Associate of Science (Massage Therapy/Asian Bodywork)

Begin your massage and Asian Bodywork career with our associate’s degree. Our program ties together massage therapy with Oriental medicine theory, giving you the tools to best serve your future clients’ needs with a unique blend of East and West. 

The purpose of the Associate of Science program is to develop the student into an expertly trained body therapist, while providing the general education units required to advance into the bachelor’s or master’s degree program. The massage therapy portion of the program emphasizes Oriental medical theory, tui na, and the development of the student's ability to understand the causes and symptoms of disease. In the bodywork portion of the program, students receive an introduction to the theories of Chinese medicine and specialize in a multitude of Asian bodywork therapies.

The Associate of Science (Massage Therapy/Asian Bodywork) is a five-semester degree program consisting of core massage therapy curriculum and 37 units of General Education to meet the requirements for advancement into the Master’s program. The Associate of Science Program is a total of 69 units. Graduates are eligible for national massage certification by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), as well as the requirements for Illinois licensure.

Graduates of the Associate of Science (Massage Therapist/Asian Bodywork) degree will:

• Demonstrate ethical behavior in their personal and professional lives.
• Demonstrate fundamental body therapy skills.
• Know and demonstrate essential, hygienic considerations in the performance of massage.
• Know and respect conditions contraindicating massage.
• Be eligible for the examination administered by National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
• Demonstrate competent and professional communication and human relations skills.
• Possess the knowledge and skill to run their own private practice massage business or become employed by other healthcare practitioners who utilize massage as part of their client treatment.
• Possess skills that may lead to management positions in their industry.
• Possess working knowledge and the ability to utilize information literacy skills to do further research and study.
• Demonstrate a deeper appreciation of the historical/philosophical context in which Oriental Medicine is based.
• Be eligible to apply to the bachelor’s and/or master’s degree at Pacific or other higher education institutions.

The Pacific College Associate of Science (Massage Therapy/Asian Bodywork) program combines PCOM’s standard of excellence in quality education with courses that are fully integrated with on-location hands-on training and clinical rotations.

Federal Consumer Disclosure Information About This Program

How can I find out more about this career?
For more information about a career in Massage Therapy, please visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET website. The Standard Occupational Code (SOC) for the career is 31-9011.00 (Massage Therapists) and the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code for this program is 51.3502 (Asian Bodywork Therapy).

What is the total cost of the Massage Therapy certificate program?
The total current tuition and fees for a student completing the program in normal time is $12,112 and the total additional cost for books and supplies is $575.

What percentage of graduates complete the program in the normal time frame as published in the catalog?
For students who graduated between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012, a total of 38 students completed the program, 17 (45%) of them finished in the published normal time frame of 12 months. However, an additional 9 (24%) finished within 16 months, and an additional 8 (21%) finished in 20 months. Therefore a total of 34 (89%) finished within 20 months.

How much student loan debt does a typical graduate have to repay after graduation?
Of the 38 students completing the Massage Therapy Certificate program between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012, 31 students graduated with student loan debt.

The median loan debt for students who graduated between July 1, 2011 and June 30,2012 was $19,196 for public debt (Title IV loans) and $0 for private debt.

What percentage of graduates found employment related to their field of study?
The most recent annual report to our accrediting agency (Winter 2013), the Accrediting Commission of Career Colleges and Schools (ACCSC), shows that 69% of graduates found employment related to their field of study. This sample of graduates included students who began their program in the Winter 2010, Spring 2010, and Fall 2010 semesters. Of 13 graduates available for employment, 9 are employeed in the field. These graduates were tracked using Alumni Department Tracking Forms.