Utah College Of Massage Thrpy

I'll be fair. I went to UCMT because I wanted an anatomy class that included visits to the cadavar lab at the University of Utah. I got that. But as a trade-off I had an incompetent shiatsu instructor, an ineffectual craniosacral instructor, an extremely unknowledgeable accupressure instructor. My advice: if you are interested at all in energy work, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. This college offers the energy classes but does not attract good instructors for these classes. The instructors are NOT good role models for a healthy lifestyle. I think the comparison to boot camp is appropriate, only at UCMT you will not have time to work out. They TELL you to take care of yourself, advise you to watch your calories, get bodywork, watch your body mechanics, go exercise, but there's very little meat even to this conventional wisdom. When will you have time to do any of this? In their huge classes with one teacher and one TA, what are the chances that your poor body mechanics will be corrected? NIL - in my massage classes the instructor and TA chatted while we massaged, and they came to our assistance when we raised our hands. UCMT students think they're getting topnotch training in craniosacral, accupressure and shiatsu, but they're not. It's all spin... and they believe it because it would be painful not to, since they are paying through their teeth. Also, UCMT's highly touted (by UCMT) professional development course is NOT anything to pay money for. You learn next to nothing about setting up a private practice. Wasted hours sitting in uncomfortable chairs. Yes, the instructors are required to have a private practice, but since they are also required to teach full-time, I wonder what kind of private practice they have. I'd rather learn from a part-time instructor who has a REAL full-time practice. Rumor says that UCMT is the best massage school in the nation. HUH? Who says UCMT is the best massage school in the nation - WHO? Who has evaluated and ranked massage schools in the USA?

Pros: Visits to cadaver lab at U of U

Cons: bad instruction, bad role models, huge classes

Posted 01/26/09

I am currently going to UCMT down in Lindon, UT. I absolutely love it! All the instructors are friendly and very knowledgable...they will try to help every student succeed. But it comes down to you as a student on how well you succeed and how you take things! They can't make you enjoy the experience. It is hard work, anything that you want to be successful at is going to be hard work, but it is not a boot camp. I have found that all the instructors encourage all the students to do what they love, whether it is private practice, spa, independant contractor, cruise ship, chiropractic offices, hospital, etc etc.. What is your vision? They will help you succeed in that. The education is more than injury and structural massage. These are some of the modalities that are taught; Reflexology, Acupressure, Shiatsu, Russian, Swedish, Sports, Injury, etc. Also an amazing Anatomy course with trips to the U of U Cadavier lab, also Professional Developement which is a great course in Business Management taught by Instructors who have their own Private Practice. So far UCMT has started to change my life. I am not in clinic yet, I'm sure it is going to be hard work, and I'm sure I won't like everything about it. But they provide your clients! The campus is always busy with people coming for massages, where else do you get that kind of experience?

Pros: Best Education/Experience for your money

Cons: Clients can't request you when you are in Clinic they get who they get.

Posted 12/19/08

I have read the reviews here and must agree that UCMT is like Massage School Boot Camp. The raving reviews about UCMT als read like marketing ads, something they've had their staff do. UCMT staff, in the school and in their corporate office (called "Corporate"), are mostly from the ranks of their own graduates. It says a lot about the industry and the school that UCMT graduates would prefer to work for Steiner Leisure Ltd. (Steiner Education Group). Another question: why with an equal amount of poor reviews does UCMT still receive a four star rating at this site? Corporations have a lot of power. Do they have the power to manipulate the reviews and the ratings at sites like these? UCMT is Utah Culture pure. Norm Cohn, the founder, spent years living in India, in Osho's ashram in Pune. He had a master's degree in psychology. He became a structural bodyworker and believed in the transformational potential of massage and bodywork. He then started a massage school in Utah in the 1980s. I'm glad he did. But this is another example of how powerful cultures are. UCMT did not change Utah culture, instead Utah culture changed UCMT. This school has nothing to do with transformation. It's all about sports massage. But if you really want to be good at injury and rehabilitative massage, you need to do their Master Bodyworker program for another $5000 (add to the initial $12,000 tuition). They sell both programs well. That's all they do. If you love Utah culture, if you want to spend 7 months in massage school boot camp, if you love "military" culture, then this is the place for you. If you're interested in holistic bodywork, then go somewhere else. The weekend clinic is not such a bad deal for students. You get the chance to work on a lot of different bodies. It's a valuable experience. It's the school and the staff's attitude that spoil it. Clinic was a day of hell because the building is so ugly, and I was treated so poorly by the staff. Indeed, I felt like a cow in a herd.

Posted 08/22/08

I recently attended Utah College of Massage Therapy and graduated with a 4.0. A warning about the student massage clinic on the weekends: Don't go if your immune system is weak or compromised. This school insists that sick students attend clinic. A classmate was giving massages at clinic even though she was on the verge of throwing up. Other classmates had very bad colds, i.e. runny noses, sore throats, coughs, and were giving massages, doing their best not to breathe or cough on their clients. The clinic manager boasted that she went to work even when she had pneumonia. Go figure... And beware!

For prospective students, I think the $12,000+ tuition is only worth it if you are interested in rehabilitative massage. Otherwise look elsewhere, for instance, at College of Myotherapy. UCMT has been purchased by the Steiner Corporation and profit, not quality is apparently top priority. They just march as many students through the door as they can. Classes can be up to 60+, which is unheard of. Worse still, the quality of the instructors is very uneven. The acupressure, craniosacral therapy, shiatsu classes are very poor in quality. The anatomy class with visits to the U of U anatomy lab is the only highlight of the program. Many of the instructors, especially their "star" instructors, are bullies. And the school encourages no feedback, offers no opportunities to evaluate their instructors. I felt like I was in massage school boot camp. The only "transformation" you'll undergo in this program is the transformation recruits might be expected to undergo in a military boot camp. Depending on who you are, and especially if you are over 18, it can be a humiliating experience. The program turns out massage therapists who can do a somewhat decent job at injury, but not massage therapists who know anything about the value of diet, nutrition or healthy lifestyle. Don't expect to have instructors who know anything about tai chi, qi gong, yoga, martial arts, etc.

Pros: Great if you're interested in learning some Structural and Injury

Cons: Some instructors are bullies, and quality of instruction is very uneven

Posted 08/20/08

My experience here was awful. The therapists-term used loosely- have ben in school for what 2-3 months. Granted I know that others are about to graduate and leave so have been working a tad longer but geez. An internship does usually come with a bit of compensation for the worker and I was surprised to hear they get NOTHING and we get in trouble if they accept tips. Quite a scam UCMT has going for itself calling the clinic a class not actual internship b/c that would be considered a job and a lest minimum wage would be called for- I think this would make the students more present and perhaps then UCMT would only incorporate this scheme in the last quarter ,semester, whatever it is over there and then the students would feel valued and properly trained - enough to at least give a 25 dollar quality massage. It's loud, it's cold , it's looks like a WW II infirmary, the "therapists" look like they are in the middle of a cattle drive. I just don't think turning profit by exploiting unfit therapists is ok- there is something a miss here. I will never go back and plan to tell as many folks who do value massage that I know to not even consider going- it isn't supporting these students as future therapists to support UCMT and there cash cow they call clinic- shame on them

Pros: it ended

Cons: no room for me to explain

Posted 08/13/08

98% placement upon graduation, 20+ year old program-specializing in Massage only-Life time career assistance, clinical internship included! The list goes on!
I am a UCMT graduate. Best School EVER for Massage Therapy. I know. I checked into 40 Massage Schools across the Nation before choosing UCMT. I found only one School that offered anything close to the experience and working knowledge behind the walls of Utah's own UCMT. (It was in Boulder, CO.)
The instructors at the Utah College of Massage Therapy, SLC have a combined total of over 80 years working experience in professional Massage. Find that at another school. The program is over 20 yrs old. The faculty at UCMT are all working professionals away from teaching!!!!! You are getting the information from the horses' mouths! My instructors would come in to class with "real life" Massage situations that they had experienced earlier in the day. It's not like they are gurus from the 70's that have been stuck behind desks for the past 20 years. These teachers practice what they preach! Everyday!
The staff and faculty are friendly and experienced. I felt at home during my time at UCMT. Within a week everyone knew my name. The classes are big enough for students to have multiple different body types to work and learn on and small enough that there are about 7 or 8 students to every instructor during the hands on learning-which is most of what we did.
The instructors treated me as a fellow Body Worker from day one. I felt like the faculty and staff at UCMT were my teammates and equals rather than some sort of authority figures.
The program was not easy. UCMT made it possible for me not only to learn Massage Therapy but to get a job right after I graduated.
Every where I go people know about UCMT. They know that UCMT has the best program in the Nation. I have been offered MT jobs without interviewing because I graduated from UCMT.
I couldn't be happier!!!

Pros: Everything! More than I had expected. UCMT will be part of me forever!

Posted 05/05/08

I'm a recent graduate of UCMT and it has been, by far, the greatest experience of my life. Not only was the training stellar but the program has changed me immensely! What intrigued me the most about UCMT was its reputation within the Massage industry. They are internationally known and are well-known for their career placement. I was also impressed to find a school that specializes ONLY in Massage, and that it was actually founded by a Massage Therapist, not some joe-shmoe looking to make a quick buck in a growing industry. I value the fact that the instructors ARE graduates of UCMT. This assured that the unique curriculum and philosophies were being carried through from the founder. As for the Clinical Internship: Students really need to swallow their egos with this one! Do you seriously believe that you are qualified enough to perform bodywork on the public for a profit? Wow! Then you have obviously missed one of the most important philosophies of bodywork: Remove your ego! How do you think the linens and sheets get cleaned? How do you think the clinic is promoted? How do you think the clinic staff gets paid? By the minimal fee clients pay for a STUDENT massage! I can't see how the little money that Clinic does make can possibly turn into profit. I was able to practice bodywork on 100+ clientele before I even began working in the industry. By the time I started working in the industry I already felt like I had more hands-on experience than most therapists probably do after working in the industry for over a year. I'd like to personally thank the public for supporting us as students in the clinical internship! Overall UCMT is the best massage school! From Administration, Faculty to Career Services, UCMT is professional, on top of the industry, and I'm proud to be a UCMT graduate!

Pros: Reputation! Expertise! Career placement and lifetime Career Services support!

Cons: Parking!

Posted 04/28/08

.The plain fact is that DCMT does make money off clinic by charging 27 dollars per visit , cramming 5 people in every weekend for over 100 hours comes out to around 4,000$ per student therapist mulitply that by how many students their are at ALL of the campuses and you have to be nuts to say that they aren't making money. At least they could get a few magazine subscriptions for the break room, maybe RECYCLE, have a small library for students in the common room- if you are going to make money off of my time they need to do something with it other than spend it on marketing so they can rope more students in to boost their bottom line. An apprenticeship of some sort or internship at a spa,or private pratice is more appropriate than clinic. I have said it before that the instructors at the Salt Lake campus are amazing- I just find it spooky and one sided that they ALL went there . This is corperate massge. Take advantage of their 98% placement on cruise ships that Steiner owns and then "own" you , your corporate spa(where you will split 60/40- 40 being what you take home), or at fantastic strip mall venues like Massage Envy-. For all those people who have a degree from college or can think outside of the "box" be warned, this is not what a massage atmosphere should ever be. This is the LEAST alternative massage school on the market-but obviously it works for some. You will get hours and certification from any school you go to. That is really all employers look for. Research your schools carefully, if you want a more all around holistic experience this "family" of schools is NOT the right choice.

Pros: You graduate and MOVE ON

Cons: too many to get in to it

Posted 04/02/08

Students are uncomfortable with massage -so it was an incredibly uncomfortable hour. Also, it was loud! They have it set up in a big room with curtains pulled around you (like a hospital) and you can here EVERYTHING!!! Not relaxing, not fun. The maseusse was a student who had only been learning for about 2 or 3 months and was very uncomfortable. I could not relax.

The staff also seemed WAY stressed out and unhappy. Maybe something is up with the company and the way they treat their workers? For a place that wants to "Heal the World, One Body at a Time" their entire staff seemed, stressed, anxious, and unhappy.

Pros: Cheap rub down

Cons: Cheap rub down

Posted 06/08/07

Such a great place to go for a college student, or anyone looking to save some money! We all like to indulge, but for some it's just too expensive! UCMT has two-for-ones every now and then so you can go with a friend. It's professional and relaxing.

Posted 10/12/06