Wake Tech's Massage Therapy program prepares graduates to work in direct client care settings to provide manipulation, methodical pressure, friction and kneading of the body to maintain wellness or treat alterations in wellness throughout the lifespan.

The program is 625 contact hours and is offered at the Western Wake Campus, at 3434 Kildaire Farm Road in Cary.

Program contact:
Nancy Harrell
[email protected]

The Massage Therapy program prepares graduates for the following:

• Take the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx), administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards. Passing the MBLEx is necessary to apply for a license as a massage therapist in North Carolina. Other states may require graduates to pass a different exam.
• Function as providers of massage therapy care, managers of care, members of the discipline of body workers and members of a multidisciplinary team.
• Strive for excellence and assume leadership roles in providing quality therapeutic massage care to clients and groups in a variety of settings.

The Part 1 course introduces concepts basic to the role of the massage therapist in a variety of clinical settings. Emphasis is placed on beginning theory and techniques of bodywork, as well as skill in therapeutic touch. The course involves 300 contact hours. Upon completion, a student should be able to apply basic practical massage therapy skills. Students must successfully complete Massage Therapy Part I to be eligible to enroll in Part II.

The following topics are covered:

• Massage theory
• Swedish massage
• Seated massage
• Anatomy, physiology and pathology
• Law
• Ethics and therapeutic relationship

Tuition and fees are $201, and textbooks and supplies will cost about $700.

The Part II course provides an expanded knowledge and skill base for the massage therapist in a variety of clinical settings. Emphasis is placed on selected therapeutic approaches throughout the lifespan. The course involves 325 contact hours. Upon completion, students should be able to perform entry-level therapeutic massage on various populations.

The following topics are covered:

• Sports massage
• Hydrotherapy
• Kinesiology
• Deep-tissue and trigger-point massage
• Prenatal and infant massage
• Geriatric massage
• Eastern bodywork
• Business practices
• Student clinic and MBLEx practice and review

Tuition and fees are $201, and textbooks and supplies will cost about $400.

Financial assistance available

Don't have enough money to pay for a course? Right now, Wake Tech's Propel program offers scholarships that cover the cost of registration, fees, books, course-specific supplies and credentialing exams.

Professional licensure

Wake Tech academic programs (credit and non-credit) that are designed to lead to professional licenses are tied to North Carolina or national certifications. If you intend to pursue professional licenses outside North Carolina once you have completed your academic program at Wake Tech, please refer to the Professional Licensure section of the college's distance education authorization page for additional information.