Athletic Training, MS

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The athletic training degree program earned initial accreditation in 1997 and continuing accreditation in 2004 and 2012 through the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Prior to this, the curriculum had been National Athletic Trainers’ Association approved since 1978. The MS in Athletic Training program will undergo re-accreditation in 2022.

The athletic training curriculum is defined by the current Board of Certification, Inc. Practice Analysis, which consists of five performance domains that include: (1) Injury and Illness Prevention and Wellness Promotion; (2) Examination, Assessment, and Diagnosis; (3) Immediate and Emergency Care; (4) Therapeutic Intervention; (5) Healthcare Administration and Professional Responsibility. The curriculum (both didactic and clinical) requirements for programs at the Masters level is outline in the CAATE’s 2020 Standards for Professional Programs. The program’s didactic curriculum includes courses that will provide foundational knowledge in injury evaluation and treatment, general medical principles, pharmacological intervention, emergency response, statistics, research design, epidemiology, pathophysiology, biomechanics and pathomechanics, exercise physiology, nutrition, human anatomy, pharmacology, public health, and health care delivery and payor systems. This foundational knowledge will prepare the student to:

• evaluate and manage patients with acute conditions, including triaging conditions that are life threatening or otherwise emergent
• perform an examination to formulate a diagnosis and plan of care for patients with health conditions commonly seen in athletic training practice
• perform or obtain the necessary and appropriate diagnostic or laboratory tests to facilitate diagnosis, referral, and treatment planning
• advocate for the health needs of clients, patients, communities, and populations
• identify health care delivery strategies that account for health literacy and a variety of social determinants of health
• incorporate patient education and self-care programs to engage patients and their families and friends to participate in their care and recovery
• communicate effectively and appropriately with clients/patients, family members, coaches, administrators, other health care professionals, consumers, payors, policy makers, and others
• practice in collaboration with other health care and wellness professionals
• practice in a manner that is congruent with the ethical standards of the profession

The students’ clinical requirements include direct patient care with athletes and physically active patients. The requirements also include an evaluation of skills by preceptors who supervise each student’s clinical experience.  Students rotate through four on-campus athletic training facilities and several off-site affiliated settings during the clinical education component acquiring valuable skills under the direct supervision of certified athletic training staff, team physicians and other allied health professionals. In addition to the four clinical rotations, the MS in AT degree will also include a 4-week (at minimum) immersive clinical experience.  This immersive experiece is a practice-intensive experience that allows the student to experience the totality of care provided by athletic trainers. Students will participate in the day-to-day and week-to-week role of an athletic trainer.

Upon completion of the MS in Athletic Training, students are eligible to sit for the BOC, Inc. certification examination. Successful completion of this exam affords the candidate a variety of employment opportunities including athletic training positions at the high school, college/university level; sports medicine/rehabilitation clinics; and professional athletic teams.