Associate of Applied Science (Holistic Health Science)

Associate of Applied Science (Holistic Health Science) (AAS)

Pacific College’s Associate of Applied Science program offers unparalleled opportunities to advance your career with a blend of classroom and online learning. Led by our expert faculty, online activities and in-class sessions have now merged to give students flexibility in addition to the distinguished hands-on instruction for which Pacific College is known.

The purpose of the Associate of Applied Science program is to develop the student into an expertly trained body therapist. Focus is on Oriental medical theory with a comprehensive training in practical massage skills, including tui na, shiatsu, Thai massage, and a variety of other Asian bodywork therapies. A wide array of electives allows the student to study specific areas of interest, such as pediatrics, sports medicine, or reflexology.

The Associate of Applied Science (Holistic Health Science) is a 5-semester degree program consisting of 60 units that meets the requirements for national massage certification by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), as well as the requirements for California licensure.

Graduates of the Associate degree will: 

• Demonstrate ethical behavior in their personal and professional lives.
• Demonstrate a wide and well practices variety of body therapy skills.
• Understand the integration of body, mind and spirit.
• Know and demonstrate essential, hygienic considerations in the performance of massage.
• Know and respect conditions contraindicating massage.
• Demonstrate knowledge of massage, biomedical science and Oriental medicine sufficient to pass the massage exam administered by National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).
• Demonstrate competence in basic business skills related to the practice of massage.

The Pacific College Associate of Applied Science (Holistic Health Science) (AAS) program combines PCOM’s standard of excellence in quality education with the convenience of online activities and courses that are fully integrated with on-location, hands-on training and clinical rotations. As a student in our hybrid program, you will be taught under the same rigorous academic standards as our traditional classroom programs. Pacific College offers students one-click access to college resources and support. One click and you’re beginning a class. One click and the world is your campus. One click and you receive one-on-one attention from distinguished and dedicated faculty members, and an open invitation to on- and off-campus programs and activities that can be tailored to each student’s preferred schedule. One click and you will start your new career.

Have questions on how distance education works? Visit our Distance Education Frequently Asked Questions Page.

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 AAS degree program?
The total current tuition and fees for a student completing the program in normal time is $19,830 and the total additional cost for books and supplies is $1,639 (F12).

What percentage of graduates complete the program in the normal time frame (20 months) as published in the catalog? And, how much student loan debt does a typical graduate have to repay after graduation?
Since the number of students who completed the AAS program between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012 was less than ten (10), the federal government required that the following information not be disclosed to the public: