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Accreditation counts!...right?
Hi All,
I'm reaching out for advise on the topic of accredited schools. I personally feel very strongly that accreditation is crucial but I see many school popping up, and have to think to myself, "how important is it really" I would love some insight from other professionals. Did you attend an accredited school, or maybe not? What experience have come about as you continue in your massage career? Please feel free to share, I think its a great topic to open up about!
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dawn Lewis on -
Hi Teagan - I am in Colorado and I have owned several massage schools here. Accreditation was not important for us. As a matter of fact, I mostly avoided it. Our curriculum was exactly what we wanted it to be. It flowed nicely and fit our vision. With accreditation comes a fair amount of regulation and an inability as a school owner, instructor, and therapist to run your program in line with that vision. Most states require that massage schools are "approved", "regulated", "recognized", but not accredited. Schools that have their states approval are fulfilling the requirements of that state. If you are planning on practicing in another state, make sure you know the requirements of that state. When looking for continuing education, look for classes that are approved through the NCBTMB, as well as your state, if your state requires separate approval. Again, with CE courses, accreditation is does not mean automatically excepted.
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Permalink Reply by Teagan McDonald on
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Awesome, thanks you so much for the feedback. I would love to experience massage education in Colorado. Do you offer any CEU's?? I agree that the "vision" becomes altered with all the regulations. Very nicely put!
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on
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Uhm, ? I wanted to be a licensed massage therapist in Hawaii. So in order to do that I had to pass a state licensing exam. And you had to go to a school recognised by the state. So if you go to a school thats not recognised by the state or whoever issues you your license. You can't work legally. So for me, thats all that matters. Why would you spend a bunch of money only to work illegally for what you could have done for free?.,, after watching a DVD on basic massage or something.
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Permalink Reply by Dawn Lewis on
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Hi Teagan - Sorry I have been super busy. I do offer CE's I teach Spontaneous Muscle Release Technique or SMRT across the country and have the entire body (broken into segments of course!) available on DVD, digital download, or 60-day rental. It is a fantastic technique. My website is www.efullcircle.com if you would like to know more. There is a phone number on the website, please feel free to call me if you have questions.
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Permalink Reply by Epiphany Hawkins on
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I went to Everest in VA. The school had its programs accredited, except months after I graduated from there the program shut down including other massage programs in the area at different schools. I forgot why, though. It was years ago.
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Permalink Reply by Gary W Addis, LMT on
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If you want full credit recognized in all states, it makes sense to choose an accredited school and accredited CEU classes. Education costs are already too high and are increasing at a prodigious rate. Too expensive to risk spending time, effort and big bucks obtaining an education that won't be accepted everywhere you might relocate to in the future.
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agree with you all the way.
Attending a non-accredited school or class today is just not logical. Why would anyone in 2014 establish a school and not put in the extra effort and money necessary to obtain accreditation?-- that too is illogical.
Granted, an experienced MT may take non-approved, unrecognized classes merely because they want to learn the modality-- Gordon does, I do, thousands of other massage therapists do. But for a student entering the field today, accreditation of school and CEU providers is very very important.
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Gordon J. Wallis said:Uhm, ? I wanted to be a licensed massage therapist in Hawaii. So in order to do that I had to pass a state licensing exam. And you had to go to a school recognised by the state. So if you go to a school thats not recognised by the state or whoever issues you your license. You can't work legally. So for me, thats all that matters. Why would you spend a bunch of money only to work illegally for what you could have done for free?.,, after watching a DVD on basic massage or something.
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I don't know. If you are still qualified to take the national certification test after attending a school that isn't accredited, what difference does it makes?
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If the school is not accredited, you probably will not be permitted to test--you will not be qualified to test. Many if not most regulated states will not accept credits from a non-accredited school. The Boards must approve the student for testing; no one can show up at the testing site with a diploma in hand from a substandard school--and rightly or wrongly if it's not accredited it is considered substandard-- and sit for licensing exam.
Kinda like getting awarded a doctorate from, say, a 3 month correspondence course-- it may look impressive on a wall, but it won't qualify anyone to perform brain surgery
Accreditation is a means of making certain that standards are established, and met. I mean, a 3 year Swedish massage course won't qualify for licensing if the course doesn't include a grounding in A&P, kinesiology, Pathology, et. And for obvious reasons, the instructors themselves must prove their own qualifications to teach.
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Understandable
Gary W Addis, LMT said:If the school is not accredited, you probably will not be permitted to test--you will not be qualified to test. Many if not most regulated states will not accept credits from a non-accredited school. The Boards must approve the student for testing; no one can show up at the testing site with a diploma in hand from a substandard school--and rightly or wrongly if it's not accredited it is considered substandard-- and sit for licensing exam.
Kinda like getting awarded a doctorate from, say, a 3 month correspondence course-- it may look impressive on a wall, but it won't qualify anyone to perform brain surgery
Accreditation is a means of making certain that standards are established, and met. I mean, a 3 year Swedish massage course won't qualify for licensing if the course doesn't include a grounding in A&P, kinesiology, Pathology, et. And for obvious reasons, the instructors themselves must prove their own qualifications to teach.
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Hmm, come to think of it. I have not taken one CEU class my entire massage career.
Gary W Addis, LMT said:agree with you all the way.
Attending a non-accredited school or class today is just not logical. Why would anyone in 2014 establish a school and not put in the extra effort and money necessary to obtain accreditation?-- that too is illogical.
Granted, an experienced MT may take non-approved, unrecognized classes merely because they want to learn the modality-- Gordon does, I do, thousands of other massage therapists do. But for a student entering the field today, accreditation of school and CEU providers is very very important.
--
Gordon J. Wallis said:Uhm, ? I wanted to be a licensed massage therapist in Hawaii. So in order to do that I had to pass a state licensing exam. And you had to go to a school recognised by the state. So if you go to a school thats not recognised by the state or whoever issues you your license. You can't work legally. So for me, thats all that matters. Why would you spend a bunch of money only to work illegally for what you could have done for free?.,, after watching a DVD on basic massage or something.
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Permalink Reply by Dawn Lewis on
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Again, "accreditation" is the wrong word. States require state approval so they are sure the school meets their curriculum requirements. If accreditation is part of what that states requires, then all schools in that state will be accredited or they will be closed down. I owned several schools in Colorado, where all private schools, including massage schools, are highly regulated. My schools were state approved, but not accredited, but they were approved by the NCBTMB for testing. If a state requires state testing, then they will not allow a school to operate if that school is not state approved for testing. I now teach continuing education and I, as with most CE instructors, am not accredited. I am however, approved by the NCBTMB and NY, AR, ND, TX, FL, etc. all the states that require separate approval.
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