About

App State’s two-year, 68-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 can lead to licensure or certification in North Carolina. 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 Professional Licensure webpage for information on licensure requirements and licensing agencies in other states. Or, you may address questions to State Authorization at App State at stateauthorization@appstate.edu or 828-262-7559.

People

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  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  

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  Clinical simulations prepare App State athletic training students

  Athletic training students at App State put their skills to the test during a series of simulated clinical scenarios — known as Objective Structured Clinical Evaluations (OSCEs). These exercises increase students’ confidence, prepare them for independent clinical practice and allow them to gain experience as a lead clinician.

Application Essentials

Required Entrance Exam: Official GRE scores (no more than 5 years old); International applicants must also supply a TOEFL score. GRE scores may be waived if you have an undergraduate GPA of 3.25 or higher AND a GPA of 3.25 in prerequisite courses.

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; personal statement, 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 — documentation of 40 hours of clinical observation/shadowing under the direct supervision of a Certified Athletic Trainer (submission form); an in-person or web-based interview may be required.

Basic Conditions for Consideration of Admission: Meeting or exceeding the conditions below does NOT guarantee admission. 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: The program’s admissions process is nondiscriminatory and contingent upon successfully passing a criminal background check and meeting the program's technical standards. The number of students the program is able to select each semester is limited. Scholarship opportunities for admitted students are available through the Beaver College of Health Sciences. Other scholarship, fellowship, and graduate assistantship opportunities are available through the Williams Graduate School.

The traditional application process is intended for students applying with a bachelor's degree or currently in their final year of their bachelor's degree. Traditional applicants must complete an online application on the Athletic Training Centralized Application System (ATCAS). Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis, but applications are encouraged to be submitted before Feb. 1. Applications will be considered and undergo a holistic review as received. Applicants will be notified if the admissions team requests an interview. Applicants will be notified by the admissions team if they are being recommended to the Williams School of Graduate Studies for admission. Only those applicants recommended for graduate school admittance will be required to complete the graduate school application by no later than April 1. Traditional applicants should not apply to the graduate school until they have been notified by the Program Director. Graduate school admission requirements can be found in the university’s Graduate Bulletin.

Students enrolled at App State may choose to pursue accelerated admissions and apply for admittance into the MS-AT program after having completed three years of outstanding undergraduate coursework. However, this program is academically rigorous and requires significant advanced planning beginning with first-year coursework. Interested students should contact the MS-AT Accelerated Admissions Coordinator as early as possible for more information. App State students pursuing accelerated admissions should apply directly to the Williams School of Graduate Studies. Accelerated applications must be submitted by Feb. 1 of the spring semester prior to starting graduate coursework.

Completion of required prerequisite coursework (listed below) is required. 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