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Admission to the School
Northwestern admits as students women and men of good character
and health who are qualified by previous education and experience
to meet its academic challenges and to become a practicing
massage therapist.
Applications for admission are available online
on our web site at www.nwhealth.edu or they may be obtained
by contacting the Office of Admissions. The application for
admission must be accompanied by a non-refundable application
processing fee of $50 (U.S. dollars). It is the responsibility
of the applicant to read this information and comply with
all provisions and instructions.
For the day program, new students are admitted at the beginning
of two trimesters of the academic year: September and January.
For the evening program, new students will be admitted at
the beginning of one trimester of the academic year: April/May.
Entrance Requirements
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- All students must be at least 18 years of age at the
time of admission.
- Students must have an earned high school diploma, its
foreign equivalent, or a General Educational Development
diploma (GED). Successful completion of at least 60 semester
credit hours in a college or university accredited by an
accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department
of Education will be recognized as equivalent to a high
school diploma. Students are strongly recommended to take
at least one year each of high school biology, chemistry,
and physics; and mathematics through algebra.
- Applicants must have achieved a GPA of 2.0 or better in
prerequisite coursework.
- All students must pass a criminal background check.
- Students must demonstrate sufficient maturity to undertake
a health care profession, including the capacity to ethically
and responsibly manage professional boundaries.
Admission to the School of Massage Therapy is competitive.
The University expects that most, if not all, students will
exceed the minimum admission requirements.
Qualifications
A student must possess the following abilities, with or
without reasonable accommodation, for completion of the professional
certificate program in massage therapy:
- Ability to apply massage and adjunctive techniques over
the full range of a client’s body, including positioning
clients, palpating, feeling with hands and fingers, pushing,
pulling, kneading, grasping, twisting wrists, and lifting
up to 10 pounds, for periods of up to one hour without interruption;
- Ability to determine depth and intensity of manual pressure
and force, as applied in the performance of common massage
and adjunctive procedures and techniques;
- Ability to see and hear, with or without reasonable accommodation,
sufficient that the student can receive and record client
histories; document treatment plans; provide instructions
to clients; and provide routine client safety services;
- Ability to perform in all laboratory and clinical settings
without posing a threat to herself/himself, to the safety
and well-being of fellow students, or to clients;
- Ability and willingness to receive massage and adjunctive
treatment. Much of the technical instruction in the programs
requires reciprocal application of the techniques of massage
therapy, including trigger point therapy and cross fiber
friction. In reciprocal laboratory experiences, receiving
techniques is necessary in order to learn proper procedures,
and to receive and provide learning feedback; reciprocal
application of technique is also useful for developing sensitivity
to client needs. The School may temporarily excuse a student
from receiving massage therapy provided that there is a
specific medical contraindication, as determined in writing
by a licensed health care professional.
All students, with or without reasonable accommodation,
must carry out laboratory and clinical assignments, including
providing massage therapy services to clients. Qualified persons
with disabilities, with or without reasonable accommodation,
must be able to pass oral, written and practical examinations,
and meet all of the clinical requirements of the University.
It is in the best interests of both the student and the
University to assess the degree of limitation caused by disability.
However, the University will make the final determination
of whether or not an individual meets all qualifications for
study at the University.
Persons who have been convicted of any felony or misdemeanor
of a violent or sexual nature may be prohibited from professional
health care practice in many jurisdictions. Northwestern Health
Sciences University can deny admission to applicants with
such convictions. The University reserves the right to conduct
a criminal background check on applicants.
Responsibility of Applicant
It is the responsibility of the applicant to be aware of
the entrance requirements and to ensure that they are met
prior to enrollment. If the College determines at any time
that requirements are not met in full, the student will not
be allowed to enroll or to continue at Northwestern.
The Office of Admissions personnel are available to help
prospective students plan their pre-massage therapy curricula.
Minnesota Immunization Requirement
All students born in 1957 or later must comply with the
Minnesota State College Immunization Law (Minn. Stat. 135A.14).
An admitted student must show proof of DPT immunization within
the last 10 years, as well as measles, mumps, and rubella
immunization after his/her first birthday. However, exemptions
are permitted for philosophical or medical reasons. Further
information is included with letters of acceptance to Northwestern.
Some clinical environments outside the University Clinic
system may establish immunization and/or health screening
requirements exceeding the Minnesota State College Immunization
Law. In addition, some clinical environments outside the University
Clinic system may not accept placement of interns who have
not received or are not in the process of receiving certain
immunizations and/or health screenings.
Transfer Application
International Applicants
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