Harper College

Massage Therapy Certificate

IMPORTANT NOTE: The information on this page is for a program that is changing. If the changes that have been proposed are approved, classes starting in Aug 2024 and beyond, will be in new curriculum, information about which can be found on  this page 

Prepare for a hands-on career

Program facts Health Sciences icon


  • Credit hours: 34
  • Stackable to degree: No
  • Employment outcome: Massage Therapist

Prepare for a career in massage therapy with this 34-credit-hour (768-clock hour) certificate program. You’ll learn techniques to manipulate soft tissue to promote wellness, flexibility and healing of the body, mind and spirit. The program combines a variety of massage modalities, focusing on both relaxation and rehabilitative massage therapy.

You’ll train in Harper College's on-site Massage Therapy Clinic, a real-world work environment. The entire program can be completed as quickly as 11 months.

After graduation, to work in IL you must pass the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx) and apply for licensure with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

You will also be eligible to sit for the Board Certification Exam to be Board Certified for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (BCTMB), the highest credential in the massage therapy profession.

It is natural to want your education to be on the cutting edge and to know the effort you are putting in is matched by your school's desire to provide a quality education that meets the highest standards. Harper College's Massage Therapy Program has earned Programmatic Accreditation by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA), (900 Commonwealth Place Suite 200-331, Virginia Beach, VA 23464, 202-888-6790). There are fewer than 70 massage therapy schools in the country that have earned this distinction. Harper College's combination of affordable in-district tuition, job placement assistance, caring and experienced faculty and the full complement of community college student services, makes Harper College's Massage Therapy program a great choice for your education.

Our program is a school member of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), the oldest and most respected massage therapy professional association in the country. With this school membership students get a free student-level membership to the association. We are also an Assigned School with the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, (NCBTMB) both of which are members of the Coalition of National Massage Therapy Organizations.

Certificate program requirements

This 34 credit-hour program prepares the graduate to be a massage therapist and sit for the required National Board Exam. A massage therapist manipulates soft tissue to promote wellness, flexibility, and healing of the body, mind and spirit. Massage therapists are employed in diverse environments from chiropractic and rehabilitation settings to beauty and health spas. Many therapists own their own businesses as well as travel to on-site locations. Part-time supplemental employment as well as full-time careers are possible in this diverse profession.

The Massage Therapy profession requires that the therapist uphold high ethical standards and practices. Therapeutic massage requires close contact with clients and students in this program are expected to demonstrate professionalism and comply with the ethical standards of the profession during their treatment of clients.

Students interested in entering the field must meet the requirements set by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR): 18 years of age, high school graduate or equivalent (GED) and successfully pass a criminal background check. Successful completion of MTP 100 (Introduction to Massage Therapy) is also required for admission to the program.

Graduates must pass the Massage Board Licensing Exam (MBLEx) and apply for licensure with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

PREREQUISITE:

A grade of C or better in all MTP courses is required for all students.

Number Course Title Credits
MTP 100 1

Description:  Provides a general program overview and historical development of massage therapy. Introduces students to the benefits of massage therapy and its relationship to our current health care system, alternative health care systems and healing practices from other cultures. Introduces the systems of the body, basic effects of stress on the body and different types of massage modalities. Introduces students to basic anatomical terms, regions of the body, and an anatomy palpation demonstration and practice.

Prerequisite: You must be 18 years old to register for this course.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

FIRST SEMESTER:

A grade of C or better in all MTP courses is required for all students.

Number Course Title Credits
MTP 110 2

Description:  Covers the requirements for the practice of therapeutic massage including sanitary and safety issues. Introduces students to ethics and standards of practice for massage practitioners. Teaches intake processes and communication skills. Discusses the effects of stress on the body and the importance of self-care. Introduces the benefits of breathwork, meditation and mindful movements. Creates a foundation of healthy body mechanics for the massage therapist.

Prerequisite: MTP 100 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

MTP 112 3

Description:  Begins an overview of the structure and function of integumentary, fascial, skeletal, muscular and nervous systems. Examines the indications for and benefits of massage therapy on these systems. Discusses the different types of massage modalities and manual therapies appropriate for each body system covered. Includes medical terminology for professional record keeping.

Prerequisite: MTP 100 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

MTP 115 4

Description:  Covers effects, indications, contraindications, proper body mechanics, and the practice of Swedish massage, joint mobilization and friction techniques. Energetic approaches to healing are demonstrated. Provides training in myofascial therapies. Covers a general sequence for a full body treatment and proper draping techniques.

Prerequisite: MTP 100 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

MTP 118 2

Description:  Covers the stages of injury and inflammation from acute, early to late subacute, and chronic. Discusses effects, indications and contraindications of massage therapy techniques on compromised tissue. Discusses different hydrotherapy techniques, effects, indications and contraindications. Introduces assessment procedures including intake and documentation. Ethical topics and decision-making processes are discussed. Includes theory and practice of clinic treatments and procedures.

Prerequisite: MTP 100 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

MTP 123 3

Description:  Covers musculoskeletal system more specifically in this hands-on class for massage practitioners. Focuses on bony landmarks, muscle location and soft tissue structures of the regions: shoulder, upper arm, trunk, spine, abdomen, pelvis and thigh. Regional treatments incorporating specific anatomy are introduced.

Prerequisite: MTP 100 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

SECOND SEMESTER:

A grade of C or better in all MTP courses is required for all students.

Number Course Title Credits
MTP 122 3

Description:  Provides an overview of the structure and function of the cardiovascular, lymphatic, immune, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, urinary and reproductive systems. Examines the indications for and benefits of massage therapy on these systems. Discusses the different types of massage modalities and manual therapies appropriate for each body system covered.

Prerequisite: MTP 112 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

MTP 125 4

Description:  Provides in-depth adaptation of MTP 115 (Foundations of Massage Therapy I) techniques along with body mechanic theory to apply treatments to regions. Integrates anatomy palpation with specific treatments. General to specific treatment progressions are discussed with focus on safe and effective body mechanics for therapist. Introduces trigger point therapy, specific myofascial therapies and cross-fiber friction. Introduces theory of specific conditions related to dysfunctions associated with the myofascial system, including trigger points.

Prerequisite: MTP 115 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

MTP 128 1

Description:  Provides the students with the opportunity to perform massage therapy in a clinical setting under the supervision of licensed massage therapists. Allows the student opportunities to perform management tasks associated with clinic operation such as booking appointments, taking payments and filing clinic charts. Students complete 45 clinical hours in the on-site clinic.

Prerequisite: MTP 115 and MTP 118 with grades of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

MTP 133 2

Description:  Continues musculoskeletal system more specifically in this advanced hands-on class for massage practitioners. Focuses on bony landmarks, muscle location and soft tissue textures of the regions: head, neck, face, forearm, hand, lower leg, foot. Regional treatments incorporating specific anatomy are introduced.

Prerequisite: MTP 123 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

MTP 134 2

Description:  Covers pathology of the body systems as it relates to massage therapy. Covers mechanisms of health and disease as well as working with special needs populations. Provides research-based lectures and case studies for common dysfunctions and disorders. Discusses scope of practice for massage therapists in relation to assessment and diagnosis.

Prerequisite: MTP 112 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

THIRD SEMESTER:

A grade of C or better in all MTP courses is required for all students.

Number Course Title Credits
MTP 135 2

Description:  Introduces clinical massage theory for specific conditions and special populations. Assessment procedures, advanced modalities and plans of care appropriate for specific conditions are discussed. Discusses the benefits of growing research in the field of clinical massage therapy and incorporates research into treatment planning.

Prerequisite: MTP 125 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

MTP 136 3

Description:  Covers the laws of movement and contractions principles as related to massage therapy. Applies advanced neuromuscular therapies and techniques into treatment plans for musculoskeletal and movement related conditions. Integrates joint mobilization with neuromuscular therapy. Introduces sports massage.

Prerequisite: MTP 112, MTP 122, MTP 123 and MTP 133 with grades of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

MTP 137 1

Description:  Discusses career options, marketing strategies and resume development for an entry-level massage therapist. Ethics are discussed with a focus on business practices, basic tax requirements and legal obligations. National Board (MBLEX) review and practice tests are implemented with test-taking strategies discussed. Continuing education and specialties for massage therapists are discussed.

Prerequisite: MTP 128 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

MTP 138 1

Description:  Allows students to continue practice of massage therapy techniques in a clinical setting under the supervision of licensed massage therapists. Includes participation in community massage events. Allows students the opportunity to participate in tasks associated with clinic operation such as booking appointments, taking payments and filing clinic charts. Students complete 45 clinical hours in the on-site clinic.

Prerequisite: MTP 128 with a grade of C or better.

Class Schedule:  Summer 2024 | Fall 2024

Program Outcomes

The Massage Therapy Program curriculum has been designed to promote learning and development so that following successful completion of the program each graduate will be able to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to perform as an entry-level massage therapist, including the ability to: 

  1. Assess a client's history and current goal(s) to create and communicate a treatment plan;
  2. Utilize a variety of techniques from the massage therapy scope of practice, the effects of which address and target the client’s goals;
  3. Modify the treatment plan based on client feedback and observable results;
  4. Manage treatment time to effectively address the client’s goals;
  5. Create concise, accurate documentation of treatments and on-going treatment plans;
  6. Discuss and implement practices according to legal, professional and ethical standards to protect the client, the practitioner and the profession;
  7. Describe the need for lifelong learning to maintain professional competency and identify educational pathways to attain professional goals and objectives.

The competencies taught in the Massage Therapy program are consistent with the competencies assessed by the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx).

Competencies related to general knowledge of body system structure, function and pathology, detailed knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy, physiology and kinesiology, assessment, therapeutic massage application, professional standards, ethics, self-care as well as business and legal practices are incorporated into Harper College’s Massage Therapy program.

Resources

  • COVID Vaccine Policy:

    As a Health Career program, Harper College Massage Therapy Program encourages students to be up to date with vaccinations for influenza, COVID, varicella, TDAP and MMR, but as this program does not require an off-campus clinical rotation, this program  does not require these vaccinations. Check with the Massage Therapy Program Coordinator to find out what other requirements must be completed prior to starting classes.

    Note: This policy is unique to the Massage Therapy Program among Harper College’s other Health Careers programs. Other departments and programs in the Health Careers division have requirements that differ from this policy, in most cases based on the requirements of that program’s clinical site(s) where students complete clinical internships. 

Next steps

For more information about massage therapy courses at Harper College, contact Admission Outreach at 847.925.6700, or submit a request information form. You can reach the program coordinator at 847.925.6076. You can also apply online.

Last Updated: 3/15/24