The Post-Degree Professional Certificate is for students who already have an associate, bachelor, or higher degree and want to become licensed massage therapists. This 810 hour program enables full-time students to graduate in one year and then sit for the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx). All applicants for State Medical Board of Ohio massage licensure are required to pass the MBLEx. Post-Degree Professional Certificate Students can return after graduation and complete the Short-Term Certificate in Advanced Massage Therapy, which offers advanced bodywork training that enhances a licensed massage therapist's career.

Program contact: Learn more

This certificate will be automatically awarded when the certificate requirements are completed. If you do not want to receive the certificate, please notify the Office of the Registrar at RegistrarOffice@tri-c.edu.

Learn more about how certificate credits apply to the related degree.

Program Admission Requirements

Application must be submitted to the Massage Therapy Program Office at the Eastern Campus.

  • High School Diploma/GED/HiSet or TASC.
  • GPA required: If courses already taken at Tri-C or other college/university, overall minimum of 2.5 GPA. Students with an overall GPA lower than 2.5, but no lower than 2.0, can be accepted as “Conditional Status” students. Contact the Program Director for more information regarding "Conditional Acceptance" and "Conditional Status.

Other Information

  • The program accepts 26 students in the day program and 26 in the evening program (a combined total of 52 each year which includes students in Degree and Certificate programs).
  • Students will be placed on Conditional Status if a "U," Unsatisfactory, is received for any of the Massage Therapy courses during Academic Progress Reporting in the first semester.
  • Associate or higher degree required from a recognized institution. Official college/university transcripts must be mailed directly from the educational institution to the Office of the Registrar.
  • Non-native English speaking applicants:  Admission into Cuyahoga Community College is premised on a complete and accurate initial application to the College, including, if applicable, proof of English Language Proficiency Requirements for admission as indicated on the English Language Proficiency Requirements for Admissions to the College, and available on the web at: http://www.tri-c.edu/get-started/international-students/english-language-proficiency-requirements-for-admission.html
    To be accepted into any selective admission programs, students must successfully complete English as a Second Language (ESL) course/s, as referenced above,  if deemed necessary by the College at the time of enrollment.  Admission is conditioned upon achieving the necessary grade point average (GPA), English language proficiency requirements and any specific pre-requisite courses, and by meeting program accreditation or licensing requirements as evidenced in the Program Handbook for the specific program.
  • Tri-C Health Careers criminal background check required before acceptance to the Massage Therapy Program.
  • Important: Arrests, charges or convictions of criminal offenses may be cause to deny or limit licensure or employment opportunities and may limit the student’s ability to obtain federal, state, and other financial aid. Students are encouraged to investigate these possibilities before applying to the Massage Therapy Program. In addition to the criminal background check required before acceptance to the program, the State Medical Board of Ohio requires that all applicants for massage licensure must submit BCII and FBI fingerprints and a criminal background check as part of the massage licensure application process. Please see Rule 4731-4-02(D) of the Ohio Administrative Code for factors the medical board may consider when reviewing the results of a criminal record check.
  • Students must submit evidence of good health and required immunizations before acceptance to the program. Student will not be accepted or will be dismissed from the program if significant limiting health conditions are present to prevent student from performing the essential functions of a Massage Therapy student and/or constitute a hazard to health and safety of participants or classmates.
  • Accepted applicants are required to attend Orientation session held prior to the start of fall semester.
  • Pass/No Pass (P/NP) and Audit (A) grading options for English and Math or any other courses in the Massage Therapy Program Sequence not accepted.
  • Students must meet all college, program and medical board admissions requirements before acceptance to the program. This includes timely and correct completion of all required paperwork. Students are then accepted on a "first-come, first-served" basis, once per year.
  • Ohio Medical Board accepts the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) for licensure. Applicants for Ohio massage licensure are required to sit for and pass the MBLEx and then apply to the Ohio Medical Board for licensure. Students must complete all courses in the Certificate of Proficiency or Post-Degree Professional Certificate sequence with a letter grade of "C" or better and meet all other college, program, and Ohio Medical Board requirements.
  • Once accepted, students must maintain a 2.5 GPA throughout program. Students with an Overall and/or MT course GPA below 2.5 but no lower than 2.0 will be placed on Conditional Status. Students who drop below 2.0 GPA are dismissed from the program.

Program Learning Outcomes

This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

  1. Use observation, verbal and other assessment tools to plan and perform a general relaxation massage.
  2. Show proficiency in anatomy and physiology studies, massage theory and techniques to be eligible to sit for the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) MBLEx examination required for licensure as a Massage Therapist by the Ohio State Medical Board.
  3. Apply the knowledge of anatomy to the study of cells, tissues, and different systems of the body.
  4. Apply the detailed knowledge of anatomy as it relates to the study of muscles, joints, and ligaments.
  5. Use the knowledge of physiological principles as it relates to the different systems of the body and massage therapy.
  6. Apply the knowledge of pathological conditions as they indicate or contraindicate the applications of massage therapy.
  7. Apply the principles of pharmacology as it relates to the indications and contraindications to massage therapy.
  8. Develop a business plan that will address principles of small business management, entrepreneurship and marketing for a private practice.
  9. Demonstrate work ethic, hygiene, office management, customer service, time management and team work skills needed in a clinic setting.
  10. Communicate verbally and in writing, including SOAP charting, to clients, colleagues and other health care professionals.
  11. Conduct yourself professionally, ethically and legally, especially regarding sexual and substance abuse issues, according to the State Medical Board of Ohio and American Massage Therapy Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice including identifying and referring patients to an appropriate licensed healthcare professional as needed.
  12. Apply emergency, safety and sanitation protocols according to OSHA and CDC regulatory standards for a clinic and hospital setting.

Suggested Semester Sequence

Plan of Study Grid
First SemesterCredit Hours
MT-1242 Somatic Studies I 3
MT-1302 Massage Therapy I 2
MT-1312 Applied Musculo-Skeletal Anatomy 3
MT-2301 Pathology for Massage Therapists 3
Select one of the following: 1
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
CPR-AED for Healthcare Professionals
 Credit Hours12
Second Semester
MT-1272 Somatic Studies II 3
MT-1321 Functional Assessment in Massage Therapy 2
MT-1331 Massage Therapy II 3
MT-2350 Massage Therapy Clinic I 3
 Credit Hours11
Summer Completion
MT-1280 Somatic Studies III 2
MT-2201 Massage Modalities and Career Paths 2
MT-2360 Massage Therapy Clinic II 3
MT-2701 Comprehensive Somatic Studies for Massage Therapists 1
MT-2991 Comprehensive Massage Therapy 1
 Credit Hours9
 Total Credit Hours32

MATH-1140, MATH-1141, MATH-1200, MATH-1270, and MATH-1280 can no longer count towards fulfilling the college-level mathematics requirement.  These courses were re-classified as developmental mathematics by the state of Ohio in 2016.  Tri-C established a 5-year transitioning window for students who had completed these courses prior to 2016 to apply them towards meeting graduation requirements, which expired in Summer 2021. It is highly recommended to see a counselor to determine the appropriate math required for your current major.