The massage therapy schools in Calgary are a place to get the needed knowledge and educational requirement to become massage therapists in Calgary.
Completing the required education hours in these massage therapy schools in Calgary means graduates may choose to practice in a variety of settings.
So many of these massage therapists will become self-employed, while others may work in massage clinics. Other places to find massage therapists working include:
- Clinics
- Chiropractors or doctors’ offices
- Spas
- Health clubs
- Nursing homes
- Hospitals
Furthermore, massage therapy is a highly flexible profession, affording individuals the opportunity to choose work schedules that best suit their needs.
In this article, we will look at the massage therapy schools in Calgary and how to become a registered massage therapist in Alberta.
How to Become a Registered Massage Therapist in Alberta
Before we move further to the massage therapy schools in Calgary, how can one become a massage therapist?
As we mentioned earlier, massage therapy is a great, in-demand career. Before we look at the massage therapy schools in Calgary, how do you become a massage therapist in Alberta?
The process of becoming a massage therapist is similar to that of a dental hygienist, physical therapist, or nurse.
This simply implies that before you can practice as a massage therapist in Alberta, you need training and practice, and you have to graduate from a recognized post-secondary institution such as MaKami College.
To become a massage therapist in Alberta, there are five steps along your path to becoming a registered massage therapist. These steps are listed below.
- Check Your Eligibility
- Take Your Coursework
- Complete Your Practicum
Check Your Eligibility
The first step to becoming a massage therapist in Alberta is starting with a short survey in order to find out if you are eligible. After checking your eligibility through the survey you have carried out, you can know if you are qualified to be a massage therapist. If not, then you can decide what else needs to be put in place.
Massage therapy schools in Alberta accommodate students from different backgrounds, languages, and previous experiences.
Take Your Coursework
Deciding which of the massage therapy schools in Calgary, or anywhere else in Alberta to attend should be the next on your list.
There, you can hit the books and take some classes. You will take classes on anatomy, physiology, pathology, and different massage techniques.
Year two dives deeper into advanced techniques and knowledge of the human body.
Massage therapy programs also teach you how to market your skills, communicate with clients, and understand the different environments where you can use your massage therapy abilities.
Having known these, while choosing a massage therapy school, take note of the class schedule, does the school offer a blended learning program? online or on-site classes, pre-recorded or live sessions 一 it all lets you decide what is suitable for you.
Complete Your Practicum
Completing practicum training for hands-on experience in massage therapy is an advantage. This is why you must choose schools that provide practicum.
There are so many schools that assist in arranging training in a real clinic setting.
Find out the local practice requirements
Before even enrolling in any of the massage therapy schools in Calgary, you might want to know if massage therapy is a regulated profession in Alberta.
In Alberta, massage therapy is not a government-regulated profession, but you need to register yourself with one of the professional associations to be a registered massage therapist.
Some associations that you can become a member of are:
Common Requirements in Massage Therapy Schools
The majority of massage therapy schools require a high school diploma, GED, or an aptitude test for you to enroll in their program.
The schools also interview the candidates personally. Furthermore, for a massage therapy diploma, you need to be fully vaccinated and you must present the appropriate qualifications.
Only students who are enrolling in a full-time, licensed program are eligible to apply for federal and provincial student loans and grants.
Keep in mind the dates when the program begins and get your documents ready well in time.
The List of Massage Therapy Schools in Calgary with Alberta Recognized RMT Education Programs
The institutions below are listed as massage therapy schools in Calgary because they offer massage therapy programs and are either situated in Calgary or have campuses in Calgary.
They are not arranged in order of the best, but rather are just top schools you should consider for that massage therapy program.
MaKami College (Edmonton and Calgary)
At Makami college, you can get the skills that you need to become a certified massage therapist with their 3,000-hour Advanced Clinical Massage Therapy (ACMT) program in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta.
Their 3,000-hour massage therapy program offers the highest level of massage therapy training in Alberta and it takes just 2 years to complete.
At Makami college, you get hands-on training with potential clientele as well as practicum placements where you can practice your new skills.
The success rate of MaKami College graduating students finding jobs in their chosen field in 2020 was 97%.
Mount Royal University (Calgary)
This University is on the list of massage therapy schools in Calgary because they offer massage therapy programs of a high standard.
The Massage Therapy Program at Mount Royal University has been granted Preliminary Accreditation, the first step in the CMTCA accreditation process.
Following a site visit to verify compliance with the standards, CMTCA will issue a final accreditation decision.
At Mount Royal University, you get hand-on-experience and will be able to apply your skills to a variety of clients and special populations in our supervised student-run practicum clinic and through community outreach opportunities.
In addition, the beautiful thing about Mount Royal College is that there are scholarships awarded annually based on academic excellence, including twelve $1,000 scholarships funded through the student practicum clinic.
For those who wish to further their education, graduates are eligible to receive transfer credit towards:
They train to the highest standards nationally with a curriculum that exceeds the Inter-Jurisdictional Practice Competencies and Performance Indicators for Massage Therapists at Entry-to-Practice.
Professional Institute of Massage Therapy (Calgary)
The Professional Institute of Massage Therapy has programs that can introduce basic and advanced techniques, provide hands-on experience, and prepare you for the future.
Their classes are relatively small so we can focus on each of our students.
Their staff is very knowledgeable about the industry.
They provide the content in the nationally recognized 2,200 Hours – don’t pay for more than that!
Their program is licensed by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Advanced Education.
MH Vicars School of Massage Therapy (Edmonton and Calgary)
At Vicars School of Massage Therapy, you will get a massage therapy education that meets the highest national standards—on a schedule that fits your life.
Their blended-learning classes require you to be in a classroom four days a month for intensive, hands-on instruction.
Outside of these class dates, you will work from home, following their exclusive materials online on the Moodle platform.
You can choose between monthly or weekly classes and between their campuses in Edmonton or Calgary—whichever is the most convenient option for you and your family.
Their Calgary massage therapy school is located in the northwest in the Country Hills area.
In Calgary, they have an on-campus Monday-Friday daily class that is completed in about 70 weeks, which is five months sooner than their other blended-learning classes.
The daily class is also a 2200-hour, full-time program that covers the same content but is delivered in a different way.
CDI College (Edmonton and Calgary)
Start a career helping others with hands-on training in CDI College’s Massage Therapy 2400 diploma program.
This full-time, 96-week intensive massage therapy program prepares you to become a valued, well-paid member of the healthcare community.
In the program, you will learn from experienced instructors with years of experience as massage therapists.
In your courses, you’ll begin developing fundamental massage skills, including hydrotherapy, palpation, remedial exercise, and patient assessment.
The Massage Therapy 2400 diploma program is offered at CDI College campuses in Calgary and Edmonton to train closer to home.
Alberta College of Massage Therapy – Calgary
- 18 Month Program
Alberta College of Massage Therapy offers an inspired, flexible program that lets you train for a career as a Registered Massage Therapist without putting your life on hold.
This is one of the massage therapy schools in Calgary with a progressive learning approach that combines home study, in-class tutorials, and clinic practical time.
Students study from home using ACMT’s online Learning Management System.
ACMT instructors are always available through email to answer any questions. In-class sessions focus on hands-on learning.
Students learn the basics of relaxation massage and a variety of Swedish Massage techniques.
Students are introduced to anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, hydrotherapy, and much more.
Other Top Massage Therapy Schools in Calgary
- Seminars for Health
- Calgary College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture
- Alberta College of Massage Therapy & Manual Osteopathic College of Canada
- NIWE Academy
- Samadhi Thai Massage School
- CITCM Acupuncture & Massage Therapy Training
- Manual Osteopathic College of Canada
Now let’s provide more details on the massage therapy schools listed above.
Seminars For Health
- Location: 1822 10 Ave SW Suite 100, Calgary, AB T3C 0J8
- Website: https://www.seminarsforhealth.ca/
- (403) 607-9389
SFH is one of the best massage schools in Calgary for therapists who want to further their practice.
They have classes on dynamic cupping, assisted stretching, tissue manipulation, and many more.
SFH is certified by massage therapy organizations such as the Certified Registered Massage Therapist Association (CRMTA) and Natural Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC).
Calgary College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture
- Location: 4014 Macleod Trail SE #107, Calgary, AB T2G 2R7
- Website: http://www.cctcma.com/
- (403) 287-8688
Calgary College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture (CCTCMA) is one of the massage therapy schools in Calgary that offers a 3-year acupuncture training, a 4-year doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and the standard 2200-hour course on massage therapy.
This school offers small class sizes and extensive practicals, students receive the utmost attention.
NIWE Academy
- Location: 3817 27 St NE, Calgary, AB T1Y 7G2
- Website: https://www.niwe.ca/
- (403) 453-8200
If you want to learn about massage therapy and all-around aesthetic services at the same time, then, this is one of the massage therapy schools in Calgary for you to consider.
The school offers blended learning programs on massage therapy, hairdressing, nails, barbering, and comprehensive aesthetics.
NIWE also has ties to numerous commercial partners and has been awarded the Consumer Choice Award for Business Excellence.
Samadhi Thai Massage School
- Location: Calgary, AB
- Website: https://samadhithaimassage.com/
Francine Petit of Samadhi Thai Massage School is one of the highest qualified Thai Massage therapists in Canada and has had over 22 years of experience studying under many different masters and lineages.
She is accredited as a Registered Thai Therapist Advanced Practitioner and Instructor with the Thai Healing Alliance International since the year 2006.
She is also a Registered Massage Therapist in Alberta, Canada in Orthopedic Massage. Manual Osteopathy Practitioner.
CITCM Acupuncture & Massage Therapy Training
- Location: 300 1824 Crowchild Tr NW, Calgary, AB T2M 3Y7
- Website: https://citcm.com/citcm-programs/massage-therapy-training/
- (403) 520-5258 or info@citcm.com
CITCM is one of the massage therapy schools in Calgary that was founded in the year 2004.
They started with Acupuncture programs and services. Over the years it has graduated numbers of students who have become successfully licensed massage therapists with their cutting-edge Western and Eastern techniques.
Manual Osteopathic College of Canada
- Tuition: $13,740.00 including GST (plus a $250.00 registration fee)
- Books & Supplies: $1,295.00
The Manual Osteopathic Therapy program is compliant with World Health Organization Type II Training Benchmarks. The program is 1180 instructional and clinical hours held over a period of 56 weeks in Regina.
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will receive a Manual Osteopathic Therapist Diploma (MOTD).
What is Manual Osteopathic Therapy?
Manual Osteopathic Therapy uses hands-on skills for the investigation and treatment of body dysfunctions.
They examine the whole body, find out mechanical disruptions and treat them whether symptoms exist or not.
Simply put, let’s say you have right shoulder pain – expect the Manual Osteopathic Therapist to examine the joint and soft tissue around the shoulder. When imbalances are found, they are gently treated with techniques that engage the dysfunctional tissue until the function is normalized.
This profession can equally be found in massage therapy schools in Calgary.
How much do massage therapists make in Calgary?
The average salary for a massage therapist is $51.39 per hour in Calgary, AB.
Is massage Therapy in demand in Alberta?
In Alberta in general, the Massage Therapist profession is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 3.3% from 2019 to 2023.
In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 225 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Can I work part-time as a massage therapist?
Yes. Part-time positions are available and are preferred.
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