Program Description
Massage Therapy is a personal health service utilizing soft-tissue manipulations to treat pain, improve range of motion, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. Massage therapists obtain the basic medical history of a client, assess any problems or conditions, and perform appropriate massage techniques based on the current health of the client. Licensed massage therapists may find work at spas, fitness centers, athletic teams, chiropractor and physician clinics, hospitals, physical therapy clinics, or be self-employed. Wages vary widely and can range from about $30-$100 per treatment hour.
The Kapi‘olani Community College’s Massage Therapy Program is a non-credit evening and weekend program comprised of coursework with theory, hands-on practice, competency testing, and clinical experience. The length of the program is approximately 11 months long and meets from Monday through Thursday evenings from 6 pm-9 pm and Saturdays from 9 am-12noon.
Students who successfully complete the entire program at Kapi‘olani Community College will receive a certificate of competence and be eligible to take the Hawai‘i State Board of Massage License Examination as well as qualify for the Massage and Bodywork License Examination (MBLEx) for U.S. mainland states.
Program Admission
Students may enroll in the program without any academic prerequisites. However, students will need to be proficient in the English language. Also, it is highly recommended that students have had some college experience since all courses will be conducted with college-level academic expectations. Students will be enrolled as soon as the minimum payment is received on a first-come-first-served basis. The minimum payment to enroll is $215 (Introduction to Massage Therapy and Student Liability Insurance) and can change without notice. There is limited seating for this program.
The first step is to attend a mandatory information session to learn whether this program will fit your needs or not and to learn about what to expect while in the program. These sessions are free and no appointment is necessary. Visit the Massage Therapy Program website for more information on the dates and times of the information sessions.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon satisfactory completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Recognize the role and scope of the massage therapist as a member of the healthcare team.
- Demonstrate knowledge, understanding, and application of basic principles of human anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and pathology for massage.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of basic principles of documentation, ethics, legal liability, and business practices involved in a massage therapy practice.
- Understand the theory and rationale for the various massage techniques learned.
- Demonstrate safe and effective application of general and specialty massage techniques to meet the needs of various situations and people.
Licensure and Certification Information
Graduates of the Kapi’olani Community College Massage Therapy Program are eligible to take the Hawai‘i State Board of Massage License Examination and be eligible for national certification through the MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork License Examination). Students will also receive two Kapi’olani Community College Certificates of Competence—one in General Massage Therapy and the other in Specialty Massage Therapy.
Contact Information
Martin Chong
Health Education Non-Credit Program Coordinator
Email: martincs@hawaii.edu