Students who want to become certified athletic trainers must earn a graduate degree from an accredited athletic training program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Students will graduate with a Master of Science in Athletic Training and be eligible to sit for the Board of Certification examination.

The Athletic Training (AT) Program is designed to prepare students for a professional entry-level healthcare career in the athletic training profession. This program, specifically designed to meet national and state licensure requirements, is a two-year master's level program (49 credit hours) that combines classroom and clinical education teaching/learning strategies. 

The Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) degree is offered through the UWF Department of Movement Sciences and Health (MSH). The professional preparation courses in this program encompass the athletic training professional domains. The overall objectives of the Athletic Training Program are to instruct, evaluate, and provide hands-on experience for students in the following domains:

1. Risk Reduction, Wellness, and Health Literacy​ - Students promote healthy lifestyle behaviors with effective education and communication to enhance wellness and minimize the risk of injury and illness. 
2. Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis - Students implement systematic, evidence-based assessments and evaluations to formulate valid clinical diagnoses and differential diagnoses to determine a patient’s plan of care.
3. Critical Incident Management - Students integrate best practices in immediate and emergency care for optimal outcomes.
4. Therapeutic Intervention - Students rehabilitate individuals with a health condition (i.e., injury, illness, general medical condition) with the goal of achieving optimal activity and participation levels based on core concepts (i.e., fundamental knowledge and skillsets) using the applications of therapeutic exercise, modality devices, and manual techniques.
5. Healthcare Administration & Professional Responsibilities - Students integrate best practices in policy construction and implementation, documentation, and basic business practices to promote optimal patient care and employee well-being.

AT students are educated in cognitive and psychomotor skills related to recognition, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses involving the physically active as well as risk management, health care administration, pharmacology, diagnostic imaging, and medical ethics and legal issues. In addition to the didactic courses, students are required to complete a minimum number of clinical education hours in a variety of settings.

Admission Requirements

The application process for the UWF Master of Science in Athletic Training consists of two steps, application through ATCAS (the Athletic Training Centralized Application Service) and application to the UWF Graduate School.

In addition to the University graduate admission requirements described in the Admissions section of the catalog, the department bases decisions for regular admission on a holistic review of credentials in which the following criteria are used to assess the potential success of each applicant:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• A minimum of 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) and a grade of "C" or better on all prerequisite courses. The following prerequisite coursework ("C" grade or higher) is required for admission:
  • Anatomy/Physiology with lab - 2 courses
  • Biology with lab - 1 course
  • Physics - 1 course
  • Biomechanics - 1 course
  • Chemistry - 1 course
  • Exercise Physiology - 1 course
  • Nutrition - 1 course
  • Psychology - 1 course
  • Statistics - 1 course
• Preferred coursework: 
  • Principles of Athletic Training or equivalent - 1 course
  • Functional Kinesiology - 1 course
• 50 hours of observation under a licensed and certified athletic trainer
• Two (2) letters of recommendation - one letter should be from a practicing athletic trainer
• A resume/curriculum vitae
• Letter of Intent for Athletic Training

Academic Progression Requirements

A student must demonstrate appropriate progression through the MSAT program. A student’s status is jeopardized (i.e., probation and/or program dismissal) if they do not meet the following program standards:

Criteria

1. Maintain an overall 3.0 GPA in MSAT-based credit hours taken at UWF toward the degree.
2. Minimum grade requirement of a “B” in all courses.*

Consequence

1. Remediation plan set up by the MSAT faculty. A student will have a semester period to bring their overall GPA above 3.0. If a student is unable to bring their GPA to a 3.0 during this period, they will be dismissed from the program. If a student’s GPA falls below a 3.0 at the conclusion of their last semester in the program the student will not be eligible to receive their degree.
2. If a student earns a B- or lower* in a course, a remediation plan will be set up for the student to demonstrate the knowledge and skills that were needed for the student to have earned a "B" in that specific course. A student will not be able to retake the course. A student cannot earn less than a "B" in more than two courses throughout their time in the MSAT program. If a student does, they will be dismissed from the program.

*

Please note: if a student earns less than a "C" in any MSAT program course they will be immediately dismissed from the MSAT program.

Academic Remediation/Dismissal

The MSAT faculty will conduct a review of academic progress at the end of each academic semester period, and a student will be notified of their remediation standing in the program if they do not meet the requirements stated above. Upon notification, a student will meet with the program faculty to discuss their status, discuss a remediation plan, and sign documentation regarding their status, which will be kept on file. Failure to reestablish the accepted academic standards within the determined timeframe will result in program dismissal. Once dismissed from the MSAT program, a student is NOT eligible for re-admission.

Professional Standards Dismissal

Failure to maintain the professional standards as specified in the MSAT Student Handbook may result in dismissal from the program.

Required Courses: (49 credits)