Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 0870 - Board of Massage Licensure
Chapter 0870-02 - General Rules Governing Massage Therapy Educational Programs
Section 0870-02-.02 - PROGRAM APPROVAL AND CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS
Universal Citation: TN Comp Rules and Regs 0870-02-.02
Current through December 26, 2024
(1) Massage therapy programs must receive written approval from the Tennessee Massage Licensure Board through the application process described in paragraph (2) below. Such approval is not transferable.
(2) Application Process
(a) Massage therapy programs seeking approval
must submit an application to the Board a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to
the next regularly scheduled Board meeting in order for the Board to review the
application. The application must provide the following information:
1. Name of parent institution and authority
for operations;
2. Location of
principal clinical facilities;
3.
Locations of all satellite facilities;
4. Names and license numbers of all licensed
teaching staff and the program director;
5. Curriculum vitae, including professional
license numbers and description and explanation of any prior disciplinary
action taken against a license, for all teaching staff, including the program
director;
6. Maximum class
size;
7. A complete copy of the
program catalog, submitted on plain copy paper, front-side only; and
8. Submission of other such information that
the Board may deem necessary.
(b) The program director may, at the
discretion of the Board, be required to appear before the Board as part of the
initial approval process. The curriculum shall be presented at the
meeting.
(3) The Board-approved program shall adhere to the following minimum standards:
(a) Instructor/student ratio shall be at
least one (1) instructor to every fourteen (14) students for any hands-on
class;
(b) The program curriculum
shall include, but not be limited to, the topics contained in the MBLEx (or
other current examination approved by the Board) Content Outline at the time of
admission of the student. The program shall, at a minimum, consist of five
hundred (500) classroom hours and must contain:
1. Two hundred (200) classroom hours of
sciences including, but not limited to, anatomy, physiology-Western and/or
Eastern, kinesiology, pathology, HIV/AIDS and blood-borne pathogens, and
hygiene (including standard precautions). Other sciences related to the human
body may be included with Board approval.
2. Two hundred (200) classroom hours of basic
massage theory and practice including, but not limited to, history, benefits,
indications, contraindications, demonstration and supervised practice, client
assessment/evaluation, soft tissue manipulations including: gliding, kneading,
friction, compression, vibration, percussion, stretching, joint movements,
draping, positioning, turning, feedback, charting/documentation, proper body
mechanics, and self-care.
3.
Eighty-five (85) classroom hours of related subjects including, but not limited
to, business standards of practice, communication skills, CPR/First Aid, the
Americans with Disabilities Act, referral methods, specialized populations, and
specialized and adjunct therapies/modalities (including
hydrotherapy).
4. Ten (10)
classroom hours of ethics instruction.
5. Five (5) classroom hours regarding
Tennessee massage statutes and regulations.
(c) The program catalog, program syllabus,
policies, procedures and the handbook or brochure regarding the approved
examination, current content outline and eligibility criteria, are to be
distributed on or before the first (1st) class session.
(d) The program shall ensure that each
graduating class shall have received a minimum of two (2) hours classroom
presentation prior to graduation by the impaired professional assistance
program contracted by the Board. Both the program and the impaired professional
assistance program shall each maintain documentation of each presentation
reflecting the date, time and attendance of the presentation and shall make
such documentation available upon request by the Board. Failure to comply with
this provision may subject the program to withdrawal of program
approval.
(e) The program must
document that each student has signed and dated an acknowledgement that they
understand the requirements for licensure, specifically the provisions and the
Board's policies regarding criminal convictions, prior to enrollment in the
program.
(f) The program must
document that each student has signed and dated an acknowledgement that they
are prohibited from receiving any form of compensation for massage, including
but not limited to tips, gift cards, donations, etc., while enrolled in the
program.
(g) The program must have
a written policy on the accepted pass-fail rates or grading system used by the
program.
(h) The program must have
a written protocol or policy on the mechanism to evaluate a student's
performance. At least one (1) evaluation is required within the first half of
the program.
(i) The program shall
create and maintain records on each student, including official transcripts, in
compliance with the rules of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission or the
Tennessee Board of Regents.
(j)
Upon request, the program shall provide a copy of the transcript to the student
upon completion of or withdrawal from the program. The student must comply with
the enrollment agreement to receive a copy.
(k) The transcript shall comply with all THEC
requirements concerning what must be included on official
transcripts.
(l) The program shall
notify the Board of any change in directorship and/or instructors within ten
(10) days of hire or discharge. Documentation of the training and experience of
any new hires must be received within ten (10) days of hire.
(m) The program shall notify the Board within
ten (10) days of any changes made in the operation of the school such as a
change of ownership, director of education, institutional director, location,
and/or approval status with THEC or TBR;
(n) At any time, designees of the Department
of Health or other state agencies shall be provided full access to program
materials, examinations, and the classroom during instruction. Failure to
provide access pursuant to this provision may subject the provider to
withdrawal of program approval.
(o)
A member of the Board or a Board designee may issue preliminary program
approval subject to subsequent Board ratification.
(p) The program must have a written policy on
the dismissal of students.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 63-1-136, 63-18-111, and 63-18-115.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Tennessee may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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