Massage Therapy Certificate
You’re called to help others, and Northeast can help YOU begin your new health and wellness-focused career in just 4 trimesters.
From spas to medical offices, athletic training facilities to home and private practices – massage therapists are widely in demand, with a more than 20% job growth predicted by 2031*. Earn your Massage Therapy certificate at Northeast and evolve your professional life into a fulfilling, promising career supporting others’ health and wellness.
Ranked the #1 massage school in the Northeast region1, Northeast College blends trusted instruction with immersive clinical experience to set you up for success as a licensed massage therapist (LMT).
* U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 1 massage-colleges.com/northeast
Why Study Massage Therapy at Northeast?
The Massage Therapy certificate program at Northeast College prepares students to pass the New York State Massage Therapy Examination for licensure and pursue a broad range of professional experiences. Our curriculum blends a strong scientific foundation with diverse, hands-on training, empowering you to enter the profession with both knowledge and confidence.
- Earn College Credit. Build a college transcript while earning your certificate and preparing for NYS licensure.
- Complete Your Certificate in 4 Trimesters (1.3 years). Attend weekend classes on campus, get clinical experience in the community, and be ready for licensure exams in just about 16 months.
- Practice Diverse Massage Modalities. Get hands-on experience, in class and in the community, with a wide range of techniques including Swedish massage, Shiatsu, prenatal massage, sports, reflexology and massage for people living with cancer.
- Focus 100% on Health and Wellness. Study on Northeast's Seneca Falls, N.Y. campus, which is 100% dedicated to health sciences education and offers cutting-edge resources like the Anatomy Center, the human cadaver lab and Computerized Anatomy Resource Lab (CARL) featuring Anatomage virtual anatomy tables.
If you’d like to take your training even further and earn a college degree, consider our Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Massage Therapy.
By the end of the program, students will be able to:
- Implement person-centered practices, professional best practices, integrity, and compassion during all client and patient encounters.
- Practice safely using New York State and national safety standards, research-based hygiene standards, and proper provider body-mechanics.
- Prepare for the delivery of massage therapy services that support personal wellness and healthcare, including New York State’s distinctly high standards of treating clients affected by specific conditions, disorders, or diseases such as cancer, autoimmune, and heart disease among others.
- Cultivate clinically appropriate massage therapy sessions fostering a person-centered model reinforced by thorough assessments, appropriate techniques, effective hands-on skills, and evidence-informed practices.
- Develop team-based care treatment plans fortified by cultural competency, research, therapeutic communication skills, decision-making skills, and documentation skills.
- Acquire, organize, integrate, and apply knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for continued research, professional advocacy, leadership, and continued professional development.
- Model New York State’s distinctive massage therapy standards and guidelines as a licensed health professional.
Sample Schedule
| Core Courses | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| First Trimester* | |
| MAS 1100 Kinesiology for Massage Therapy I | 3 |
| MAS 1101 Massage Therapy for Health & Wellness | 2 |
| MAS 1102 Massage Therapy Best Practices | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 8 |
| Second Trimester* | |
|
MAS 2200 Kinesiology for Massage Therapy II |
3 |
| MAS 2225 Clinical Massage Therapy I | 2 |
| MAS 2230 Massage Therapy Campus Clinic | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours | 7 |
| Third Trimester | |
| MAS 3310 Neurology for Massage Therapy | 3 |
| MAS 3100 Pathology for Massage Therapy I | 3 |
| MAS 3325 Clinical Massage Therapy II | 2 |
| MAS 3300 Eastern Massage Treatment | 2 |
| MAS 3310 Eastern Anatomy and Physiology | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours | 11 |
| Fourth Trimester | |
| MAS 3115 Massage Therapy Community Clinic | 2 |
| MAS 4100 Pathology for Massage Therapy II | 3 |
| MAS 4115 Massage Therapy Community Outreach Practicum | 2 |
| MAS 4120 Professional Development | 3 |
| First Aid and CPR | 0 |
| Total Credit Hours | 10 |
| PROGRAM TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 36 |
*Students should complete BIO 1101 Human Anatomy and Physiology I and BIO 1201 Human Anatomy and Physiology II, or equivalent coursework, before enrolling. If necessary, these courses may be taken concurrently in the first and second trimesters, but this will increase both the number of credits, and the time required each term.
The Massage Therapy program requires an application for admission. Applicants are required to provide:
- An official high school transcript, GED certificate or High School Equivalent (HSE).
- One recommendation (ideally from a professional or academic mentor).
- Interview with Program Director may be required.
A hands-on education in health & wellness.
Ready to Start Your Journey to Becoming a Massage Therapist?
Invest in Yourself.
Invest in Yourself.
