A massage therapy student practices with a fellow student (Photo supplied by Lethbridge College)

By Justin Goulet

Massage Therapy program at Lethbridge College earns national accreditation

May 16, 2020 | 8:00 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Massage Therapy program at Lethbridge College has received national accreditation.

The Canadian Massage Therapy Council for Accreditation (CMTCA) granted the college full accreditation for three years, which is the longest term possible for a first-time accreditation.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for the faculty and staff involved with the Massage Therapy program,” said Dean of the Centre for Health and Wellness, Debra Bardock, in a release.

“We have long known this program benefits our students and meets the needs of industry, and this accreditation solidifies that we are leaders in Massage Therapy education in both the province and the country.”

The entire process to receive this recognition took more than three years, according to the college. However, it now sets up graduates for more success and flexibility in their career paths.

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Lethbridge College noted that massage therapy practices are regulated on a province-by-province basis, and Alberta currently has no regulatory body. This means that massage therapists looking to leave the province for work need to undergo an expensive prior learning assessment and exam.

By achieving this accreditation, the school’s hope is that graduates may now be able to bypass the prior learning assessment when moving to a new province.

“National accreditation shows that our program is one of the best in the nation. Being nationally accredited should give our students more opportunities in a competitive field,” stated Brent Gaudreau, Massage Therapy program chair.

Lethbridge College’s program is now one of 12 programs accredited by the CMTCA in Canada. It’s also the first program in a non-regulated province to receive accreditation.

The process involved a detailed application, an assessment of both the program and college services by the CMTCA and a two-day visit by CMTCA personnel in February.

The two-year program began at Lethbridge College in 1998. Each year, it produces more than 30 graduates. The college said the program has a nearly 100 percent success rate of students either gaining employment or going on to pursue further education.

The program will open up a new clinic in Fall 2020 that will allow for more student spaces and help boost the experience at the student-run massage therapy clinic.