COMTA Endorsed Curriculum

In the last few years, there have been many national conversations about the need for improved and consistent educational standards in the massage and bodywork field. At the same time, there are many professionals who object to mandatory accreditation because of the burden for smaller schools.

As a solution, the Commission has developed a new status which recognizes quality curriculum and instruction without the additional financial and administrative burden of accreditation. It is anticipated that this will honor those schools doing exceptional work, incorporating the COMTA Curriculum Competencies and ELAP Outcomes into their programs, and help move the profession forward in a more inclusive manner.

COMTA Endorsed Curriculum focuses on verifying only the school or program’s curriculum and instructors, not the full operations of the school as is done in accreditation.

No. The COMTA Endorsed Curriculum recognition status does not qualify as accreditation. It’s a reflection of curriculum and instruction only, and does not involve the same level of verification rigor as accreditation. Nor does it require the same level of expense or paperwork. For those institutions seeking accreditation as a pre-requisite to Title IV funding participation, you must apply for accreditation. Where graduation from an “accredited institution or program” is required for licensure, this status would not currently qualify.

Many school owners and program directors have worked hard over the years to create a quality curriculum and instructional environment, and many have even used COMTA curriculum competencies as a model. However, they may not have the financial or staff resources to make accreditation a reality. This status was designed to serve this population in recognizing those schools/programs providing curriculum and instruction which meets the Commission’s expectations.

You can use this recognition status as a point of pride in promoting your program to prospective students. You can promote it to your state licensing boards who may want to ensure certain curriculum and instructional standards in practitioners’ schooling, but who may not have the resources to vet each school themselves.

You will also be joining a network of dedicated professionals around the country. The Commission encourages networking and mentoring among our members to collaborate in promoting the massage and bodywork profession in our
communities.

Any state-approved, post-secondary massage/bodywork institution or program which meets state professional licensing requirements (or a minimum of 500 hours in lieu of licensing) and the COMTA Curriculum Competencies is eligible to apply.

Four years for both initial and renewal.

After the pilot phase, the Commission adjusted the pricing to meet current needs. The current pricing is in effective April 2017.

$1,000 application fee (may be paid in two installments)
$395 annual sustaining fee

All currently accredited members of COMTA will automatically receive the COMTA Endorsed Curriculum designation to publish and promote. When future accreditations are granted, the additional mark of the COMTA Endorsed Curriculum will also be included.

The Commission has designed the Endorsed Curriculum to streamline nicely into accreditation should an institution or program choose to continue. The application fee will be credited directly to the accreditation application fee. Contact COMTA staff for additional questions.

Please see the COMTA-Endorsed Curriculum Requirements document for a complete list of requirements and expectations.
This information will be verified by collecting three pieces of application in two parts:

Part 1
Initial Application, which includes:
a. Ownership information
b. State approval, other accreditation status
c. Catalog

Program Application, which includes:
a. COMTA Competency Chart (aligned with school’s program) b. List of courses/hours of program
c. Syllabi for each course in program
d. Sample assessment pieces

Part 2
Endorsed Curriculum Addendum, which includes:
a. Instructor Qualifications for each current instructor
b. State massage licensing information
c. Sample Transcript
d. Attestations for Endorsed Curriculum Requirements

The process is designed to be more streamlined and shorter than accreditation. Depending on how prepared the school and how aligned the program already is with the COMTA requirements, the process can take 1 – 3 months from application to approval.

No. As of April 2017, instead of an in-person site visit, the school undergoes a phone verification interview with a COMTA evaluator to confirm the documentation submitted. The school will have an opportunity to make revisions/adjustments to its application if necessary.

Submit the annual $395 fee and a brief annual report to include a current catalog, MBLEX pass rates and any changes made to the curricular program. Agree to adhere to all expectations as stated in the COMTA- Endorsed Curriculum Requirements.

The Commission has reviewed and endorsed the Coalition’s Entry-Level Analysis Project (ELAP) requirements which came out in 2013. These were compared with the current COMTA Competencies for alignment and were determined to be well-reflected.

Therefore, the Commission will maintain its process for verifying a school curriculum to the COMTA Competencies at this time. For those schools who have worked hard to integrate the ELAP requirements into your curriculum, you can see the ELAP alignment to the COMTA Competencies in this document. The Commission feels confident that the COMTA-Endorsed Curriculum process reflects the spirit of the ELAP requirements, thereby fulfilling the FSMTB’s Model Practice Act recommendation:
“…it is recommended that all educational institutions adopt a curriculum that reflects the ELAP recommendations and that is acceptable to an accrediting body recognized by the US Department of Education.”

Contact the COMTA staff at info@comta.org or 202-888-6790 and ask to be added to the COMTA online submission system to submit an application.

You can also go directly to http://comta.edvera.com and click “Request an Account.” Be sure to include the full name, address, phone number, web address of the institution, as well as the first/last name, position title and email address of all users to the account.