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Athletic Training: Master of Science (MS)

About

Appalachian’s Master of Science in Athletic Training (MS-AT) will begin in the summer of 2020.

Appalachian’s two-year, 65-hour graduate program prepares students to become ATs who are engaged members of a health care team and community, and who have the ability to think critically and reflectively and communicate effectively in a changing health care market.

The program will be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), with a curriculum that meets CAATE’s Professional Standards. Students become eligible to sit for the Board of Certification® national examination during their final semester.

In this program, a thesis is optional. One comprehensive examination is given at the end of the first year of study. Each student must complete an evidence-based capstone experience, for which there are two options: a research thesis or a research project.

More information

Professional Licensure

This is a program that leads to licensure or certification.  Appalachian State University cannot confirm whether this program will meet the requirements for professional licensure in other states or territories.

If this applies to you, check the National Athletic Trainers' Association for information on licensure requirements and licensing agencies in other states. Or, you may address questions to State Authorization at Appalachian at stateauthorization@appstate.edu or 828-262-7559.

People

  • Faculty Profile: Dr. Ashley Goodman
    Faculty Profile: Dr. Ashley Goodman

    “You can find an athletic trainer working in all kinds of places, from Major League Baseball, to John Deere and Boeing, to NASCAR, to the Army, and this is a great thing to see.”

    – Dr. Ashley Goodman  

Courses

  • Graduate Bulletin
    Graduate Bulletin and Course Catalog

Application Essentials

Required Entrance Exam: GRE (score must be no more than 5 years old); International applicants must also supply TOEFL or IELTS scores

Required number of references to specify in the online form: 3 with at least one from a faculty member and one from a licensed health care provider (e.g., Athletic Trainer, Physician, Physical Therapist, Physician Assistant, Nurse, etc.)

Official Transcripts: Sealed or electronic, including prerequisites, from each college/university attended since high school

Supplemental Information: Resume (upload required for application submission); personal statement (upload required for application completion pre- or post-submission), which includes: 1) the applicant’s insight into what is involved in becoming and practicing as an Athletic Trainer, 2) the applicant’s reflection on the observation hours obtained, 3) the applicant’s professional goals and how the MS-AT degree will help them achieve those goals and 4) if the applicant is interested in research, it should include the faculty member(s) with whom the applicant is most interested in working; observation hours (upload required for application completion pre- or post-submission) — documentation of 40 hours of clinical observation/shadowing under the direct supervision of a Certified Athletic Trainer (submission form coming soon).

Basic Conditions for Consideration of Admission: Meeting or exceeding the conditions below does NOT guarantee admission. All applications for a given entry term will be weighed based upon the number of seats available and the quality of the complete application packages. With special permission from the Graduate School, a program may admit a limited number of students with exceptional circumstances who do not meet the graduate school minimums.

Graduate School: 3.0 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores from the appropriate admission test(s), OR 2.5 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores at the 25th percentile level from the appropriate admission test(s).

Admission to the MS-AT program: Applicants must complete an online application on the Athletic Training Centralized Application System (ATCAS). If applicants are notified that they have been recommended for admission based on their ATCAS application, students must then apply online to the Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies. An interview (in-person or web-based) may be required. Completion of required prerequisite coursework (listed below). Students may be enrolled in prerequisites while applying, but all prerequisites must be completed by the start of the MS-AT program. These prerequisites are:

  • Human Anatomy (4 credits with a lab)
  • Human Physiology (4 credits with lab. When anatomy and physiology are taken as a combined course, two semesters are necessary to meet this requirement.)
  • Biology (animal-based; 3-4 credits with lab)
  • Chemistry (3-4 credits with lab)
  • Physics (4 credits with lab)
  • Statistics (3 credits)
  • Exercise Physiology (3 credits)
  • Psychology (3 credits)
  • Biomechanics or Kinesiology (3 credits)

The program director reserves the right to request course syllabi to confirm course content.

Employers

Once this program begins matriculating students, graduates’ potential employers may include:

  • Colleges and universities
  • Secondary schools
  • Professional sports teams
  • Olympic sports
  • Clinics and hospitals
  • Military branches
  • Occupational health (corporations, commercial settings, etc.)
  • Youth leagues
  • Performing arts
  • Public safety
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Degrees

Application Deadlines

  • Spring: x
  • Summer Session 1: 2/1 for the Athletic Training Centralized Application System (ATCAS) application, followed by 4/1 for Appalachian’s graduate school application
  • Summer Session 2: x
  • Fall: x

Why Appalachian?

  • Part of the Department of Health and Exercise Science, this program builds on a highly successful undergraduate athletic training program that Appalachian has offered for more than 30 years.
  • The master’s program includes an evidence-based capstone experience, intended to culminate in a product worthy of professional dissemination. 
  • Students have opportunities to obtain optional certifications in wilderness medicine or casting and bracing.
  • All graduate programs at Appalachian have small class sizes, providing intimate classroom interaction.
  • The Beaver College of Health Sciences, Athletics and the School of Graduate Studies offer scholarships, fellowships and assistantships to support eligible, full-time, degree-seeking students.

Method of Delivery

Primarily on campus; curriculum includes two online courses.

Note: First- and second-year students will be assigned to practicums at clinical sites on or off campus.

Careers

Certified and licensed/regulated athletic trainer

Contacts

Dr. Ashley Goodman
Program Director
goodmana@appstate.edu
828-262-7711

Department of Health and Exercise Science

Beaver College of Health Sciences

  • Department of Health and Exercise Science

    The Department of Health and Exercise Science in Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences delivers student-centered education that is accentuated by quality teaching, scholarly activity and service. The department includes two undergraduate academic disciplines: exercise science and public health. The department also offers two master’s degrees: athletic training, which leads to professional licensure, and exercise science, which prepares students for advanced study in a variety of related fields as well as research. Learn more at https://hes.appstate.edu.

  • Beaver College of Health Sciences

    The Beaver College of Health Sciences opened in 2010 as the result of an Appalachian commitment to significantly enhance the health and quality of life for individuals, families and communities in North Carolina and beyond.

    Exciting, Growing Career Fields

    • Nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs are in fields recognized as growing “faster than average for all occupations” by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics
    • Currently over 3,600 students pursue degrees in 16 undergraduate and graduate programs
    • Students who graduate are successfully prepared for a variety of general and advanced careers in health care

    Real-World Training and Experience

    • Programs emphasize coursework, research and clinical outreach with a dedication to cultivating life-long learners and practical skills for the field
    • Internships, field experiences and clinical placements in real-world settings in the community and surrounding areas ensure students are prepared to meet existing and future health-related workforce needs, particularly in rural areas
    • Interprofessional and collaborative research between students and faculty gives students unparalleled experience in working together with other health and wellness professionals
    • Research opportunities alongside over 150 nationally and internationally trained faculty mean students have opportunities to contribute to finding innovative solutions to regional and national problems in their field

    Advanced Laboratories and Facilities

    • Over 20 laboratories and additional locations for simulated research and applied laboratory training experience
    • Partnerships and opportunities with the Wake Forest Physician Assistant Program
    • The new Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences that opened in the fall 2018 with innovative classrooms and state-of-the-art labs
    • Continued main campus connection through the Holmes Convocation Center, which houses the RMPE Department and the Advising Satellite Office

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