What credentials should a massage school have?

Once you have made the decision to enroll into school to become a massage therapist you want to be careful to select a school which has proper massage therapy school credentials. This is because while there are several schools that advertise and offer courses in massage therapy, not all of them are accredited massage therapy schools. Going to a school which is properly accredited for your area can not only make the difference in the quality of the education and training you receive, but it can also determine whether or not you will be able to obtain the licensing or certification required by some states to legally practice massage therapy.

Different states set different guidelines for a massage therapy school to be accredited and properly licensed to operate. Find out what the specific requirements are for schools in your area. This will give you a proper outline of what you should be looking for and asking each massage therapy school you are considering for your education. Keep in mind that while some massage therapy schools may be accredited by an independent massage organization, they may not meet the official guidelines for accreditation by your state. This is why inquiring about the guidelines with a school representative is important.

To be an accredited massage school the school must first meet the guidelines set forth by a massage school accrediting agency. You can look on the internet to find the requirements listed for the requirements set forth by the entity the school listed as being accredited by. This can save you from wasting time speaking with admissions representatives from schools that do not have the credentials you require.

Be sure to ask any school you are interested in if they currently meet those requirements. You may be surprised to find out that some schools may no longer be meeting their accreditation requirements.

Any reputable massage therapy school should be willing to give you information about where their instructors received their education. They should also be willing to share what experience they have in the field of massage and how many “real world” hours of massage therapy they require their instructors to have. These type of credentials can tell you a lot about the quality of education you be receiving from these instructors. Never be shy about asking about instructors' or the school's credentials.