
- The Therapeutic Massage curriculum prepares graduates to work in direct client care settings to provide manipulation, methodical pressure, friction and kneading of the body for maintaining wellness or treating alterations in wellness throughout the lifespan.
- Courses will include content in normal human anatomy and physiology, therapeutic massage, ethical/legal issues, business practices, nutrition and psychology.
- Employment opportunities in North Carolina may be found in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, health departments, home health, medical offices, nursing homes, spas, health and sports clubs, and private practice.
- Graduates may be eligible to take the National Certification for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.
- Students may be required to take one or more developmental courses as a result of pre-enrollment placement tests; therefore, the student may need more than the minimum number of contact hours listed for graduation.
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