Athletic Training, B.S.
Athletic trainers are allied health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to optimize patient and client activity and participation. Athletic training encompasses the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of emergency, acute, and chronic medical conditions involving impairment, functional limitations, and disabilities. (www.NATA.org)
The B.S. in Athletic Training prepares students to become entry-level athletic trainers and qualifies them to take the BOC Exam (national board exam). It is a rigorous academic program that includes course work in athletic training, anatomy, physiology, exercise physiology, psychology, and other science related courses. A degree in Athletic Training offers graduates opportunities to practice in a variety of settings. These settings include, but are not limited to, high school, college, and professional athletics, outpatient clinics, industrial rehabilitation sites, physician practices, the performing arts, safety settings, and higher education. Acceptance into the Athletic Training Education Program is competitive and not guaranteed.
Once admitted into the program, students are required to maintain an overall minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 and satisfactory performance during the clinical experiences to remain active in the athletic training education program. Failure to maintain a cumulative 2.7 GPA for one semester will result in a one-semester probation. If the student has two consecutive semesters with a cumulative GPA below 2.7, they will be removed from the program and advised into a suitable major.
Any student earning less than a C in a pre-requisite, supporting, or required core course must repeat that course. If the course in question is a prerequisite for another course, they may not take the second course until achieving a C in the original. In addition to the Piedmont College graduation requirements, Athletic Training Majors must also complete a minimum of 900 hours of practical clinical experience (as assigned by the Program) and the Skills Master Log prior to graduation.
The Athletic Training Program is accredited through the CAATE (Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education; www.caate.net). A CAATE-accredited degree in Athletic Training is necessary for students to be eligible to sit for the National Board of Certification Exam and practice as Certified Athletic Trainers. In 2015, the CAATE, in partnership with the NATA and Board of Certification, announced the mandatory transition of all undergraduate professional Athletic Training programs to the graduate level. To meet this goal, Piedmont College began a 3+2 program in Fall 2017, in which incoming undergraduate students who wish to become Certified Athletic Trainers will earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five academic years. This program will also allow students who hold a bachelor’s degree from another institution to complete the master’s in two academic years (beginning Summer 2019). As of Fall 2017, the program is no longer admitting students into the undergraduate degree track; undergraduate students wishing to major in Athletic Training can enter the graduate 3+2 track as described in the graduate catalog. The first graduate students will apply in Spring 2019 to begin coursework in Summer 2019.
Athletic Training Curriculum Outline
Bachelor of Science Degree (no longer admitting students)
(Students admitted to the program prior to Fall 2017 will earn a Bachelor of Science degree.)
In Addition to meeting all Piedmont College General Education and graduation requirements, all students must also earn a C or better in all prerequisite, supporting, and applied health science core courses and have a cumulative 2.7 GPA to graduate.
General Education
Piedmont College Requirement
| PDMT 1101 | Intro to College Life and Liberal Arts Tradition | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 1 |
Students who have not completed a minimum of 24 semester credit hours of college-level coursework upon admission to Piedmont College must meet this college requirement.
Athletic Training Foundation
Athletic Training Concentration
All Required.
Total Credit Hours: 121
BIOL 1101, BLAB 1101, HSCS 1101, HSCS 1110: Required pre-requisite courses for athletic training program.