
Degrees & Certificates
Massage Therapy
Certificate of AchievementAs people pay increasing attention to their overall health and wellness, many turn to massage therapy to recover from injury or reduce stress.
In just nine months, Waubonsee's certificate program puts you in a position to quickly achieve a promising massage practice, either on your own or in a professional setting. Not only are employers personally asking Waubonsee to help meet this demand for massage therapists, but according to the U.S. Department of Labor, job opportunities for massage therapists are growing “much faster than average,” and are growing faster than other health care support occupations.

Studying Massage Therapy at Waubonsee
Massage therapists are concerned with an individual's entire well-being, so Waubonsee developed a multifaceted program that addresses the varied aspects of massage therapy. Classroom curriculum includes study on how the body works; hands-on training develops techniques and skills in a variety of massage specialties; and coursework on professional and ethical subjects helps students manage the practical aspects of their practice.
Our comprehensive science-based program, taught by highly qualified and experienced instructors, fully prepares you to step into the massage therapy profession upon graduation and licensing. In fact, in our 2017, 2018 and 2019 graduating classes, 100% of our students passed the MBLEx state licensing examination!
As people become more aware of and concerned about their health, they find ways to take care of themselves both as a way to heal and prevent injuries and illness. Massage therapy is one of the tools that people are increasingly looking to for both injury recovery, as well as injury prevention.
The program is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association, and is approved by the Illinois State Board of Higher Education. Graduates take the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx), paid for by Waubonsee Community College and administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards.
Admission, Info and Success
The Massage Therapy Program does require a special application process.
The Massage Therapy Program Student Handbook contains important program details.
- Waubonsee's pass rates on the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) for the '2018-2019', '2017-2018' and '2016-2017' graduating classes were 100%.
- National Certification Board in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) Assigned School status, June 30, 2018.
- This is a program in which NCBTMB partners with educational institutions to ensure massage therapy programs reflect a national standard of excellence with graduates who demonstrate a mastery of core knowledge and skills.
Working in Massage Therapy
Like many health-focused professions, massage therapy requires a combination of knowledge and perception. Being able to effectively communicate with clients about their condition and how to treat them is essential—especially since massage therapists specialize in multiple modalities which require varying techniques to produce positive outcomes for patients.
Some massage therapists manage their own business in a private practice, while others work in settings such as medical offices and hospitals, patient housing, sports organizations, health clubs, and of course salons and resorts.