Athletic Training

The Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) degree is offered through the Department of Athletic Training, which is housed in the School of Health Sciences. This academic alignment offers a variety of unique learning experiences for preparing future healthcare professionals.

The MSAT is a year-round 24-month curriculum that focuses on athletic training professional content and hands-on patient care experiences. The MSAT requires continuous enrollment and is uniquely designed to teach students how to function in an inter-professional healthcare team that mimics the real dynamic health systems in which they will work. Students will engage in common courses with other graduate students in Physician Assistant Studies, Physical Therapy, and Pharmacy.

The 2-year post-baccalaureate MSAT option is for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree (not in athletic training) and wish to enter the profession and earn the credential as a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC).

The MSAT curriculum is rooted in basic sciences, emergency care, orthopedic injury assessment and diagnosis, and therapeutic interventions while offering advanced coursework in gross anatomy with cadaver dissection, clinical decision making, applied neuromuscular and biomechanical concepts, orthopedic casting and bracing, optimizing athletic performance, and pathophysiology. The unique curriculum is enhanced through the use of high fidelity patient simulators, state-of-the art motion analysis equipment, and exceptional clinical facilities. Students will gain in-depth knowledge of evidence-based clinical practice and gain experiences in clinical decision making that are synthesized across concepts spanning the full scope of practice of an athletic trainer with particular focus on musculoskeletal assessment/diagnosis and therapeutic interventions.

The MSAT requires 70 credits of graduate coursework that is completed over the course of 24 months and requires continuous enrollment. Didactic and clinical courses are sequenced to allow for the greatest amount of depth in both content and clinical application.

Admission requirements:

Admission to the MSAT will be based on the following criteria:

1. Preferred overall undergraduate GPA 3.0 or greater
2. Preferred C or better in the following courses.

*courses may be in-progress at the time of application and admission is contingent upon completion with a preferred C or better

Human anatomy with lab	General Chemistry I with lab
Human physiology with lab	General Physics I with lab
Biology

3. Preferred B or better in the following coursework.

*courses may be in-progress at the time of application and admission is contingent upon completion with a preferred B or better

1. Required minimum of 50 hours of clinical observation under the direct supervision of a certified athletic trainer.
2. Required current certification in CPR. Either American Red Cross Professional Rescuer CPR or American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers are preferred. Proof of certification required at time of interview.
3. Required 2 recommendation from individuals who can attest to the applicant’s ability to succeed in graduate school
4. Non-native speakers of English with international transcripts, regardless of U.S. citizenship, must validate proficiency in the English language. Applicants may submit a satisfactory score on a language proficiency test. If the TOEFL is the chosen test, the minimum required score depends on the form of the exam taken (internet based – 79, or paper based – 550). A score of at least 6.5 is required on the IELTS.
5. Successful completion of an on-campus interview with the MSAT Admissions Committee (invitation only)

Conditional admission decisions will be made on a rolling basis but typically no later than March 1st of each calendar year. Late applications will be accepted/reviewed if space is available. Full admission will be determined at the end of the spring semester and is contingent upon completion of required prerequisites that may still be in-progress.