An accelerated massage therapy program in Nashville: 650 hours in five months.
A full-time, classroom-based program designed to take you from day one to MBLEx‑ready in five months instead of the year or more many programs take.
Everything at a glance.
- Total contact hours650
- Program length5 months
- Class scheduleMonday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- FormatIn-person, on campus in South Nashville
- Class sizeSmall cohorts for individual attention
- Credential awardedCertificate of Completion
- Licensing examMBLEx (national exam)
- State eligibilityTennessee LMT licensure
- Base tuition$7,900
- Tuition — sponsored trackAs low as $1,500*
*Sponsored track requires a 24-month post-graduation employment commitment with an affiliated Massage Envy location at minimum 25 bookable hours per week.
What you'll learn.
NIMB's curriculum is delivered as a series of sequential modules. Each module builds on the previous and blends classroom instruction in the sciences with extensive hands-on training in technique and professional practice.
Anatomy and Physiology
A foundational study of the human body — its systems, structures, and how they function — with particular emphasis on the musculoskeletal, nervous, circulatory, and lymphatic systems most directly affected by massage.
Kinesiology and Postural Assessment
How the body moves, how to identify postural imbalances, and how those imbalances inform a therapeutic massage plan.
Swedish Massage
The technical foundation every Licensed Massage Therapist must master: stroke quality, draping, pressure, pacing, and the choreography of a one-hour session.
Deep Tissue, Neuromuscular, and Trigger Point Therapy
Advanced technique for working with chronic tension, adhesions, and pain referral patterns — the modalities most requested in clinical and franchise settings.
Sports Massage and Stretching
Pre-event, post-event, and maintenance massage for active clients, plus assisted stretching and Total Body Stretch protocols.
Pathology and Contraindications
How to recognize when massage is appropriate, when it must be modified, and when to refer out — the knowledge that protects both you and your client.
Hydrotherapy and Allied Modalities
Introduction to heat, cold, and other adjunct therapies that enhance massage outcomes.
Business and Professional Practice
Ethics, boundaries, scope of practice, client intake and documentation, insurance basics, and the business side of building a sustainable career.
Tennessee Law
The specific statutes, rules, and licensure requirements every massage therapist working in Tennessee must understand. Taught by a current member of the Tennessee Massage Licensure Board.
Student Clinic
Supervised hands-on practice with real clients in our on-campus student clinic. The most important hours of your program — and the bridge from "student" to "professional."
What happens next.
Sit for the MBLEx
On graduation, you'll be eligible to register for the MBLEx, the national exam used in 49 states including Tennessee.
Apply for your TN license
Once you pass the MBLEx, submit your application to the Tennessee Board of Massage Licensure. NIMB walks every graduate through the paperwork.
Start working
Sponsored-track graduates step directly into a position with an affiliated Massage Envy. Pay-in-full graduates get full placement support.
How long, how many hours, and what is the MBLEx?
How long is massage school in Tennessee?
It depends on the program's format. NIMB's Accelerated Massage Therapy Program is five months, full-time, Monday through Friday. Part-time and evening programs in Middle Tennessee commonly take a year or more to cover a similar number of hours.
How many hours do you need for a Tennessee massage license?
The Tennessee Board of Massage Licensure sets the minimum hours an approved program must provide; NIMB's 650-hour curriculum exceeds that minimum. Confirm the current requirement on the Board's website.
What is the MBLEx?
The Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination, administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards. Tennessee requires a passing score before you can apply for a license. NIMB graduates receive a Certificate of Completion and are eligible to register for the exam; passing it and obtaining a license are steps you complete with the FSMTB and the Board.
Ready to learn more?
We'll send you the full course catalog and a tuition breakdown.
Request the Catalog