Section 1284.20  Approved Programs

a)         Effective January 1, 2014, an applicant's massage therapy training must meet the following minimum criteria:

1)         A minimum of 600 clock hours or its equivalent in credit hours of supervised classroom and supervised hands-on instruction. Should an applicant not meet the required number of classroom/hands-on hours, the Division may require completion of additional coursework, as identified in subsection (a)(2), prior to licensure. For purposes of this subsection (a)(1), "supervised" means the supervisor is physically on-site, qualified and immediately available.

2)         The minimum required subject matter and activities are:

A)        Human anatomy, physiology, pathology and kinesiology.

B)        Massage therapy theory, technique and practice, which may include but is not limited to: effleurage/gliding; petrissage/kneading; compression; friction tapotement/percussion; vibration; direct pressure; superficial warming techniques; pumping; stretching; jostling; shaking; rocking.

C)        Contraindications, benefits, universal precautions, body mechanics, history, client data collection, documentation, ethics, business and legalities of massage, professional standards including draping and modesty, therapeutic relationships and communications.

3)         Each student must maintain a minimum grade of 70% for all massage therapy related course and clinical work as described in this Section.

b)         A massage therapy program must meet the following minimum criteria:

1)         Maintain a written program philosophy, objectives and plan of organization;

2)         Have written plans of study, including prerequisite, requisite and elective courses;

3)         Maintain course outlines or syllabi for all massage therapy courses;

4)         Provide a student handbook;

5)         Have a faculty that consists of a sufficient number of full and part-time instructors to ensure that the educational obligations to the student are fulfilled.  Lab/clinical/community course core (lead) faculty must demonstrate competence in their respective areas of teaching as evidenced by a minimum of 2 years or 2000 hours of experience in their field.  Human sciences course core (lead) faculty (anatomy, pathology, physiology) must demonstrate competence in their respective areas of teaching as evidenced by a minimum of 2 years or 2000 hours experience in their field and/or by appropriate degrees/certificates from approved colleges/schools/institutions/programs;

6)         If a program utilizes faculty assistants, it shall establish and maintain policies that set forth qualifications, duties and procedures for use of these personnel.  Faculty assistants shall not be used as substitutes or replacements for regular faculty; shall not be responsible for the overall evaluation of any student; and shall work under the direct supervision of approved faculty;

7)         Maintain permanent student records that summarize the credentials for admission, attendance, grades and other records of performance;

8)         The ratio of students to faculty in the lab/clinical/community area shall not exceed 20 students to 1 instructor with no more than 10 student therapists and 10 serving as clients; and

9)         All hands-on practice must be done on a living human being.

c)         A massage therapy program from another jurisdiction must have substantially similar criteria for an applicant to have his or her credentials accepted for licensure by the Department.

(Source:  Amended at 38 Ill. Reg. 5880, effective February 24, 2014)