ZMC Foundational Massage Therapy Program
ZMC is fully accredited through COMTA (Commission On Massage Therapy Accreditation)
The 600 hour curriculum at ZMC meets all Utah State requirements.
Below is a comparison, which shows Utah State curriculum requirements alongside ZMC’s requirements for graduation.
For more information call 435-216-8512 or send an email to rebecca@zmc.edu
600-Hour Foundational Massage Therapy Program
Build the Skills. Begin Your Career. Choose Where You Go Next.
If you are ready for a career that allows you to work with people, make a meaningful difference, and develop a skill you can take with you throughout your life, Zion Massage College’s 600-Hour Foundational Massage Therapy Program is designed to help you get there.
Our approximately seven-month program provides the massage therapy education needed to pursue licensure in Utah while giving you extensive hands-on training in massage techniques, anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, pathology, professional ethics, business practices, and more.
But your education doesn’t have to stop at 600 hours.
We’ve designed our educational pathway to give you something we believe is incredibly important: choice.
Complete the education you need to begin your massage therapy career—and then decide how far you want to take it.
One Program. Two Paths Forward.
Every Zion Massage College student begins with our 600-Hour Foundational Massage Therapy Program.
After graduation, you choose what comes next.
Path 1:
Begin Your Career
If your goal is to become a massage therapist in Utah, your Foundational Massage Therapy education gives you the opportunity to complete your initial massage therapy education without committing to a longer program than you need.
After graduation, you can pursue licensure and begin building your career while continuing to expand your skills through continuing education throughout your professional life.
Path 2:
Continue to the 900-Hour Professional Program
Want more?
Graduates of Zion Massage College’s 600-Hour Foundational Massage Therapy Program have the opportunity to continue into our 900-Hour Professional Massage Therapy Program.
The best part? Your education moves forward with you.
All 600 hours from the Foundational Program apply toward the 900-Hour Professional Program. You complete the remaining 300 hours to earn your Professional Massage Therapy Program certificate.
This pathway may be especially valuable for students who want additional training, plan to develop advanced skills, or may eventually seek licensure in another state with different educational requirements.
600 Hours → Graduate → Begin Your Career OR Continue 300 More Hours → 900-Hour Professional Program
You don’t have to know today exactly where your massage therapy career will take you.
Start with a strong foundation. Then choose the path that’s right for you.
What Will You Learn?
Massage therapy is much more than learning a massage routine. A skilled massage therapist needs to understand the human body, recognize when massage may or may not be appropriate, communicate professionally with clients, and develop a wide range of hands-on techniques.
That’s why the Foundational Massage Therapy Program combines science, hands-on massage education, professional development, and real-world clinical experience.
Understanding the body is foundational to becoming an effective massage therapist.
You’ll study:
- Anatomy & Physiology – Systems I — 28 hours
- Anatomy & Physiology – Systems II — 28 hours
- Anatomy & Physiology – Musculoskeletal I — 24 hours
- Anatomy & Physiology – Musculoskeletal II — 20 hours
- Kinesiology — 25 hours
These courses help you develop a working understanding of the body’s systems, muscles, movement, and structure so you can approach massage with greater knowledge and purpose.
This is where your massage therapy toolbox begins to grow.
Rather than learning only one approach to massage, you’ll be introduced to a diverse collection of techniques and modalities that can help prepare you to work with different clients, environments, and career opportunities.
Your massage therapy coursework includes:
- Foundations of Therapeutic Massage — 52 hours
- Deep Techniques & Trigger Point Massage — 56 hours
- Assisted Stretching Fundamentals — 28 hours
- Upper Body Techniques — 20 hours
- Lower Body Techniques — 20 hours
- Pregnancy Massage & Special Populations — 20 hours
- Reflexology — 24 hours
- Gua Sha Massage — 16 hours
- Hot Stone Massage — 16 hours
- Hydrotherapy & Spa Therapy Techniques — 16 hours
- Chair Massage — 13 hours
- Aromatherapy — 4 hours
By graduation, you’ll have been exposed to techniques that can be used in a variety of massage therapy settings and provide a foundation for continued specialization throughout your career.
Massage therapists work with real people who bring different health histories, conditions, injuries, and needs to the massage table.
Our 40-hour Pathology course helps students develop the knowledge needed to recognize important health considerations and understand when massage may need to be modified or avoided.
Being a successful massage therapist requires more than great hands-on skills.
You’ll study Professional Ethics & Business Standards, including the professional responsibilities and boundaries that are essential to creating safe, ethical, and successful therapeutic relationships.
Whether your future includes working for a spa, joining a healthcare or wellness practice, or eventually building a practice of your own, professionalism matters.
Creating a safe environment for clients is an essential part of professional massage therapy.
Students receive education in sanitation, First Aid, and CPR as part of the program.
100 Hours of Real-World Student Clinical Experience
You shouldn’t have to wait until after graduation to begin developing confidence working with real clients.
The Foundational Massage Therapy Program includes a 100-hour Student Clinical Internship in which students have the opportunity to put their developing knowledge and massage skills into practice.
Clinical experience helps bridge the gap between learning techniques in the classroom and becoming comfortable working in a professional massage therapy environment.
It is an important part of developing not only technical ability, but also the confidence, communication skills, professionalism, and client-care experience you’ll take with you into your career.
Your 600-Hour Program at a Glance
Anatomy, Physiology & Kinesiology
Pathology
Business & Professional Ethics
Sanitation / First Aid / CPR
Massage Theory & Techniques
Student Clinical Internship
Your Education Should Fit Your Future
Some students know exactly where they want their massage therapy career to take them.
Others discover their direction along the way.
We believe both are okay.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve created a flexible educational pathway.
You can complete the 600-Hour Foundational Massage Therapy Program, pursue your career goals in Utah, and continue learning through continuing education.
Or, after completing the Foundational Program, you can choose to advance into Zion Massage College’s 900-Hour Professional Massage Therapy Program by completing an additional 300 hours.
The decision is yours.
You don’t have to pay for or commit to additional education before you know that it’s right for your goals.
Start with the foundation you need. Build real skills. Gain hands-on experience. Then decide what comes next.
Invest in Your Education
Tuition for the 600-Hour Foundational Massage Therapy Program is $12,500, plus a $10 admissions application fee.
Your tuition includes program materials at no additional charge, including:
- Program textbooks, handouts, and manuals
- Massage therapy table package
- Gua Sha tool
- Two ZMC uniform T-shirts
- Student liability insurance
- Reflexology chart
- Exam Coach testing package to help prepare you for the MBLEx (Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination) after graduation
Students are responsible for purchasing certain additional school and massage supplies.
Is Massage Therapy the Career You've Been Looking For?
A new career begins with a first step.
If you’ve been thinking about massage therapy, you don’t need to have your entire career mapped out before you begin. That’s exactly why we’ve created a program that gives you a strong foundation first—and choices for where you want to go next.
Come see Zion Massage College, meet our team, learn about the program, and discover whether massage therapy feels like the right next chapter for you.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Schedule a Tour
Meet with our Admissions team, see the school, learn more about the program, and get answers to your questions.
Apply to Zion Massage College
If you’re ready to begin, complete your application and take the first step toward becoming a massage therapist.
Questions? Contact Admissions at 435-216-8512 or email at rebecca@zmc.edu
We’re happy to help you understand the program, upcoming start dates, tuition, financial aid options for those who qualify, and what to expect as a Zion Massage College student.
Your massage therapy career can start here.
Overview Comparison Of State Requirements and ABT/ZMC Requirements:
Category
Utah State Requirement
ABT/ZMC Requirement
Anatomy & Physiology & Kinesiology
125
125
Pathology
40
40
Massage Theory
285
285
Business & Professional Ethics
35
35
Sanitation / First Aid / CPR
15
15
Student Clinic / Internship
100
100
Total
600 Hours
600 Hours