Massage Therapy

Program Overview

Do you have the desire to be a health care professional and want to know how to assess and treat physical dysfunction and pain? In this program that is strongly rooted in anatomy, you will gain the knowledge and skills to be a massage therapist. Massage Therapy is a career that is rewarding, engaging, and fun!

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U)
Grade 11 or 12 Mathematics (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 biology (C, M or U)

AND

One of the following sciences:

Grade 11 or 12 chemistry (C, M or U)
Grade 11 Physics (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 Exercise Science (C, M or U)

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Tuition

Year one domestic: $2,722 (CAD)
Year one international: $13,852 (CAD)

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Semester 1 Courses

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Hands On

Anatomy

Massage

Technology recommendations

To help students succeed in programs with remote learning requirements, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified minimum technology recommendations. While these are not program requirements, these suggestions will help ensure students have the right tools to support a quality remote learning experience.

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Intakes and Availability

Date	Domestic Availability	International Availability
September 2022	Open	Open

Students acquire invaluable experiential learning in the Durham College Spa.

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Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Massage therapist

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Program Details

In this program, students will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to provide safe, effective and ethical care at the entry-level of practice within the massage therapy profession.

Major emphasis is placed on the foundation of Anatomy and then applied through hands-on techniques in clinic settings. Students practice and develop effective communication skills, critical thinking and decision-making ability to meet legal and ethical obligations according to legislative and profession-specific guidelines. Self-care techniques, entrepreneurial knowledge and assessment skills are also emphasized.

The program’s foundation is based on the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics identified by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) and the Inter-jurisdictional Practice Competencies and Performance Indicators identified by the Federation of Massage Therapy Regulatory Authorities of Canada (FOMTRAC).

Program Learning Outcomes

Conduct a massage therapy practice within a legal, professional and ethical framework.
Apply business principles relevant to a massage therapy practice.
Communicate and collaborate effectively and professionally with clients, colleagues and members of the interprofessional team.
Develop and maintain therapeutic relationships to optimize clients’ health and wellness.
Collect and assess clients’ information to determine their state of health and the treatment goals.
Develop a plan of care according to the client’s condition and the treatment goals.
Implement the plan of care according to the client’s condition and the treatment goals.
Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan of care.
Maintain documentation securely, accurately and in a timely manner.
Develop and implement ongoing effective strategies for personal and professional development to ensure quality care.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U)
Grade 11 or 12 Mathematics (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 biology (C, M or U)

AND

One of the following sciences:

Grade 11 or 12 chemistry (C, M or U)
Grade 11 Physics (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 Exercise Science (C, M or U)

Courses

The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Semester 6

Courses and course descriptions are subject to change. Please note that as a result of COVID-19 the 2022-23 program of study may be modified to accommodate program delivery changes.

Costs

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Massage therapist

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

Athletic organizations
Entrepreneur opportunities – open your own clinic
Chiropractic/physiotherapy offices
Fitness clubs/centres
Health-care clinics
Hotels, resorts and spas
Private practices
Retirement homes

Clinical Placement

In this program, students use the knowledge and skills they have developed to care for patients in the community. Students act as massage therapy student practitioners under the supervision of RMT placement instructors. Students will participate in both off-campus placements and on-campus clinics within the Durham College Spa.

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Please note: There are costs associated with Electronic Student Permit Checking (ESPC), immunizations, lab tests and certifications. Be sure to keep all of your receipts for income tax purposes. These costs include:

Service fees for Verified, our documentation collection and ESPC verification partner.
Costs to complete mandatory immunizations, lab tests, and certifications.

It is required that students have completed the ESPC with Verified to be eligible for the field placement component of this program. You must (at your expense) provide:

A clear and current Criminal Reference Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS). If you cannot provide a clear CRC with VSS, you may not be accepted for placement by a field placement agency. CRCs with VSS must be obtained from your local police station. You may be required to obtain additional CRCs with VSS to meet field placement agency requirements
Current Level C CPR from a recognized provider
Current standard first aid certification from a recognized provider
Entry immunization form completed by a health-care provider

Links:

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Durham College also offers degree completion opportunities with a number of Canadian and international institutions. Sample diploma-to-degree opportunities include:

Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.

Technology Recommendations

To help students have the best remote learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.

Processor: i3
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 256GB SSD
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1
Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version)
Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter
Camera: Webcam/built-in camera
Internet connection

Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk or the school office.

Program Overview

Admission Requirements

Tuition

Semester 1 Courses

Technology recommendations

Intakes and Availability

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Program Details

Program Learning Outcomes

Admission Requirements

Courses

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Semester 6

Costs

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

Clinical Placement

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Technology Recommendations

Massage Therapy in the news

Helpful Resources

Have a Question? Attend a Program Information Webinar

Financial Aid Information

Graduate Employment Report [PDF]

Have a Question?
Attend a Program Information Webinar