Students seeking a rigorous professional massage therapy curriculum will find quality and excellence in Northwestern's School of Massage Therapy. The School of Massage Therapy is accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). Northwestern was
the first massage therapy school in Minnesota to receive accreditation from COMTA.

The School of Massage Therapy admitted its first group of students in September of 2000. The massage therapy program is dedicated to advancing the public's perception and acceptance of massage therapy as an important health care option. Massage therapists fill an increasingly important role in the health care field. A growing number of medical doctors and doctors of chiropractic are referring patients to massage therapists all around the United States.

This 36-semester credit, 780-hour program emphasizes a solid foundation in the basic sciences, long a Northwestern hallmark; more than 340 hours of hands-on lab experience; and a structured clinical experience within the School of Massage Therapy Teaching Clinic and other community sites. The School of Massage Therapy has assembled outstanding teacher-practitioners, including some of the most experienced therapists in Minnesota.

The massage therapy program at Northwestern will challenge and inspire students along their path towards becoming a natural health care provider, while instilling the importance of actively managing and maintaining one's own health and wellness. Students are educated in interpersonal communication skills and in the necessity of communicating effectively with clients and the public.

There are two 1,100-square-foot massage labs equipped with a minimum of one massage table for every two students. The School also makes use of lecture halls located throughout the University for classes held in a didactic format. The School of Massage Therapy Teaching Clinic, located at the Burnsville Natural Care Center, operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Students receive a professional certificate in massage therapy upon successful completion of the program. Students may enroll in one of two convenient program options: the day program or the evening program.

The day program requires three academic trimesters to complete. The day program classes are offered in a three-day per week format on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The clinical experience begins in the second trimester. The hours of clinical experience are variable and shifts will be available Monday through Saturday. For the day program, new students are admitted at the beginning of two trimesters of the academic year: September and January.

The evening program requires four academic trimesters to complete. The evening program classes are offered on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The clinical experience begins in the third trimester. The hours of clinical experience are variable and shifts will be available Monday through Saturday. For the evening program, new students are admitted at
the beginning of one trimester of the academic year: April/May.

In addition, students in the day program and evening program may be asked to participate in course modules which may fall outside the regular class schedule.

Our program is committed to ensuring a high-quality education for our students and to meeting the high standards of the accreditation commission. For more information on COMTA and accreditation, visit www.comta.org.

Please note: Northwestern Health Sciences University reserves the right to change or discontinue programs at the University's discretion.