Coursework exploring therapeutic injury prevention, management methods, diagnostic and treatment strategies, human anatomy and pharmacology is paired with clinical experiences in which you’ll apply what you’ve learned in the classroom in a real-world setting and simultaneously prepare for the workplace. You’ll develop the presentation, competencies and leadership required to collaborate with doctors and other health care professionals and serve your community through exemplary, compassionate health care.

Structure

We divide the athletic training program into two parts. Didactic courses welcome your curiosity by going over key principles, theories and applications within the context of sports medicine. You’ll then engage in two types of hands-on experiential opportunities:

• Clinical Experiences: You’ll participate in one clinical experience per semester, guided and observed by an athletic training professional. Students learn to assist a diverse group of patients through opportunities with college, professional and high school sports teams, in clinical settings, in a physical rehabilitation or sports medicine clinic or in ACU’s own athletic training facility.

• Immersion Experiences: Working alongside an athletic training professional, you’ll gain essential skills for entering the job market after graduation. Beyond applying classroom knowledge, you’ll begin to understand what’s expected of you as an athletic trainer or in a related field. 

Two paths lead you to the Master of Athletic Training program:

• Two-Year Master’s Program: You’ll apply after completing your undergraduate degree. Although we welcome all candidates who’ve earned a bachelor’s, prerequisite courses in human anatomy, human physiology, exercise physiology, kinesiology/biomechanics, biology, physics, chemistry, psychology, statistics and nutrition set you up for success. You’ll then dedicate yourself to this intensive, two-year program requiring a minimum of 55 credit hours.

• Five-Year Bachelor’s-to-Master’s Program (3+2): If your eventual goal is to enrich your local community through athletic training, start on your journey as an undergraduate with our five-year program. As a first-year student, you’ll enter the Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, Pre-Athletic Training (KATD) track, and apply for admission to the master’s program during your third year. Your last two years follow the standard master’s course sequence. At the completion of five years, you’ll have earned a bachelor’s and master’s and be prepared to seek certification both through knowledge and completed clinical hours. Learn more about the integrated 3+2 program.

Clinical Education

Each MAT student will have the opportunity to work with multiple sports teams as well as gain traditional clinic setting experience during their 6 semesters at ACU. Additionally, each student will complete at least one 4 – 6 week immersion experiential learning experiences where he or she is required to commit all time and effort (no classes during this time) to their experience. Some clinical experiences may include:

• NCAA DI – football, men’s and women’s basketball, indoor and sand volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, track and field, cross country, women’s soccer, women’s softball, baseball
• NCAA DIII – football, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, baseball, softball, track and field, cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming, and men’s and women’s tennis
• UIL 6A High School – football, girls’ volleyball, girls’ softball, boys’ baseball, boys’ and girls’ gymnastics, boys’ and girls’ swimming, boys’ and girls’ powerlifting, boys’ and girls’ tennis, boys’ and girls’ golf, boys’ and girls’ soccer, boys’ and girls’ track, boys’ and girls’ cross country
• UIL 5A High School – football, girls’ volleyball, girls’ softball, boys’ baseball, boys’ and girls’ gymnastics, boys’ and girls’ swimming, boys’ and girls’ powerlifting, boys’ and girls’ tennis, boys’ and girls’ golf, boys’ and girls’ soccer, boys’ and girls’ track, boys’ and girls’ cross country
• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Outreach Athletic Training Clinic
• WNBA
• MLB Class AA
• Rodeo