This regulatory agency approves schools, registers instructors, sets curriculum standards, and licenses practitioners.
The officials require those who apply for licenses to submit school transcripts, verification of having passed the National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, and evidence of holding a $1 million personal-liability insurance policy.
There is a $25 license-application fee. The exam consists of 125 questions concerning anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology; pathology; massage and bodywork assessment; and professional massage standards.
The board also regulates continuing-education programs, and holds hearings to consider allegations of misconduct and rule violations by schools or practitioners.
Minimum Education Requirements for Massage Therapy Programs in Alabama
To become a massage therapist in Alabama, a student must successfully complete at least 650 hours of education at a state-recognized school. The requirement includes 100 or more hours of coursework in anatomy and physiology, 35 hours in myology, 15 hours in osteology, and 10 hours each in the circulatory and nervous systems.
Additional classes vary by school, but no fewer than 250 hours must be devoted to basic massage theory and closely related topics. This is to include instruction in touch modalities. There has to be some education in business practices and in therapies that use water. Supervised practice makes up another 50 hours of study.
Individual schools determine the classes for an additional 50 hours. Among the state-approved alternatives are hydrotherapy, business, ethics, and first aid. Some schools exceed the 650-hour mandate.
The state Board of Massage offers advanced credentialing for those who complete 750 hours of study, some of which is available through continuing education. This may give practitioners more opportunities and qualify them for higher-paying positions. There are also post-graduate programs that train therapists for specialties, like working with certain types of animals.