| (a) Each massage school shall follow the curriculum
outline prescribed by the department for the minimum 500-hour supervised
course of instruction.
(b) A student must successfully complete the first
250 hours of the supervised course of instruction, including the successful
completion of at least 100 hours of massage therapy techniques and
theory, before the student is eligible to enter the internship program.
(c) A classroom hour or instructional hour shall include
at least 50 clock minutes of actual instruction time and may include
a maximum of 10 minutes of break time. Break time for hours which
are taught consecutively in one sitting (i.e., in one evening) may
be aggregated into a single break time during those consecutive hours,
not to exceed 3-hour blocks of instruction, but not at the end of
those hours. The 10 minutes of break time may not be accumulated and
used in lieu of lunch or dinner breaks.
(d) An instructor must be physically present with the
student(s) during any in-person classroom hours, including in-person
make-up work. Any make-up work completed through distance learning
must comply with the distance learning provisions in this chapter.
(e) An internship program must provide a student with
a minimum of 40 hours of hands-on massage therapy experience at the
location of the student's enrollment. A student enrolled at an additional
location shall not be required to travel to another location to complete
the internship. The internship may not be offered through distance
learning. The internship must be completed at a massage school licensed
under this chapter.
(f) During the hands-on experience during the internship,
a massage therapy instructor must be available on the premises of
the massage school and be immediately available to the student(s).
(g) A massage school shall not require a student to
advertise for clients or to obtain clients as part of the internship
program. At the student's option and with the massage school's permission,
a student may obtain clients for the student's hands-on massage therapy
experience.
(h) Unless otherwise agreed to by both the student
and the massage therapy educational program, a massage school must
provide all of the minimum 500 hours of the supervised course of instruction
at the physical location of the licensed massage school where the
student enrolled or, if otherwise allowed under this chapter and the
Act, through distance learning.
(i) A massage school shall schedule instruction and
internship clients so that the students will be able to complete the
program during the length of time stipulated in the pre-enrollment
information. No evening class or required instruction may be scheduled
to extend beyond a reasonable time.
(j) Individuals who have completed the required minimum
500-hour supervised course of instruction, including the 50-hour internship,
are eligible for examination and licensure.
(k) A massage school shall not allow a student to receive
any form of compensation for massage therapy or other massage therapy
services.
(l) A massage school shall not allow, authorize, or
contract with a student enrolled in any course or portion of a course
offered by the school to provide massage therapy or other massage
therapy services to the public for compensation in excess of the internship.
(m) Distance learning.
(1) A massage school must verify the identity of a
student receiving instruction through distance learning.
(2) A massage school must accurately track the hours
each student completes through distance learning.
(3) A massage school must monitor each student's participation
in distance learning to ensure that the student is receiving instruction.
(4) Any class, lecture, or recitation, whether offered
through live instruction or not, must offer an opportunity for direct
interaction between the instructor and the student. The direct interaction
may be synchronous or asynchronous. If the direct interaction is asynchronous,
the instructor must respond within a reasonable amount of time.
(5) When distance learning is provided through a method
other than live instruction, the instruction must involve academic
engagement. Academic engagement is active participation by a student
in an instructional activity related to the student's course of study.
It includes but is not limited to:
(A) participating in an activity where there is an
opportunity for interaction between the instructor and the student;
(B) completing and submitting an academic assignment;
(C) taking an assessment or an exam;
(D) participating in an interactive tutorial, webinar,
or other interactive computer-assisted instruction;
(E) participating in a study group, group project,
or an online discussion that is assigned by the school; and
(F) interacting with an instructor about academic matters.
(6) A massage school must document compliance with
paragraphs (1)-(5) for each student who receives instruction through
distance learning.
(7) A massage school must ensure that students receiving
instruction through distance learning have the educational materials
necessary to fulfill all course requirements.
(8) A massage school may not use distance learning
to provide the instruction required by Section 455.156(b)(1)(A) of
the Act.
(9) A massage school using a time clock or similar
technology to track student hours completed through distance learning
may not alter the time clock records, except in a documented case
of technological failure or other situation which is documented by
the school.
(n) As part of the minimum 500-hour supervised course
of instruction, a massage school shall provide information in protecting
the safety of a massage therapist, including steps to take if a client
initiates any verbal or physical contact with the massage therapist
that is intended to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of either
person. This information may be provided at any time in the 500 hours.
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| Source Note: The provisions of this §117.59 adopted to be effective November 1, 2017, 42 TexReg 4991; amended to be effective February 1, 2020, 45 TexReg 543; amended to be effective January 1, 2022, 46 TexReg 9029 |
