Athletic Trainers (ATs) are highly skilled healthcare professionals specializing in injury and illness prevention, assessment and evaluation, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation, critical incident management and wellness promotion and education. Athletic trainers work under the supervision of or in collaboration with physicians to provide patient-centered care to the unique subpopulation of physically active individuals. Athletic training is a dynamic field that is anticipated to grow faster than other healthcare disciplines. Athletic trainers are employed across diverse settings including athletics, physician’s practices, hospitals and urgent care centers, military and government agencies, industrial and occupational settings and the performing arts.
The Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) program is a full-time, five-semester graduate program beginning during the Summer II term (July). The MSAT program utilizes didactic coursework, problem-based learning practicums and exciting clinical education experiences to foster students’ ability to critically think, analyze information and communicate effectively as they develop into high-quality clinicians. With an extensive clinical education focus, the MSAT program provides substantial hands-on opportunity to reinforce knowledge and skills in the clinical environment before transitioning to professional practice. Upon successful completion of the MSAT program, students are eligible to sit for the national Board of Certification (BOC) examination and obtain licensure as a healthcare provider in their respective state of practice.
Clinical education provides students the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge with clinical experience. All clinical experiences, traditional and non-traditional, are under the direct supervision of licensed healthcare providers. Students are exposed to a variety of clinical settings and will have the opportunity to work on-campus with Sacred Heart University varsity athletes and off-campus at the high school, clinical and collegiate level. The Program Director and Academic Clinical Coordinator are responsible for clinical assignments. Students are responsible for providing transportation to off-campus sites. The clinical education program requires students to amass a minimum number of clinical hours per semester, as outlined in the syllabi.
