Master of Science (MS) in Athletic Training

Athletic trainer in training room with student and bands
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Overview

Work Toward a Career in Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation

The Master of Science (MS) in Athletic Training program at Grand Canyon University is designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment as athletic trainers in various clinical and educational settings. These may include schools, colleges and universities, rehabilitation clinics and hospitals, as well as emerging settings in amateur and professional sports.1 

As an athletic trainer, you would be responsible for reducing the risk of athletic injuries, as well as providing emergency and stabilizing care when injuries do occur. If you’re passionate about both sports and health science, you may feel called to serve your community as an athletic trainer. Our MS in Athletic Training program was developed to prepare you for a career in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of athletic injuries.

Basketball player getting help from an athletic trainer
Why GCU

Explore Your Passion For Sports and Health at GCU

As an athletic trainer, you would be responsible for reducing the risk of athletic injuries, as well as providing emergency and stabilizing care when injuries do occur. If you’re passionate about both sports and health science, you may feel called to serve your community as an athletic trainer.

At GCU, you will have opportunities to prepare for certification as a professional athletic trainer while being immersed within our Christian learning environment. As a Christian university, GCU emphasizes servant leadership and professional ethics.

Examine Core Concepts in Athletic Care 

This athletic training degree is offered by our College of Nursing and Health Care Professions. Athletic training is recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA), Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as an allied healthcare profession.

Take Athletic Training Courses on Campus

As a student in the MSAT program, you will participate in on-campus lectures, hands-on labs, simulations and clinical experiences at local athletic and rehabilitation facilities. As an on-campus student, you will have access to our many campus life activities and amenities. Enjoy being surrounded by like-minded students as you work to pursue your professional ambitions.

Prepare for Future Certification

Upon completion, you will be eligible to sit for the Board of Certification (BOC) exam to obtain athletic training certification. Nearly every state requires a certification, and it typically requires that athletic trainers graduate from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).3 GCU’s master’s in athletic training is CAATE-accredited.

Admission

MS in Athletic Training Program Admission

Eligibility for this athletic training master’s is dependent on specific program requirements, including admission, clinical requirements and the application process. This degree is part of the Athletic Training Centralized Application System’s (ATCAS) centralized application portal. Students interested in the MSAT at GCU should apply using the ATCAS system. Complete the form on this page to get started.

Coursework

Critically Evaluate Foundational Knowledge

As an MSAT degree student at GCU, you will examine critical competencies in the following areas:

  • Effective communication: Construct effective communications appropriate to diverse audiences, purposes and occasions.
  • Critical thinking: Use various analytic and problem-solving skills to examine, evaluate and challenge ideas and arguments.
  • Christian worldview: Express aspects of the Christian worldview, which affect human value and dignity, ethical decision-making, academic disciplines and vocation.
  • Leadership: Recognize and apply ethical, moral and values-based leadership by collaborating respectfully with individuals and encouraging others to achieve their goals.
Athletic trainer working on soccer player's leg on a soccer field

Explore Professional Skills and Gain Experience

The athletic training degree teaches skills and knowledge in each of the five domains of professional practice: 

  • Injury and illness prevention and wellness promotion
  • Examination, assessment and diagnosis
  • Immediate and emergency care
  • Therapeutic intervention
  • Healthcare administration and professional responsibility
Athletic trainer standing in a gym with her hands on her hips

Athletic Training Topics and Labs

This advanced, on-campus degree program was designed to align with industry expectations and certification requirements. You will complete supervised clinical hours in a professional setting to apply what you’ve been taught in classes and labs.

You will also be required to complete a capstone project at the end of the program. This project is intended to prepare you to be a clinical scholar and distribute research relevant to the athletic training field.

Some core topics you can expect to cover in this program include:

Medical condition evaluation and diagnosis

Emergency management

Athletic training research methods and statistics

Biomechanics 

Psychosocial conditions

Kinetic chain and spine analysis 

Careers

Career Paths for MSAT Degree Graduates

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), colleges and universities are one of the largest employers of qualified athletic trainers.1 In these settings, they may support NCAA athletic divisions as well as intramural and club sports programs.

Jobs with an athletic training degree are also commonly available in:1

Hospitals

Fitness centers

Physicians’ offices

Law enforcement and military departments

Professional sports teams

Performing arts organizations

13%

Estimated job growth rate for athletic trainers from 2023 to 20334

Accreditation

Earn Your MSAT Degree From an Accredited University

The Master of Science in Athletic Training is currently accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), 2001 K Street NW, Third Floor North, Washington, DC 20006 USA. In addition to benefitting from programmatic accreditation, you will also be attending an institutionally accredited university. 

The Higher Learning Commission has continually accredited GCU since 1968. The College of Nursing and Health Care Professions shares the university’s commitment to upholding the principles and standards established by our accrediting bodies. Institutional accreditation is a reflection of our commitment to providing quality education and comprehensive curriculum for our students. 

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Athletic trainers tend to have a passion for both science and helping people heal. If you think athletic training is the career for you, GCU has prepared answers to your most frequently asked questions about the degree program with the intent of helping you reach your career goals.

Athletic trainer with mascot in training room throwing lopes hand sign

Begin Your Athletic Training Journey

Pursue your passion for sports and health science.

Apply Now
  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). Athletic Trainers: Work Environment. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Aug. 27, 2024. 
  2. National Athletic Trainers’ Association. (n.d.). What Is Athletic Training? NATA. Retrieved Aug. 27, 2024. 
  3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). How To Become an Athletic Trainer. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Aug. 27, 2024. 
  4. COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2024, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Athletic Trainers, retrieved Oct. 29, 2024. 
  5. Sitzler, B. (2023, March 21). The State of Employment for Athletic Trainers. National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Retrieved Aug. 28, 2024. 
  6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 17). How To Become a Physical Therapist. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Aug. 28, 2024. 

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