Academic Policies

Professionalism

Students are given professionalism grades in both years of the program. Professionalism grades are based on the following:

  • Attire: See below.
  • Body Mechanics: Table height, stance, posture, client contact.
  • Participation: Interaction, engagement, contribution to group work.
  • Communication: Professional, appropriate language, awareness of client

    comfort.

  • Conduct: Positive attitude, respect for class, self, instructors.

Student Attire

Professionalism is key to your success as an ACMT student and Registered Massage Therapist. Students are required to dress the part by abiding with the following standards:

    1. Hair that is shoulder length or longer is tied back.
    2. Refrain from using perfumes or strong deodorants or smelling of

      cigarette smoke or body odour.

    3. No loose jewelry, large earrings, rings or bracelets/watches.
    4. ID card must be visible at all times.
    5. ACMT shirt must be worn during class and in clinic.
      1. Wear blue or black scrub pants.
      2. Close-toed shoes are required during class and clinic.
      3. No excessive makeup.

      10. Finger nails are kept trim with no nail polish or gel nails.

Attendance

Alberta College of Massage Therapy requires that students attend a minimum of 85% of class time.

Alberta Advanced Education mandates that no more than 15% of the program may be missed. Termination from the course may occur when either:

  1. a)  The SMP student is absent for more than two days of weekend classes.
  2. b)  The SMP student is absent for more than four evening classes.
  3. c)  The MT student is absent for more than three days of weekend classes.
  4. d)  The MT student is absent for more than six evening classes.

Arriving late or leaving early is unprofessional and an unwelcome interruption to the class. Any tardiness or early departure will be marked as a half-day absence and is included in the 15% maximum.

Any class time missed (regardless of the reason for the absence) will result in an attendance update being emailed by Administration (as mandated by Alberta Advanced Education).

Students are expected to arrive promptly and attend all hours of every class. As ACMT offers a course in which little class time is required it is especially important for each student to be present and engaged during scheduled class time.

If you anticipate being absent from the class, please notify your instructor as soon as possible. By missing a module, you may forfeit taking the practical exam. If a student is absent due to illness for an entire module a validating medical note will be required to redo the missed practical exam. If the

practical exam has to be taken outside of class, the student will incur the expense of an invigilator.

 

Attendance Exchange Policy

ACMT administration understands there are rare and extenuating circumstances when a student has no choice but to miss class beyond the 15% absenteeism maximum limit, as mandated by Alberta Advanced Education. This Attendance Exchange Policy enables a student in this circumstance to make up class hours in order to prevent being automatically withdrawn from the program.

Any student who has already missed the maximum 15% and knows they absolutely must miss further class time must:

  • Inform the administration prior to the class time that will be missed.
  • Make up the missed class time (8 hours limit) before the upcoming

    module.

  • Pay the administration $100.00 per hour for the amount of one-on-one

    instructional hours at the campus.

  • Schedule the make up class time with the instructor (not with the

    administration).

    This opportunity is available only once to each student for the entire duration of their education with ACMT.

    All hours not made up with an instructor at the campus will result in automatic withdrawal from ACMT.

    There are no exceptions to the Attendance Exchange Policy.

 

Weighted Marks for First and Second Year Studies
SMP – First Year

Assignments:10%

Professionalism: 10%

Modular Exams: 35% (Written = 15%, Practical = 20%)

Final Exam: 40% (Written = 20%, Practical = 20%) v

Practicum: 5%

TOTAL =100%

MT – Second Year
Assignments: 10%

Case Study: 10%

Professionalism: 10%

Modular Exams: 20% (Written = 10%, Practical = 10%)

Midterm: 20% (Written = 10%, Practical = 10%)

Final Exam: 30% (Written = 15%, Practical = 15%)

Practicum:  Pass/Fail

TOTAL =100%

Passing Grade > 65%
Failing Grade < 65%
*Note that a minimum grade of 65% is also required on each part of the final exam (written and practical).

Honours > 85% | Honours with Distinction > 90%

Graduation Requirements

Students must meet the graduation requirements inclusive of:

  • Minimum 65% course average
  • Minimum 65% on each section of the final exam (written and practical)
  • Completion of 54 massages/18 clinic shifts (SMP) and 150 massages/48

    clinic shifts (MT)

  • All finances paid and cleared.
  • Completion of Graduation Survey.

 

Student Evaluation

Throughout program delivery for SMP and MT, instructors will reflect on individual student progress since the start of the program.

If any students are struggling below a 65% academic average and are not demonstrating practical improvements, the instructor will then discuss the options below:

    1. Withdrawal from the program before the 50% completion mark
    2. Study support opportunities including mentorship and study buddy

      sessions at student clinics, or other study resources.

 

Exam Access

Electronics Policy

Electronic devices are not permitted to be on the student while taking midterms or final exams. If found, the exam will be graded as a 0.

Modular Exams

Modular exams consist of exams written in class, and those accessed on the online Learning Management System. Exams on the LMS are open for 4-5 days. After the exam has closed and been graded, students can review the exam questions and answers until the next exam is written. If an exam is missed, that exam will be considered the Mulligan.

Practical Exams

Students are NOT to discuss, text or email any information regarding practical exams with classmates until everyone has completed the practical exams. In the case of practical exams where there is a dispute with the fairness of the marking, another instructor will be assigned to mark the deferred or reassessed exam and the new grade will replace the old grade.

Midterm Written Exams (MT only)

Midterm written exams are done in-class. Students can look over the exams in class after they are marked. Exams are then collected by faculty and sent to the administration.

Final Exams

Written final exams are done in class and are not available to be reviewed once complete. Final exams are sent to the administration and stored in student files. Only the front page of exams (with name, dates, percentage) are filed to keep file sizes manageable.

Deferred Final Exams Process

Students can apply for a deferred examination. This application must be made in writing to the Director of Education one month before completing final exams. This application must indicate the reason for the application and must be accompanied by proof of payment of the deferred final examination fee. The exam fee is $250 for first year (SMP) and $500 for second year (MT).

  • Students have a one-time chance of up-to 90 days from the program end-date to defer a final exam.
  • Any re-takes must be within this 90 days as well
  • If a student takes the full 90 days to write the deferred exam and fails, they forfeit the opportunity to re-take the failed component and will have therefore failed the program. No transcripts or diploma will be issued.
  • On compassionate grounds, the exam deferral fee can be waived if
    the corresponding medical or other emergency causing the deferral is certified by a physician or respective authority and the exam is taken as soon as the student is cleared.
  • If a student who has deferred a final exam based on a certified emergency extends the deferral date beyond the time that they were cleared from the emergency the full deferral fee will be charged to schedule the new date.

 

Mulligan (re-write)

All students have the option to re-write one portion of the theory exam: either the online modular exam or in-person modular exam.The opportunity to re- write the exam with your lowest mark is called the ‘Mulligan’. The intention of the Mulligan is to support the student understanding the entire curriculum as a whole.

Mulligans happen on SMP 7 and on MT 10, which are the review modules for both first and second years. If the grade on the Mulligan is higher, it will replace the previous grade earned. If the grade is lower on the Mulligan, the original grade will stand.

The Mulligan opportunity is only for written modular exams and does not apply to midterms, practical exams, or finals.

 

Case Study

This is worth 10% of the final grade in second year. MT second year students will be required to submit a research paper based around a chosen condition. Students must notify the instructor of the chosen condition in advance, for approval. This paper should include all current documentation and up-to-date research on the condition. The case study will need to discuss all pertinent functional anatomy, known causes and how the condition presents. This paper will also encompass five actual assessments and treatments of a client who is symptomatic of the condition.

Students are required to properly acknowledge references within the case study using the Modern Language Association (MLA) format. MLA uses in-text citations that correspond with a Works Cited page found at the end of your paper.
There are many MLA citation generators on the internet to help properly cite all sources.

The purpose of the case study is to track and evaluate assessments, charting and treatments on a continuing basis. It is a valuable learning experience which will allow students to recognize abilities in action while monitoring progression over an extended time period with a client. Researching the condition gives students the benefit of being expertly knowledgeable about the suspected pathology as assessment, treatment, charting and re-assessment unfolds.

Transcripts and Diplomas

Upon completion of all components of the first year program, the transcript and certificate are sent to students within 30 days of the official
end date of the program. If required, the administration can provide electronic copies of both documents, or a letter of completion while the transcripts/certificates are being produced.

Upon completion of all components of the second year program, the transcript and diploma are sent to students within 30 days of the official end date of the program. If required, the administration can provide electronic copies of both documents, or a letter of completion while the transcripts/diplomas are being produced.

At the end of each program, students must complete a mandatory online survey. The survey collects necessary data for Alberta Advanced Education. During the survey, students provide a mailing address – this is where all documents are mailed upon completion.

End of program documents are only sent to students if the following items are finalized:

  • Total practical massages completed
  • Program average of at least 65%
  • Grade of at least 65% on written and practical components of final exam
  • All finances paid and cleared
  • Graduation Survey completed

 

Options for Failing Grades

Students must pass both sections of the final (written and practical) as well as obtain an average of 65% or higher in the overall course in order to pass. A student who fails to meet these criteria has the following options:

Exam Re-writes

Students who do not achieve 65% on either (or both) components of the final exam will be offered a one-time opportunity to re-take the relevant component(s). Students who achieve the minimum 65% grade on both components of the practical exam but but do not obtain the minimum overall grade of 65% can choose which components of the final exam they would like to re-take. This re-take is a one-time attempt to increase their overall grade to the minimum 65% passing requirement. There is a 90-day period for students to re-write the final exam upon notification of failure from the first attempt.

Students have the following options for re-writing final exams:

  1. Re-do the practical portion of the Final Exam. The minimum passing grade is 65%. A grade higher than 65% may be necessary to achieve a minimum overall course average of 65%.
  2. Re-write the written portion of the Final Exam. The minimum passing grade is 65%. A grade higher than 65% may be necessary to achieve a minimum overall course average of 65%.
  3. Re-do the entire Final Exam – written and practical. The minimum passing grade is 65%. A grade higher than 65% may be necessary to achieve a minimum overall course average of 65%.

 

The re-writes will cost:

  • $125 for the SMP Practical Final only
  • $125 for the SMP Written Final only
  • $250 for the SMP Written/Practical Finals
  • $250 for the MT Practical only
  • $250 for the MT Written only
  • $500 for the MT Written/Practical Finals

 

The student must schedule the re-write with Student Services and their instructor. A minimum 10-day notice is required prior to the desired re-write date. The exam re-take fee must be paid to Home Office a minimum
24 hours before the start time of the scheduled re-take.

There is a 90-day timeline for students to re-take final exams. The timeline is initiated upon receiving notification of the final grade. If a re-take is not scheduled within the 90-day timeline, the student will not graduate the program and will have the option to re-enrol for the program with a future intake.

Re-Enrolment

Students who cannot obtain a passing grade with exam re-writes are eligible to re-enrol in the program at a reduced tuition. Students opting for this option are not required to purchase another set of books or supplies. SMP and MT students re-enrolling will be required to complete all the practical hours again and MT students will also need to submit a new Case Study.

 

Just and Reasonable Cause

Includes theft, violence, deliberate and/or significant falsification or violation of ACMT policies and may result in instant dismissal.

Unsatisfactory Performance

In instances where there has been a just and reasonable cause from a student or instructor the following steps will be followed:

  1. Verbal warning – outlines concerns and required remedy
  2. Written warning – follows verbal warning, reinforces concern

3. Dismissal

All above steps will be recorded in the appropriate personnel file, with copies made available to the person involved upon request.

 

Withdrawals/Terminations and Tuition Refunds

Should a student wish to withdraw from the program and terminate the enrolment contract, they must provide written notice to ACMT. The enrolment contract is considered terminated on the date written notice is received by ACMT.

ACMT may also terminate the student attending the program by providing written notice. The enrolment contract is considered terminated on the date the student receives written notice.

If the student is receiving financial assistance, it is the student’s responsibility to notify their funding source of the withdrawal or termination of the enrolment contract.

If a student enrolment contract is terminated after the vocational training begins, ACMT is entitled to the following tuition:

  • When 10% or less of the vocational training has been provided, 25% of the tuition;
  • When more than 10% but less than 50% of the vocational training has been provided, 60% of the tuition
  • When more than 50% of the vocational training has been provided, 100% of the tuition.

    The percentage will vary for each program depending on the length of the program. Please contact Student Services for specific cut-off dates.

    Registration fee and book/supplies are non-refundable after 4 days.

    Reasons for Termination

    Attendance: A student may face termination due to low attendance. More than 15% of missed class time will result in termination from the program.

    Non-Payment: Students need to set up a payment plan or student loans payment plan with the Student Services Coordinator. Any missed payments may result in suspension and/or termination from the program.