Massage Therapy Programs

Upcoming Program Start Dates:

2025

Full-Time (9 months): February 2024

Summer (12 months): February 2025

CNWSMT offers a New York State recognized Massage Therapy training program in three formats: a Full-Time Day Program and a Summer Program.

Our massage therapy program starts at a basic introductory level and progresses to the more advanced techniques that are used in professional practice.

All programs at CNWSMT total 1,020 hours and are in compliance with current New York State Education Department requirements.

Full-Time Massage Therapy Program (9 Months)

The Full-Time program meets Monday-Thursday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. This program begins in February and September.

Summer Massage Therapy Program (14 Months)

The Summer program meets Monday-Thursday from 9:00 am – 4:30. This program has a roughly 18 weeks of half day classes. This program begins in June.

For more information or program calendars, please reach out to admissions@cnwsmt.com.

Click here to view CNW's application for Enrollment

Click here to view CNW's course catalog

Click here to view CNW's student handbook

Student Services

Our massage therapy program is designed to help students take full advantage of the opportunity for personal growth. For instance, it is typical for students to gradually experience a new sense of self-awareness. The curriculum includes discussion of personal growth and the power of connection between body, mind and spirit. Students are encouraged to gain new understandings of themselves and others in the context of their classroom activities.

As a result, The Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy recognizes the importance of having a program in place to assist students and their families who are facing issues in their lives.

Every student at CNWSMT is offered counseling sessions with professionally trained licensed therapists.

This service is confidential and free of charge to CNWSMT students.

Professional Development

Professional Development is a course that builds a strong foundation of career knowledge and skills for students approaching graduation from massage school.

This introduction to business helps students transition into the field of massage therapy and build a successful career.

Whether graduates choose to start their own business or work for an already established employer, this course covers the professional basics necessary for entry into the field of massage therapy.

Topics covered include, client communication, business start-up, tax preparation, interviewing, massage law, licensure, and ethics.

Academic Support

The School strives to support students in their academic pursuits at the school and closely monitors their performance.

CNWSMT offers 5 tutorials to all students at no-cost in all subjects taught at the school and study skills.

Learning Resource System (LRS)

The Learning Resource System (LRS) provides supportive tools for enhancing our students ability to prosper academically. The LRS offers academic support in a wide variety of media. LRS coupled with our Student Support Services, provides invaluable tools to further strengthen academic success.

These include:

Study Skills Instruction: study techniques for different learning styles.
One-on-one tutorials for students needing additional academic support.
Computer workstations pre-set with helpful apps and bookmarks.
Materials in various media forms (books, apps, DVDs, and online videos).
NYS Exam practicum review courses.

The LRS is managed by qualified school personnel who are available for questions and scheduled orientations. In-house library items are available upon request during designated CNW Library hours. Moodle is available 24/7.

Housing

CNWSMT is primarily a commuter-based institution and does not provide resident facilities for students.

Graduate Career Placement Services

The purpose of our massage therapy school is to prepare students to meet and exceed the requirements of the New York State licensing exam for Massage Therapy.

We also take the job of student placement services seriously and will assist licensed therapist therapists in gaining part- or full-time employment, as desired.

Our Career Placement Department at the Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy provides student placement services to all current students and graduates of the school free of charge:

List of Student Placement Services

Placement exit interview

This service provides students with an opportunity to discuss their professional experience in Student Clinic. We review resumes, post-licensing placement goals and remind students that placement service is a life-time service.

Online and email massage therapy job & rental postings

Located under the Alumni Services section.

Post-licensing placement survey

This provides students with an opportunity to update the school on their Massage Therapy employment.

Alumni circle

This event is held twice a year and provides graduates with the opportunity to reconnect with the massage community, discuss issues and share successful strategies for their massage practice.

Bi-annual job/wellness fair

This event is held each Spring/Fall and has over 20 employers and vendors. This is an opportunity for students and alumni to connect with massage employers, as well as vendors in the Capital Region.

Yearly alumni picnic

This event is held in late summer and includes free Continuing Education credits. Following the class, there is a picnic with delicious food and raffle prizes. Students and Alumni enjoy meeting each other, reminiscing and spending quality time together.

If you are an employer looking to hire massage therapists, we can also help you through our free ad posting service.

You can post an ad using this link. Please direct any questions you might have to the Placement Services Coordinator:

Sara Young

Placement Services Coordinator

(518) 489-4026
placement@cnwsmt.com

Scholarship Resources

Outside Organization Scholarships

In addition to the scholarships listed below, we also suggest you conduct your own scholarship search. Students may find general scholarships are available from their community, bank, church, employer or parent’s employer.

Be creative in your search!

AMTA – American Massage Therapy Association: www.amtamassage.org/forms/scholarshipformintro.aspx

MassageSchool.Org: www.massageschool.org/submit/scholarship.php

Massage Magazine: www.massagemag.com

Imagine America Foundation: www.imagine-america.org

NYS Higher Education Services Corporation: www.hesc.com

The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region: www.cfgcr.org

The American Association of University Women: www.aauw.org

The Point Foundation Scholarship Program: www.pointfoundation.org

Bankrate: www.bankrate.com

Study.com Scholarship for Single Parents

Study.com Scholarship for Moms

Study.com Scholarship for Adult Learners

Study.com Scholarship for Nontraditional Students

New York State Massage Regulations

Currently, in the state of New York, licensure is a requirement to practice any form of massage therapy.

The Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy offers a New York State approved licensure-qualifying program in therapeutic massage.

Successful completion of the 1,020-hour course of study offered by the school qualifies graduates, who meet all other state requirements, to sit for the NYS licensing examination in massage therapy.

The New York State licensing examination is administered twice annually, in January and August.

To qualify for a Massage Therapy license in the State of New York, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

Complete and file an application with the New York State Education Department.

Possess a high school diploma or the legal equivalent of a high school diploma (GED). Be a graduate of a New York State registered massage program or have equivalent education.

Pass a written examination satisfactory to the Board and in accordance with the Commissioners regulations.

Be either a U.S. citizen or alien lawfully admitted to permanent residence in the U.S.

Be of good moral character.

Be at least 18 years of age.

Hold current Certification in CPR and First Aid.

To receive further information about licensing in New York State, contact the office of the State Board for Massage, New York State Education Department at (518) 474-3817, or write to: Office of the Professions, State Education Department, 2nd Floor, Albany, NY 12234-1000; or on the web at http://www.op.nysed.gov/massage.htm.

Note that some states do not qualify graduates to practice massage therapy and/or differ in their licensing requirements. Please check the individual requirements of the state(s) in which you plan to practice, or contact the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork by email at info@ncbtmb.com or by calling 1.800.296.0664.

National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCTMB)

The NCBTMB standard for accreditation requires a course of study with a minimum of 500 hours of faculty-supervised instruction.

CNWSMT meets and exceeds the national standard with our 1,020-hour program of study that includes classroom theory and practical application techniques.

Some states recognize the NCTMB exam and certification which allows massage graduates to potentially practice in these states.

Please check with the individual state requirements at http://www.ncbtmb.com

NCTMB has a testing center in Albany and the exam is taken on a per request basis throughout the year.

Transfer Students

Students who have completed a massage therapy program outside New York State and wish to explore transferring hours towards a New York State license will need to complete the application in the Transfer Student Information Packet for The Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy.

There are two categories of Transfer Students:

1. Students who have completed a program with 500 hours or more of training:

Transfer Students with 500 Hours or More of Training need to submit their program information to the NYS Board of Education, Dept. of Comparative Education (518-474-3817, ext. 300) to receive an official assessment (called a “letter of deficiency” or “comparative education letter”) of what hours or courses he or she needs to complete in order to satisfy NYS’s required 1000 hours of training.

These students are mandated by NYS to complete the prescribed hours of training at a school of Massage Therapy that is recognized as licensure-qualifying by NYS (such as CNWSMT) in order to take the New York State Licensing Examination for Massage Therapy and practice professional massage in the State of New York.

These Transfer Students do not receive a certificate of completion from CNWSMT and are considered Non-Certificate Transfer Students.

2. Students who have less than 500 hours of training:

Transfer Students with Less than 500 Hours of Training are able to petition CNWSMT (a NYS approved licensure-qualifying massage therapy school) to transfer in a maximum of 250 hours.

The hours that CNWSMT accepts will be counted toward CNWSMT’s 1,020 hour Certificate Program. These students will graduate with a Certificate of Completion from CNWSMT and will take the NYS Licensing Examination for Massage.

They are considered Certificate Transfer Students.

Download the Transfer Student Information Packet to find the Transfer Student Application.