Master of Athletic Training (MAT)

A health care provider applies blue tape to the extended foot and ankle of a patient

Program Overview

Many think of ‘sports medicine’ as actually athletic training. Athletic Trainers (ATs) are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians. The services provided by ATs comprise prevention, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Our mission is to provide exceptional entry-level graduate education that develops professional ATs who can deliver outstanding patient-centered care, develop as independent practitioners engaging in evidence-based decision-making, and collaborate with various healthcare professionals to improve patient outcomes.


How to Apply

The program has a three-step application process.

ATCAS Application – Applicants must first apply using the Athletic Training Centralized Application Service (ATCAS) atcas.liaisoncas.com

Verification of the ATCAS Application — ATCAS will then verify your application. This process can take up to six weeks. ATCAS must verify applications before they are reviewed and scored for Ohio State’s MAT program consideration.

Ohio State’s Supplemental Application — Once the application has been submitted and verified by ATCAS, applicants will receive an email from Ohio State with instructions on how to complete the supplemental application and pay the supplemental application fee. Contact HRS.Admissions@osumc.edu with any questions.

Application Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s degree (B.S. or B.A.) from an accredited North American college or university or a comparable degree from a recognized foreign college or university must be earned before the start of the program.

Prerequisites

Completion of prerequisite courses or acceptable approved equivalents with a grade of C- or higher by the program’s start. Ohio State course numbers are shown below:

  • Biology I: BIOLOGY 1113
  • Chemistry I: CHEM 1210
  • Physics I: PHYSICS 1200
  • Introductory Psychology: PSYCH 1100
  • Human Anatomy: ANATOMY 2300 or 3300
  • Human Physiology: EEOB 2520 or PHYSIO 3200

Lab sections of Anatomy, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics are required. However, a lab is recommended but not required for Physiology. If Anatomy and Physiology courses are offered as a combined course, two courses of the combined anatomy-physiology content are required (e.g., A&P I and A&P II).

The following courses are recommended before the program starts to enrich the application and learning experience but are not required:

  • Biomechanics or Pathomechanics
  • Elementary or General Statistics
  • Epidemiology
  • Nutrition
  • Pathophysiology/Human Disease
  • Physiology of Exercise
  • Research Design

GPA

Academic achievement is demonstrated by the cumulative grade-point average and the grades earned in the program prerequisites. The GPA will be computed using all grades earned from all institutions attended, and only applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) at the time of application will be evaluated for possible admission.

Formatted Resume

A resume is required to highlight your unique accomplishments, such as work experiences, community service and/or outreach, research, or healthcare experiences.

Statement

All applicants require a statement relative to their background, interest, and career aspirations in the Athletic Training profession. A maximum of 4500-character count.

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required from all applicants. One recommendation must be from a certified athletic trainer. Other suggested recommendations include a faculty/professor, supervisor, or non-personal individual.

Interview

An interview will be offered to qualifying applicants and are by invitation only. Interviews will be conducted remotely via Zoom.

TOEFL

International Students Only: A minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-based test (or 79 on the internet version) will be required of applicants whose native language is not English. An alternative English proficiency test, International English Language Testing System (IELTS), will also be accepted with seven or higher scores.

Hours of Observation

There is no minimum hour requirement, and Ohio State does not organize or provide these experiences. If hours are submitted as supplemental material, no specific format is required for submitted hours.

Important Dates and Deadlines

August 1st, 2024: 2024-2025 ATCAS application opens

October 15th, 2024: Deadline to submit ATCAS application for Ohio State Graduate School Fellowships

November 15th, 2024: Deadline to submit the ATCAS application for early action

February 1st, 2025: Final deadline to submit the ATCAS application

June 2nd, 2025: Classes begin

The following demonstrates how students will complete the master’s in athletic training program in four semesters and two summer terms. There is limited flexibility in the curriculum plan. The professional curriculum is completed in sequence, and there is no provision for part-time or evening-only enrollment. Courses with the XX89 designations are athletic training clinical experiences. The final graduate school requirement can be completed through a non-thesis capstone project (ATHTRNG 7990) or thesis research (HTHRHSC 7999). To be eligible for graduation, a MAT student must meet a minimum of 62 credit hours.

Year 1

Summer (MAT 1)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6000 Emergency Care in Athletic Training (1 credit)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6110 Intro to Athletic Training Diagnosis (2 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6210 Athletic Training Clinical Skills I   (1 credit)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6189 Coordinated Patient Care (1 credit)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6600 Administration and Leadership (2 credits)

7 credits total

Autumn (MAT 2)

HEALTH AND REHABILITATION SCIENCES 7900 Measures/Diagnosis (1 credit)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6310 Rehab Methods I    (2 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6120 Exam, Diagnosis, & Care LE Cond (5 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6510 Practicum I  (1 credit)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6389 Intro Diagnosis/Acute Care-HS (2 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6489 Intro Diagnosis/Acute Care-Collegiate (2 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6289 Prevention/Risk Management (1 credit)

Note: The course begins August 1st but is scheduled during the autumn semester.

14 credits total       

Spring (MAT 3)

HEALTH AND REHABILITATION SCIENCES 7910 Critical Analysis (1 credit)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6320 Rehabilitation Methods II (2 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6130 Exam, Diagnosis, & Care UE Cond (5 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6520 Practicum II (1 credit)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6589 Diagnosis & Management (4 credits)

13 credits total       

Year 2

Summer (MAT 4)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6689 Rehabilitation (1 credit)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6789 Clinical Elective (1 credit) Note: An elective clinical experience can be taken in MAT Block 4 (summer year 2) for various reasons, including extending a required clinical experience or supplemental clinical experience.

ELECTIVE (3 credits) NOTE: Students will choose to take one elective at anytime in the second year of the MAT curriculum. The elective must be approved by the advisor. The student is encouraged to take electives in the HRS Advanced Practice Focus Master’s Program or ATHLETIC TRAINING 7790 Capstone Project or HEALTH AND REHABILITATION SCIENCES 7998 Research Practicum. The elective must total at least 3 credit hours.

1-5 credits total

Autumn (MAT 5)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6220 Athletic Training Clinical Skills Advanced (1 credit)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6140 Exam, Diagnosis, & Care Head/Spine (2 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6150 Exam, Diagnosis, & Care Primary (4 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6530 Practicum III (1 credit)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 7189 Comprehensive Care I (4 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 7089 Immersive Clinical (2 credits) Note: The course begins August 1st but is scheduled during the autumn semester.

The immersive clinical experiences (ATHTRNG 7089) may occur in MAT Block 5 (autumn year 2) or MAT Block 6 (spring year 2) based on clinical interest. Some on-campus time will be required to fulfill other course requirements during these experiences. Immersive clinical experience can only be taken after completing MAT Block 3 (spring year 1) successfully. This immersive experience must be with a contracted affiliated program and may include off-campus work in various locations and may include professional organizations such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, etc. The ATP does not guarantee clinical education placements with professional sports for immersive experiences but will help facilitate sites based on students’ professional goals

ELECTIVE (3 credits) NOTE: Students will choose to take one elective at any time in the second year of the MAT curriculum. The elective must be approved by the advisor. The student is encouraged to take electives in the HRS Advanced Practice Focus Master’s Program or ATHLETIC TRAINING 7790 Capstone Project or HEALTH AND REHABILITATION SCIENCES 7998 Research Practicum. The elective must total at least 3 credit hours.

12-17 credits total 

Spring (MAT 6)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6800 Behavioral Health in Athletic Training (2 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6540 Practicum IIII (1 credit)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 6700 Sport Science Assessment (2 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 7289 Comprehensive Care II (3 credits)

ATHLETIC TRAINING 7089 Immersive Clinical (2 credits) Note: The immersive clinical experiences (ATHTRNG 7089) may occur in MAT Block 5 (autumn year 2) or MAT Block 6 (spring year 2) based on clinical interest. Some on-campus time will be required to fulfill other course requirements during these experiences. Immersive clinical experience can only be taken after completing MAT Block 3 (spring year 1) successfully. This immersive experience must be with a contracted affiliated program and may include off-campus work in various locations and may include professional organizations such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, etc. The ATP does not guarantee clinical education placements with professional sports for immersive experiences but will help facilitate sites based on students’ professional goals.

ELECTIVE (3 credits) NOTE: Students will choose to take one elective at any time in the second year of the MAT curriculum. The elective must be approved by the advisor. The student is encouraged to take electives in the HRS Advanced Practice Focus Master’s Program or ATHLETIC TRAINING 79900 Capstone Project or HEALTH AND REHABILITATION SCIENCES 7998 Research Practicum. The elective must total at least 3 credits.

8-13 credits total

Ohio State academic programs are designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure and certification and state licensing board contact information for online programs and Professional Licensure & Certification Disclosures for On-campus Programs.

Questions?

Contact the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at 614-292-1706 or HRSGraduateStudentServices@osumc.edu
Degree requirements and course offerings are subject to changes.
Last updated on: July 1, 2024