Choosing a Career in Massage Therapy 

What does a massage therapist do?
Massage therapy is often a physically strenuous career. When you become a massage therapist, expect to spend a lot of time personally interacting with patients, kneading and manipulating muscles and tissues. Patients may seek out your expertise for reducing stress, relaxing or minimizing pain. As part of a medical team, you may work with other health professionals, including professional trainers, physical therapists, and doctors. These partners may keep the patient's medical history, and you may keep track of the patient’s massage history in your own files. Massage therapists use varying techniques, including Swedish and deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, sports massage, cranial sacral and lymphatic massage, spa techniques, and more. These different techniques are referred to in the field as modalities. Not all programs train in all modalities.

What does the massage therapy training program entail?
We offer two options for massage therapy training, with each specific campus featuring slightly different requirements. Both programs require students to attend class on-campus. Because of the hands-on nature of a massage therapist career, online courses are not available. For the program located in Lawrence, nine months of instruction are necessary, while the South Kansas City campus has an 11-month program. Training includes a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on practice. Regardless of which campus you attend, once you have completed the program, you can be fully prepared to sit for the Massage and Bodywork License Exam (MBLEx) and be on your way to becoming a licensed massage therapist.

Is massage therapy a secure career field?
As of 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that massage therapy careers are growing at a faster-than-average rate. More than half of the therapists tracked were self-employed and had a very flexible work schedule. Even full-time professionals who completed massage therapy certification rarely worked more than 30 hours per week. The BLS report expects the demand for licensed massage therapists to grow at a steady pace due to increased demands by health spas, private franchises and medical doctors. Massage is becoming a popular medical therapy with numerous demographics, including senior citizens and athletes.