An office within the Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure, this panel licenses MT practitioners, schools, and establishments.
The board develops minimum standards for school programs and instructors, requires license applicants to pass an examination, ensures that licensees renew their credentials, and establishes continuing education rules.
There are seven board members, appointed by the governor. Three are licensed massage therapists who have practiced in the state for at least five years. One is an elected public health professional, one is a school operator, and two are consumers familiar with the field.
Minimum Education Requirements for Massage Therapy Programs in Massachusetts
Massage therapy schools limit enrollment to applicants who hold high school diplomas or GEDs. Some recommend taking extra health and science classes while in high school.
Selecting an appropriate postsecondary institution is critical. The state licenses only graduates of accredited schools with programs that meet the board’s requirements. There must be 650 or more contact hours, including 550 hours of academic courses and 100 hours of clinical experience.
A curriculum is to contain 100 hours in anatomy and physiology; 45 hours in pathology; 45 hours in kinesiology; 60 hours in ethics, professionalism, and business practices; and 300 hours of supervised classroom massage theory and technique.
Certificates and degrees qualify prospective practitioners to apply to the board for licenses. They need to pass the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx) or the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (MCBTMB).
Therapists have to obtain license renewals and attend continuing education classes every three years.