What is Athletic Training?
Athletic trainers (ATs) are healthcare professionals who collaborate with physicians to provide preventive services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Athletic trainers are an integral part of healthcare in many clinical settings. The certified athletic trainer has the medical and physiological skills necessary to provide initial assessment and treatment of injury and the foresight to reduce the risk of their occurrence.
Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, offers a professional degree program that enables students to earn both a bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training and a master’s degree in AT through MU’s 3 + 2 plan. Students who already have a bachelor’s degree can just pursue the Master of Science in Athletic Training degree program.
The Professional Master of Science in Athletic Training Program (PMSATP) is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).
Marshall offers the only 3+2 combined Bachelor and Master of Science in Athletic Training program in the state of West Virginia. The standalone athletic trainer master’s program is also a perfect match for those who have earned a bachelor’s degree from another institution and who are seeking a master’s degree in Athletic Training.
Marshall offers a rigorous academic program in Athletic Training that blends classroom and laboratory instruction with clinical rotations where students complete required clinical education experiences with board-certified athletic trainers, physicians, physical therapists and other allied healthcare professionals.
Why Study Athletic Training at Marshall?
The Marshall University Athletic Training Program, offering a combined bachelor’s and master’s in five years, prepares students to sit for the national Board of Certification (BOC) exam [link to https://bocatc.org/candidates/steps-to-become-certified] for athletic trainers. This means Marshall students are eligible to take the BOC exam a year earlier in their education than students in competing programs at other schools. This reduces tuition costs, making Marshall one of the most affordable Athletic Training programs in the country, even for out-of-state students. Marshall University is also ranked the #1 Athletic Training program in West Virginia, according to Universities.com.
Marshall University offers a variety of clinical settings, both traditional and non-traditional, as well as a unique curriculum that prepares students to take and pass the national BOC exam. Recent PMSATP graduates have gained employment in a wide range of settings, including high school, college and professional athletics; outpatient clinics; industrial rehabilitation sites; physician practices; the performing arts; the military and safety settings.
Comprehensive training. The Athletic Training program at Marshall offers classes in:
The Athletic Training program features its own designated classroom and labs. The PMSAT program also uses the Marshall University Sports Medicine Institute, and the University’s biomechanics and exercise science labs. Marshall’s state-of-the-art motion labs offer a wide range of technology to allow students to conduct research at the undergraduate and graduate level, including:
Specialized faculty. As an Athletic Training major at Marshall, you’ll get the chance to learn from highly trained faculty who are also involved in leading professional organizations such as the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association (MAATA) Critical Incident Stress Management Committee; West Virginia Athletic Trainers Association (WVATA); and the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) Committee on Professional Ethics. These connections are valuable for MU students as inroads to exciting research opportunities and pathways to successful Athletic Training careers.
Early Assurance Program. Marshall’s PMSAT Early Assurance Program (EAP) allows high school seniors (in-state or out-of-state) to apply for conditional acceptance into the master’s in Athletic Training program. Successful applicants will have a guaranteed seat in the Athletic Training program, pending their completion of all undergraduate requirements and program prerequisites from Marshall University. These students do not have to apply to the Athletic Training program in their third academic year, as long as they meet all PMSAT program requirements.
Career Outlook for Athletic Training Graduate Students
An MU graduate degree in Athletic Training enables graduates to pursue challenging, exciting and productive careers.
Athletic Training Degree Jobs
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of athletic trainers is projected to grow 23 percent through 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for athletic trainers is expected to increase as people become more aware of the effects of sports-related injuries, and as the middle-aged and older population remains active. Their continued activity will likely lead to an increase in athletic-related injuries, such as sprains. Athletic trainers will be needed to provide sophisticated treatments in injury prevention and detection.
Sports programs at all ages and for all experience levels will continue to create demand for athletic trainers, the BLS reports. Because athletic trainers are usually on-site and are often the first responders when injuries occur, some states require public secondary schools to employ athletic trainers as part of their sports programs. The demand for trainers in schools should continue to increase as people become more aware of the effects of sports-related injuries.
According to the BLS, many employers and insurers rely on athletic trainers to help contain costs associated with worker injuries, especially for those who risk injury on the job. For example, athletic trainers may help to rehabilitate injured military personnel. These trainers also create programs aimed at reducing injury rates. Depending on the state, some insurance companies recognize athletic trainers as healthcare providers and reimburse the cost of an athletic trainer’s services.
A professional degree in Athletic Training and BOC certification offers graduates many opportunities to practice in a variety of clinical settings, including:
Athletic Trainer Degree – Salary Potential
The median annual wage for athletic trainers was $49,860 in May 2020. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,980, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $75,810.
In May 2020, the median annual wages for athletic trainers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Opportunities for Athletic Training Students
Hands-on Experience
Students enrolled in Marshall University’s 3 + 2 Athletic Training degree program are able to gain hands-on experiences through research, training and internship opportunities.
Research projects. The majority of Athletic Training coursework includes a hands-on component, and all students are required to complete a research project in order to graduate from the program. Student research projects are wide-ranging. Sample topics include:
Unique access. Athletic Training students gain important experience right on campus at the Marshall Sports Medicine Institute. A collaboration between Marshall Health, Marshall Athletics and Cabell Huntington Hospital, the Marshall Sports Medicine Institute is a premier sports medicine facility with the region’s only academic sports medicine team. The orthopaedic surgeons, primary care physicians, physical therapists and other health professionals in the Institute treat patients of all ages and provide high-quality care for all types of sport-related injuries and illnesses.
Internships. Athletic Training degree students can complete internships with many different types of facilities and employers. Past Athletic Training students have had internships with the NFL, Major League Baseball and performing arts venues. Students also have completed externships, working with athletic departments at the University of Cincinnati, University of Florida, University of Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Glennville State, WV State University and Coastal Carolina University.
Scholarships and visibility. Athletic Training students have opportunities to be chosen for scholarship awards and / or have their abstracts selected for presentation at the state, district and national level to gain visibility in the profession.
Seven of the 11 (64%) student presentations accepted for the 2020 Mid Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association (MAATA) conference were Marshall Athletic Training students. MU Athletic Training students can participate in competitions, research initiatives and national conferences—ways that help prepare them for a variety of athletic training jobs.
Here are a few examples of recent student achievements:
Plan of Study
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Athletic Training Core | ||
| HS 512 | Found Clinical Skills in AT | 3 |
| HS 515 | Ath Trng Clinical Exp I | 3 |
| HS 523 | Ortho Assess Upper Extremity | 4 |
| HS 524 | Ortho Assess Lower Extremity | 4 |
| HS 525 | Ath Trng Clinical Exp II | 3 |
| HS 548 | Therapeutic Interventions I | 4 |
| HS 549 | Therapeutic Interventions II | 4 |
| HS 609 | Org & Admin Athletic Training | 3 |
| HS 630 | Seminar Athl Training | 3 |
| HS 634 | Ath Trng Externship | 3 |
| HS 639 | Exam of Gen Med Conditions | 3 |
| HS 645 | Ath Trng Clinical Exp III | 3 |
| HS 655 | Ath Trng Clinical Exp IV | 3 |
| HS 679 | Trends in Athletic Training | 3 |
| HS 680 | Graduate Project in AT | 3 |
| ESS 670 | Research Meth in Kinesiology | 3 |
| ESS 636 | Structural Kinesiology | 3 |
| HS 657 | Adv Trn/Certs | 1-3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 56-58 | |
Additional Requirements
- BOC Exam registration
- 3.0 overall GPA and no more than 6 hours of C and no grades below C may be applied toward a graduate degree
- Completion of all Athletic Training Clinical Experience courses with a letter grade of B or better
Delivery of strength and conditioning principles related to musculoskeletal movement and the utilization of energy systems for the development and administration of sport-based exercise programs.
Pre-req: ESS 543 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of D.
Direct application of strength and conditioning principles in the development and administration of sport-based exercise programs. Emphasis will be on the training and demonstration of proper communication and technique regarding the components of flexibility, resistance training, power-lifting, Olympic weightlifting, and speed and agility.
Pre-req: ESS 542 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of D.
An in depth study of the principles and problems of coaching.
Addresses the principles of sport nutrition and its effects on physiological systems, body composition, and human exercise performance.
A critical analysis of and engagement with leading ethical thinking as applied to sport. A critical analysis of and engagement with leading ethical thinking as applied to sport.
Exercise testing techniques presented to determine the biological responses to exercise stress and to investigate the physiological limitations to human performance as it relates to disease and/or sport performance.
Topics would include bioenergetics, integration of metabolism, metabolic response to exercise, neuroendocrine control of metabolism during exercise, cardiovascular control and adaptation during exercise and respiratory control and adaptation during exercise.
Addresses neuromuscular plasticity and physiological adaptations to environmental stimuli during exercise. Addresses neuromuscular plasticity and physiological adaptations to environmental stimuli during exercise.
An investigation of historical events, political and social climates, and personalities as well as philosophies which have influenced physical education and sport from early civilizations to the present.
Analysis of lead-up, intermediate and advanced techniques of a selected team, individual or dual sports. Emphasis given to mechanics of performance psychological stress components, psychological factors, strategies and teaching/coaching methodology.
Analysis of lead-up, intermediate and advanced techniques of a selected team, individual or dual sports. Emphasis given to mechanics of performance psychological stress components, psychological factors, strategies and teaching/coaching methodology.
Analysis of lead-up, intermediate and advanced techniques of a selected team, individual or dual sports. Emphasis given to mechanics of performance psychological stress components, psychological factors, strategies and teaching/coaching methodology.
Analysis of lead-up, intermediate and advanced techniques of a selected team, individual or dual sports. Emphasis given to mechanics of performance psychological stress components, psychological factors, strategies and teaching/coaching methodology.
Instruction and laboratory experiences involving musculoskeletal anatomy and biomechanics as applied to human movement.
Application of neuromuscular and physiological knowledge to the examination of the administration and content of existing exercise programs as well as the development of new programs.
Detailed study of the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system and its response to acute and chronic exercise. Detailed study of the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system and its response to acute and chronic exercise.
Pre-req: ESS 621.
Detailed study of the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system and its response to acute and chronic exercise. Detailed study of the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system and its response to acute and chronic exercise.
Pre-req: ESS 621 and ESS 623 and ESS 670.
This course is a detailed study of the structure and function of the neuromuscular system along with the etiology and functional consequences of numerous neuromuscular diseases. This course is a detailed study of the structure and function of the neuromuscular system along with the etiology and functional consequences of numerous neuromuscular diseases.
Pre-req: ESS 621 and ESS 623 and ESS 670.
Analysis of motor skills through the application of the principles of physics.
A study of objectives, methods, personnel, facilities, and program uniqueness of the physical education of selected nations and world regions. National sport programs, international sport programs and competition, and international professional organizations are considered.
An examination of experimental research design, laboratory methods, construction of instruments, execution of research, and presentation of research papers with an emphasis on science.
An examination of experimental research design, laboratory methods, construction of instruments, execution of research, and presentation of research papers with an emphasis on science.
Considers cardiovascular assessment strategies, including EKG interpretation, related medical profile variables, patient/client/athlete screening and risk stratification.