STANDARDS FOR MASSAGE THERAPY SCHOOLS

SECTION

1 Definitions
2 Authority to Operate
3 Administrative Staff
4 Job Description and Contracts
5 School Plant and Equipment
6 Education Credentials
7 Program Standards
8 Student to Instructor Ratio
9 Learning Resources
10 Standards of Professional Behavior
11 Disciplinary Sanctions
12 Student Compensation
13 Transfer of Credit
14 Advanced Placement
15 Notification of Changes
16 Initial Application
17 Additional Program Approval

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS

   1.1 Massage and Bodywork Therapy School An educational institution that conducts a course of study or curriculum consisting of a specified number of hours which is intended to teach adult the skills and knowledge necessary for the professional practice of massage and bodywork therapy for a tuition charge. Such institutions may be organized as proprietary schools, which are privately owned and operated by a sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, association, or other entity; or may be post-secondary colleges or universities, whether publicly or privately owned.

   1.2 Program A course of study or curriculum consisting of a specified number of hours of instruction consistent with the standards set forth in herein, which is intended to teach adults the skills and knowledge necessary for the professional practice of massage and bodywork therapy, 30-37-2 (3). Each program consisting of a specified number of instructional hours shall be considered a separate program and shall require Board approval.

   1.3 Instructor A person who meets the qualifications set forth herein and is responsible for delivering course content according to curriculum established by the school, and who is responsible for managing the classroom environment.

   1.4 Teaching Assistant An individual who may provide support in the classroom to the instructor, and may only provide instruction to students under the direct supervision of the instructor.

   1.5 One Classroom Hour or Supervised Instruction At least (50) minutes of any one clock hour during which the student participates in a learning activity in the physical presence of a member of the school's instructional staff.

   1.6 Program Director An individual designated as program director and qualified in accordance with the requirements listed herein. This person may be titled as director, or in the case of programs at the post-secondary institutions, department chair or program coordinator. The director is the person directly responsible for all facets of the program's operation, including: curriculum, methods of instruction, employment, training, and evaluation of administrative records, financial management, recruitment of students, and maintenance of school plant and equipment.


SECTION 2. AUTHORITY TO OPERATE

   2.1 A school that is licensed or approved by the educational regulatory authority in the State of West Virginia, territory or country in which it operates; or shall be exempt from licensure of approval by statue of appropriate governing board or the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.

   2.2 A regionally accredited post-secondary institution within the State of West Virginia which offers a certificate, diploma, or degree program in the field of massage and bodywork therapy shall have approval to conduct such program from the appropriate governing board or the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education and the West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board.

   2.3 A regionally accredited post-secondary institution outside the State of West Virginia which offers a certificate, diploma, or degrees program in the field of massage and bodywork therapy shall have approval from the regulatory authority in the state, territory or country in which it operates.


SECTION 3. ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

   3.1 Program Director. One individual shall be designated as program director, and shall be qualified in accordance with the requirements listed. This person may be titled director, or in the case of programs at post-secondary institutions, department chair or program coordinator. The director is directly responsible for all facets of the program's operation including: curriculum, method of instruction, employment, training, evaluation of administrative records, financial management, recruitment of students, and maintenance of school plant and equipment.

     The program director or department chair shall have the following qualifications:

      3.1.1 Be a graduate of a regionally accredited college or university and hold a baccalaureate degree, or have at least five years of professional experience in the field of massage and bodywork therapy.

      3.1.2 Have at least two years experience as an instructor in one or more of the major courses which are presented in the schools curriculum, or have at least two years experiences in education administration.

   3.2 Instructional staff qualifications. The requirements herein shall apply to instructors and teaching assistants who provide more than six (6) instructional hours in the program. Instruction is provided by persons with appropriate education and experience as follows:

      3.2.1 Instructors who teach courses related to the theory and practice of massage and bodywork therapy shall have the following qualifications:

         3.2.1.1 Have a minimum of two (2) years of professional practice experience in or have received training and certification in the subject area they teach;

         3.2.1.2 Have received training in teaching methods, which include:

             a. Presentation skills;
             b. Development and implementation of lesson plans;
             c. Dynamics of the teacher/student relationship;
             d. Management of the classroom environment;
             e. Evaluation of student performance;
             f. Orientation to the school's administration policies

          3.2.1.3 Instructors who teach courses must have one of the following credentials:
             a. Be licensed under the West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board;
             b. For schools and instructors outside the State, hold a similar credential in massage and bodywork therapy; if no such credential is available, hold a valid certification from a certifying agency which is approved by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies; or
             c. Be a licensed physician, dentist, chiropractor, osteopath, registered nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or acupuncturist.

      3.2.2 Instructors in all other courses in the curriculum shall have received training in teaching methods as defined in Subparagraph 3.2.1.2 above, and shall have one of the following qualifications:

         3.2.2.1 Have a minimum of two (2) years of professional practice experience in, or have received training and certification in the subject area they teach; or
         3.2.2.2 Have a minimum of twelve (12) semester credit hours of academic course work in the subject area they teach from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution.

      3.2.3 Teaching assistants in courses related to the theory and practice of massage and bodywork therapy shall have one of the credentials listed Subparagraph 3.2.1.3 above.

      3.2.4 Teaching assistants in all other courses in the curriculum shall have one of the following qualifications:

         3.2.4.1 Have one of the credentials listed in Subparagraph 3.2.1.3, above,

         3.2.4.2 Have a minimum of one year of professional practice experience in or have received training and certification in the subject area they teach;

         3.2.4.3 Have a minimum of six (6) credit hours of academic course work in the subject area they teach from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution.


SECTION 4. JOB DESCRIPTION AND CONTRACTS

    4.1 The school shall have written job descriptions with performance standards for each administrative and instructional position on its staff.


SECTION 5. SCHOOL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

    5.1 The school plant, premises, and facilities shall be safe and sanitary and in compliance with the statutory provisions and the rules and regulations of all local ordinances pertaining to fire, safety, health and sanitation. Classrooms shall have sufficient lighting, ventilation, and temperature control to provide a comfortable learning environment for students.

   5.2 The equipment, supplies, and instructional materials of the school shall be adequate in type, quality, and amount for each course offered by the school and shall also meet all requirements of statutory provisions, and rules and regulation of all local ordinances pertaining to fire, safety, health and sanitation.

   5.3 The school shall have an annual inspection from the city or county agencies which determine compliance with requirements for fire, safety, health and sanitation in its jurisdiction.

   5.4 For classes conducted in the practice of massage and bodywork therapy, the school shall provide a minimum of 70 square feet of classroom space per treatment table, exclusive of fixed items in the classroom. There shall be one therapy treatment table, adjustable in height, for every two students in such classes.


SECTION 6. EDUCATION CREDENTIALS

   6.1 Educational credentials issued to graduates; reporting of graduates' pass rate on national certification examination.

      6.1.1 Upon completion of the program, the student is given a certificate, diploma, or degree stating that the education requirements have been met and the program has been satisfactorily completed.

      6.1.2 Such credentials are only granted to students who have completed the entire program for which the student enrolled.

      6.1.3 The school shall authorize agencies which conduct national certification examinations which are acceptable by the Board as meeting the requirement of rule to report directly to the Board the pass rate of the school's graduates on such examinations.


SECTION 7. PROGRAM STANDARDS

   7.1 In order for the Board to issue a license to a graduate the school must meet the following standards:

      7.1.1 The school shall develop a set of educational objectives which describe the intended skills, knowledge, and attitudes which the program is designed to develop in the student by the completion of the program.

      7.1.2 The schools shall offer a program consisting of a minimum of five hundred (500) classroom hours of supervised instruction. Such program shall contain the following hours of specific course work which are consistent with the school's mission and education objectives:

          7.1.2.1 Two hundred (200) hours in the fundamental theory and practice of massage and bodywork therapy, which include a minimum of one hundred (100) hours in application of hands-on methods; the balance of such hours shall include client assessment skills, indications, and contraindications for treatment, body mechanics, draping procedures, standard practices for hygiene and control of infectious diseases, and the history of massage and bodywork therapy;

          7.1.2.2 One hundred (100) hours in anatomy and physiology, which will include the structure and function of the human body and common pathologies;

         7.1.2.3 Fifty (50) hours in the following areas:

             a. Fifteen (15) hours in professional ethics, and West Virginia laws and rules for the practice of massage and bodywork therapy; West Virginia Law and Rules, (scope) of Practice
             b. Fifteen (15) hours in business practices related to the field of massage and bodywork therapy; and
             c. Twenty (20) hours in dynamics of the therapist/client relationships, communication skills, and boundary functions;

          7.1.2.4 One hundred fifty (150) hours in other courses related to the practice of massage and bodywork therapy; such courses may include additional hands-on techniques, specific applications, spa massage, clinical massage, adjunctive modalities, in-depth anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, movement education, or supervised clinical practice. First Aid or CPR may not be included in this category.

      7.1.3 For programs which include a student clinic or fieldwork experiential component, such hours not to exceed one hundred (100) hours of the minimum requirement set forth in Subparagraph 7.1.2.4, above. All such work is directly supervised and evaluated by an instructional staff member. For programs which include a student clinic or fieldwork experiential component, such hours do not exceed one hundred (100) hours of the minimum requirements set forth in Subparagraph 7.1.2.4, above. All such work is directly supervised and evaluated by an instructional staff member.

      7.1.4 For programs which include an internship component, such hours shall not be included in the minimum requirements set forth in Subparagraph 7.1.2, above, and shall not compromise more that twenty percent (20%) of the total program hours. All such work is supervised by a designated person at the externship site, and is evaluated by the school.

      7.1.5 Programs shall consist of a series of courses which are organized in a logical sequence, and which are consistent with the educational objectives. Sequential organization means that within a course, each class prepares students for the next class; overall, each course gives students the skills and knowledge necessary for the next course. Material is not presented unless students have the necessary skills and/or knowledge to utilize that material safely and effectively.

      7.1.6 Course titles match the content of the published course descriptions and accurately reflect the specific learning objectives of each course; sufficient hours are allotted to each course to allow students to gain competence in the subject areas covered.

      7.1.7 A course curriculum is developed for each course, which shows the basic content of each individual class in the course, in the sequence presented.

      7.1.8 Course requirements and competencies are consistent from instructor to instructor. Teaching materials, including detailed lesson plans, are developed and maintained for each course to ensure such consistency. Teaching materials, including detailed lesson plans, are developed and maintained for each course to ensure such consistency. Teaching methods are appropriate to course content, and to diverse learning styles.

      7.1.9 Programs may be a minimum of six (6) months in length, with no more than eight (8) instructional hours in one day. There shall be no more that two (2) hours of instruction without a break. There shall be no more than four (4) hours of instruction without a meal break (minimum of six (6) hours daily).

      7.1.10 For a student to receive credit in a course, the school shall require students to attend no less than eighty (80%) of the instructional hours, and to make up all missed instructional hours according to the procedures established by the school.

      7.1.11 A syllabus is to be developed for each course, and provided to students prior to the beginning of instruction. The syllabus shall include the following elements: course title, course description, learning objectives, total number of instructional hours, meeting dates and class times, assignments, textbooks, evaluation methods, quizzes and examination dates, and performance standards.

      7.1.12 For post-secondary institutions, courses which fulfill the minimum requirements set forth in Subparagraph 7.1.2, above, shall support the program in massage and bodywork therapy. Courses in addition to the minimum requirements may include courses from other departments or programs which are directly relevant to the practice of massage and bodywork therapy.


SECTION 8. STUDENT TO INSTRUCTOR RATIOS

   8.1 For classes which involve hands-on practice, the student to instructor ratio shall not exceed 16 to 1.

   8.2 Both instructors and teaching assistants, as defined in Paragraph 8.1 herein, shall be considered in calculating these ratios.


SECTION 9. LEARNING RESOURCES

   9.1 The school shall provide sufficient learning resources to students and instructional staff to support the educational objectives of the program as follows:

      9.1.1 The school shall maintain a library or resource center which contains books, periodicals, and other informational materials in the field of massage and bodywork therapy. As an alternative, the school may have a contractual agreement with another facility to provide access to such resources.

      9.1.2 All other resources, such as charts, models, or videotapes, shall be maintained in good condition.


SECTION 10. STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR

   10.1 Conduct by instructional staff and students shall follow the Standards of Practice set forth by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and West Virginia Code of Ethics.

   10.2 Nudity is not permitted where massage and bodywork therapy is taught or practiced. For the purpose of this section, "nudity" is defined as exposure of the genital or anal area for men and women, or the breast area for women.

   10.3 The school shall provide a private area where persons receiving therapeutic treatments may dress or undress, whether for in-class practice or treatments performed in a student clinic. Curtains need to be provided around each table to create a private area and to teach the student privacy for the patient.

   10.4 The above requirements shall apply to all classroom settings, as well as any location where instructional staff or students are demonstrating or delivering therapeutic treatments as a part of course requirements, whether at the school or another location.


SECTION 11 DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS

   11.1 If a school is found not to meet the standards as established in this section, the Board may discontinue the awarding of a license of the graduates of such schools to practice massage and bodywork therapy in the State of West Virginia or may present to the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education evidence and justification to revoke the permit of the school to operate. In such cases where a permit of a school is revoked, the school may file an appeal with the Higher Education Policy Commission pursuant to the Legislative Rule Title 131, Series 3 (131 CSR 3).

   11.2 The Board will provide notice of sanction taken to other public entities as necessary to ensure other state boards, enforcement authorities, and accrediting agencies receive the names, licensees and schools disciplined.


SECTION 12. TRANSFER OF CREDIT

   12.1 A school shall not grant transfer credit from another institution unless the following standards are met:

      12.1.1 The school from where credit is being transferred shall be licensed or approved by the educational licensing authority in the state in which it operates, or be exempt by statute;

      12.1.2 The school from where the credit in being transferred shall provide an official transcript with each completed course listed;

      12.1.3 Courses for which credit is granted shall be parallel in content and intensity to the courses presently offered by the school; and

      12.1.4 Documentation of previous training shall be included in each student's permanent file.


SECTION 13. ADVANCED PLACEMENT

   13.1 A school may only grant advanced placement to a student, or exempt the student from curriculum requirements, based on the student's performance on an examination which the school administers to determine competency in that subject area. Such advanced placement or exemption shall not exceed thirty-five (35%) of the total number of hours in the program.


SECTION 14. NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES

   14.1 An approved school shall notify the Board in writing within thirty (30) days of any changes in administration, facilities, instructional staff, curriculum, or other changes that may affect the programs offered. In addition, the school shall notify the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education of such changes as required by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education regulations.


SECTION 15. INITIAL APPLICATION

   15.1 An initial application for approval to operate a school in the State of West Virginia must be filed with the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education. The school shall submit an application for approval on a form provided by the Commission, which shall be accompanied by the necessary documentation required by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education. In addition, the following must accompany the application:

      15.1.1 Completed personnel qualification forms on the school director, key administrative staff, instructors, and teaching assistants, with photocopies of academic transcripts, degrees, diplomas and professional licenses and certification for each person.

      15.1.2 Job descriptions for school director, administrative staff, instructors, and teaching assistants.

      15.1.3 Equipment list, including furniture, office equipment, and instructional equipment for classroom.

      15.1.4 Copies or reports from city or county inspections for fire, safety, health, and sanitation, made within the three months prior to submission of applications for approval.

      15.1.5 Copy of the application for admission which is submitted by prospective students; copies of materials used to document the admission process with applicants.

      15.1.6 Copies of the forms used for documentation of attendance, missed class make-up work, student academic progress, grades earned, notification of unsatisfactory progress and notification of disciplinary action.

      15.1.7 Copy of the educational credential granted to students who complete the program; example of transcript issued by the school.

      15.1.8 Core Program Requirements Form; copies or course curricula; copies of course syllabi; one example lesson plan for each course; school calendar for the current academic year.

      15.1.9 List of student to instructor ratios for each course offered.

      15.1.10 List of learning resources provided by the school, including numbers of books, periodicals, and other informational materials in the school library. If the school has no library, include a copy of the agreement for use of another facility, with its list of resources.


SECTION 16. ADDITIONAL PROGRAM APPROVAL

   16.1 An approved school shall submit to the Board an application for approval to offer additional program curricula for which the Board grants graduates a license to practice. On a form provided by the West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board, to following will be required:

      16.1.1 Core Program Requirements Form; copies or course curricula; copies of course syllabi; one example lesson plan for each course; school calendar for the current academic year.

      16.1.2 List of student to instructor ratios for each course offered.

      16.1.3 Copy of the educational credential granted to students who complete the program; example of the transcript issued by the school.

      16.1.4 Copy of the school catalog or bulletin which describes the additional program.

      16.1.5 Complete documentation of any other requirement set forth in Paragraph (y), herein, which is different than what the school documented in its most recent application for renewal of approval.

In addition to the contents of this policy, all schools, unless exempt, must comply with the provisions of Series 3 Title 131 relating to Correspondence, Business, Occupational and Trade Schools of the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.