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Athletic Training (MS)

See: Athletic Training (MS)

College/School: Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions

Accreditation:  Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)

The Athletic Training program at the University of the Incarnate Word promotes the education of entry-level athletic trainers and the development and improvement of the athletic training profession. An athletic trainer is a qualified allied health care professional educated and experienced in the management of the healthcare problems associated with exercise and sports participation. In cooperation with physicians and other healthcare professionals, the athletic trainer functions as a member of the athletic healthcare team in secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional sports programs, sports medicine clinics, industrial settings, the armed forces, and other healthcare settings. Completion of this program will allow students to sit for the Board of Certification examination in athletic training. Successful completion of coursework does not guarantee success on the Board of Certification examination.

Admissions

Applications to the Athletic Training program are due no later than April 1 of each year. Students admitted to the program begin classes in the summer semester.

Program enrollment is limited by the availability of faculty and clinical field experiences; therefore, admission is competitive.

To be considered for admission into the program, applicants to the Master of Science of Athletic Training program must submit a completed application form that includes those required elements listed under general requirements for admission to graduate study. In addition, the following support materials are required:

  1. A well-written letter of intent as to their desire to be an athletic trainer, how UIW fits into this plan, and why UIW’s athletic training program was chosen. The applicant’s 5- and 10-year plans should also be included.
  2. Professional resume outlining any previous experiences with athletic training or other healthcare fields (e.g. professional organizations, clinical/internship experiences, work-study, employment). *Note: Applicants who hold an athletic training license in the state of Texas will not be allowed to count practice hours toward clinical expectations and will be held to the same practice standards as all other entry-level students.
  3. Acknowledgment of program Technical Standards, signed by the applicant and a physician.
  4. Completion of favorable criminal background screening.
  5. Completion of Health and Immunization Packet (includes health history form, immunizations form, and physical examination form completed by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant).

Additional Criteria

  1. Undergraduate degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.
  2. Completion of all prerequisite coursework with C or better.
    • Biology: 3 hours
    • Chemistry: 3 hours
    • Physics: 3 hours
    • Psychology: 6 hours (Introductory and Developmental, Lifespan, or Exercise)
    • Anatomy & Physiology: 8 hours
    • Statistics (either math-based or psychology-based)
    • Research design/research methods
    • Biomechanics/pathomechanics
    • Exercise physiology
  3. Additional coursework required. Courses can be taken prior to admission or concurrently in the first year of
    the program:
    • Medical terminology
    • Epidemiology
    • Public health
  4. Completion of at least 75 hours of observation under a certified athletic trainer. 
  5. Submission of GRE scores.
  6. Two letters of recommendation (one from an athletic trainer, one from a faculty member). 
  7. Interview with the Professional Practice Committee.

Transfer Students

Students who are considering applying and who wish to transfer credit from an athletic training program at another college or university should contact the Program Director for eligibility. 

Apply to UIW

Application for the Master of Science of Athletic Training program

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science of Athletic Training program requires 60 credit hours for graduation and is taken over two years, including summers.  

Academic Instruction Plan

The Athletic Training program fulfills the specific needs required by accreditation agencies, but also produces effective athletic trainers for schools and a variety of other settings. The program utilizes the current Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education standards.

Clinical Instruction Plan

The Athletic Training program requires each student to complete observations and clinical field experiences spread out over four semesters. The clinical experience component is designed to provide the student with a variety of settings for observation and directed practice of the educational standards and skills learned in the athletic training curriculum. Throughout the clinical component of the program, students are expected to observe the certified athletic trainer and be allowed to practice skills in which they have been determined proficient by the athletic training faculty in the didactic portion of the program. The program is designed for the student to be led through their clinical experiences in order to develop a strong foundational knowledge and then to build on that foundation. The clinical preceptor is a key for providing the student with hands-on experience and sharing practical information about the athletic training profession. The student should consider the clinical experience courses as lab time to practice the skills developed in the didactic classes.

The program utilizes clinical settings to expose students to a variety of patient populations throughout the lifespan, of different sexes, with different socioeconomic statuses, of varying activity levels and athletic ability, and who participate in non-sport activities. Field experiences take place in a variety of clinical sites, to include military clinics, high school and collegiate athletics, health services, and non-traditional settings. Experiences during the immersive clinical practice semester may take place outside the San Antonio area and should be in a setting the student would like to pursue in their early professional life. 

Curriculum-1st Year Didactic Courses

Didactic Course Requirements-Year One
ATHP 5114 Athletic Training Leadership I

1
ATHP 5122Pathopharmacology Applications in Athletic Training

1
ATHP 5213Foundations of Athletic Training - Lab

2
ATHP 5222Emergency Applications

2
ATHP 5233Evaluation of the Upper Extremity, Cervicothoracic Spine, and Head

2
ATHP 5322Pathopharmacology

3
ATHP 5323Orthopedic Conditions and Anatomy of the Upper Extremity, Cervicothoracic Spine, and Head

3
ATHP 5333 Orthopedic Conditions and Anatomy of the Lower Extremity and Lumbar Spine

3
ATHP 5335Patient Case Management I

3
ATHP 5336Interventions I

3
ATHP 5412Foundations of Athletic Training

4
Total Credit Hours:27
 

Curriculum-1st Year Clinical Courses

Clinical Course Requirements-Year One
ATHP 5221Clinical Practice in Athletic Training I

2
ATHP 5231Clinical Practice in Athletic Training II

2
Total Credit Hours:4