Comfort, community, and professionalism in Southside YEG
If you’re considering a visit to the Edmonton campus of Vicars School of Massage Therapy, you’re in for a treat.
There’s nothing our Edmonton staff enjoy more than giving a future student or clinic client their first tour of the campus. The reactions we get to the warm and welcoming space range from surprise to relief—but always include delight. That’s because our Edmonton campus is unlike any other post-secondary school environment they’ve ever seen.
When you come in, the first thing you’ll notice is the sunlight and art filling the reception areas. After that, you’ll notice the comfortable and inviting student lounges, clinic rooms, offices, and kitchens. We have four specially designed classroom spaces, with hands-on massage “lab” facilities in addition to the usual classroom furnishings.
The classrooms and teaching clinics feature professional-standard massage tables (including a few high-tech hydraulic tables), privacy curtains, handwashing stations, and everything else a modern massage student needs.
Our Edmonton campus reflects who we are: unique, inclusive, and dedicated to meeting our students’ needs. Want to see for yourself? Take a video tour of the Edmonton campus:
Home away from home for distance students
Vicars School of Massage Therapy serves students from Edmonton and its surrounding communities–Sherwood Park, St Albert, Beaumont, Leduc, Spruce Grove, Devon, and more. But Vicars students come from all over northern Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, and the Territories to study in Edmonton.
While most are drawn by the career advantage of the nationally accredited Vicars School diploma, the flexibility of our schedules is a big factor. Our blended-learning schedules, and the monthly schedule in particular, bring students from all over Western Canada to get a first-rate massage therapy education without having to leave their communities or uproot their families.
“Vicars School has been a blended-learning program from Day One in 2001,” says founder Maryhelen Vicars. “It’s effective and it makes the best use of adult learners’ time.”
Blended (often called hybrid) programs are especially effective for medical and healthcare education, research has shown. Skills are taught and refined in class and in clinics; theory is presented online. Massage therapy education is a perfect example: meta-analyses of student results show that “Researchers found that student assessment results for online and blended learning environments were better than for entirely face-to-face contexts.” (flexible.learning.ubc.ca)
Blended learning programs are not all the same, of course. At Vicars, students complete more than 300 hours in our public clinics by the time they graduate. These teaching clinics are on campus, supervised by faculty, and valuable part of the integrated learning experience by providing real-world experience in a safe and supportive environment. Employers prefer Vicars grads because they have the combination of education and experience that makes them valuable from their first day at work!
Helping you invest in your future
Most Vicars students can apply for both federal and provincial student funding as long as they’re either Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Government student loans are designed specifically for students; you don’t have to start repaying them until you’re out of school, and they can be applied to tuition, school supplies, and even some of your living expenses. There is zero interest on Canada student loans now, too. Student grants are even better: they don’t have to be repaid at all!
We recognize that students who come from afar have additional costs to consider. Fortunately, they can also apply for additional financial support. This includes:
- Northern Alberta Development Council Bursary, worth up to $7,000. For students who agree to live and work in northern Alberta for at least one year after they graduate, and does not have to be repaid. It’s open to any Albertan, whether they already live in the northern part of the province already or not. It’s a great opportunity for massage therapy students from Grande Cache, Peace River, Grande Prairie, Lac La Biche, Whitecourt, Fort McMurray, Bonnyville, and anywhere in between. More info here.
- First Nations, Métis and Inuit Bursary, worth up to $7,000. Similar to the NADC bursary, this funding source is for First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Albertans who agree to work in northern Alberta after they graduate. Northern Alberta is home to many vibrant indigenous communities, including Cold Lake, Wabasca-Desmarais, Fort MacKay, Slave Lake, Fort Chipewyan, and more. This bursary program is a fantastic opportunity for indigenous Albertans to share their talents.
- Vicars Distance Grant: worth up to $1,000. Available to eligible students who travel more than 100km (one-way) from home to campus.
- Vicars BC Student Grant: worth up to $2,000. Available to eligible students who live in BC. This grant is more than the “regular” distance grant because Student Aid BC offers limited support for students attending out-of-province career programs.
There are other sources of funding, too. Third-party organizations like indigenous bands and Metis associations often have funding available for their members, and there are various public and private scholarships available. Vicars School also offers special funding options for Armed Forces members, veterans, and their families. (Curious about your options? Email [email protected] to book a funding consultation!)
How to find us in Edmonton
Our Edmonton campus is located at 2828 Calgary Trail NW. We’re in the Edmonton Home Fair complex, north of South Edmonton Common. It’s easy to get to by car, bike, and Edmonton transit, and easy to get to from the airport. Click here for detailed directions.
