Athletic Training MSAT

Come find out about Athletic Training

Athletic trainers (ATs) are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to provide preventative services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. They are often first on the scene when an injury occurs to offer diagnosis and first aid. ATs work with individuals of all ages and fitness abilities. On and off the field, ATs are dedicated to the well-being of patients in their care.

Request info Apply CAATE Program Information and OutcomesADDITIONAL COSTS

What Will I Learn?

Students who want to become certified athletic trainers must earn a degree from a CAATE-accredited athletic training program. Accredited programs include formal instruction in areas such as injury/illness prevention, first aid and emergency care, assessment of injury/illness, human anatomy and physiology, and therapeutic interventions. Classroom learning is enhanced through clinical education experiences.

Research Opportunities

With four core faculty and collaborations available throughout campus, USM offers a diverse array of research opportunities. The four core faculty in athletic training are currently working on projects in Injury Prevention, Burnout and Substance Use in ATs and other service professions, and Concussions and Issues of Sport Culture.

The ability for graduate students to perform research helps provide a deeper understanding of how clinical care is impacted through evidence-based practice. It also gives students the opportunity to contribute to the field of athletic training by answering a question they find particularly interesting.

Scholarships

There are several scholarship opportunities available for athletic training students through the USM Foundation and Athletic Foundation. Many of these scholarships can be found in the GO System. The general deadline to apply for scholarships through the GO System is March 1st of each year, and incoming students must be admitted to the MSAT program prior to this date to be considered for these scholarships.

In addition to scholarships offered through the University, being a member of our national organization allows opportunity for scholarships from MATA, SEATA, and NATA. These scholarships have various application deadlines, but all require applicants to be either currently enrolled in an MSAT program or admitted to one for the upcoming school year prior to submission of application.

Athletic Training Clinical Experiences

Each student is required to practice clinical skills under the direction of our certified preceptors who are committed to teaching and learning while also serving as professional development role models. During the MSAT program, students will experience various settings/sports which may include high school, Division I and/or NAIA university, junior college, and clinic. These experiences will occur during four semesters of the MSAT program and normally coincide with in-person coursework, with the exception of the clinical immersion.

Each student will take part in a full semester clinical immersion during their 2nd fall semester. Coursework during this semester is taught online, and the student will work side-by-side with a certified preceptor for 15+ weeks at a site that matches their future career goals. This will allow students to get a better understanding of the day-to-day workings of a work setting that they hope to pursue upon graduation. Recent graduates have completed their clinical immersion at sites such as Southern Miss, The University of Georgia, The University of Arkansas, The University of Florida, McNeese State University, Northeast (Nebraska) Community College, Holmes Community College, Hinds Community College, and Madison Central High School.

During their time in the MSAT program, all students will be required to have at least one off-campus experience and may have more than one based on career goals and program needs. All off-campus clinical experiences (with the exception of the clinical immersion) are within 25 miles of the USM campus and will require a reliable form of transportation, provided by the student.

Additional clinical experiences will be provided during the students’ 2nd summer semester. During this time, students will have the opportunity to work alongside physicians and physical therapists in several different settings and learn to interact with other healthcare professionals.

Specific Admission Requirements

Admission to the MSAT program depends upon sufficient enrollment, university resources, and qualifications of applicants. A select number of applicants will be admitted to the program based on the criteria of the Graduate School Admission Requirements and Procedures. In addition, the applicants must also adhere to the requirements of the School of Health Professions Athletic

Training program:

1. Bachelors degree from an undergraduate degree-granting institution
2. English proficiency: All applicants who are from countries other than the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, and certain Caribbean Islands, must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), The International English Language Testing System (Academic) (IELTS), Cambridge English, International Test of English Proficiency Exam (Academic) (iTEP), or Pearson Test of English (PTE), or meet one of the qualifying exceptions (see below).
   1. Minimum Score Requirements:
      1. TOEFL score of 71 (IBT), 525 (PBT)
      2. IELTS (Academic) Overall 6.0
      3. Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency
      4. iTEP (Academic) Overall 4.0
      5. PTE (Academic) Overall 54
   2. The English proficiency requirement may be waived if the applicant has completed a post-secondary degree at an accredited university in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Nigeria, Ghana, or certain Caribbean islands.
3. Must have earned a 2.8 or higher-grade point average (GPA) (based on a 4.0 system) from all undergraduate courses.
4. Students must have completed the following courses with a grade of ‘C’ or better: Anatomy (4 credit hours), Physiology (4 credit hours), Biology (3 credit hours), Chemistry (3 credit hours), Physics (3 credit hours), and Psychology (3 credit hours). Students are also required to take Nutrition (3 credit hours), Biomechanics (3 credit hours), and Exercise Physiology (3 credit hours). See the full pre-requisite policy found at the bottom of this page.
5. An application for the program will need to be submitted through the Graduate School at USM, which will include:
   • Cover Letter and Resume/CV
   • 3 writing prompts
   • 3 letters of recommendation (professional and/or academic)
   • Minimum of 100 hours of clinical observation under the supervision of a certified athletic trainer.
   • Completion of the technical standards document

Following review of applications, select applicants may be contacted for an interview by College of Nursing and Health Professions faculty and staff from the Athletic Training MSAT Program Admissions Committee. Interviews will be either in-person or via Zoom. The Athletic Training MSAT Program Admissions Committee will make a determination based on an applicant’s application and interview process. The interview process is led by the program and not the Graduate School.  

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Notifications of acceptance will be made as applications are reviewed until the program is full. Applicants will either be accepted, waitlisted, or denied entry into the MSAT program. Priority deadline to guarantee review of applications is February 15th and the final deadline for applications is May 1st. All students must submit a completed application through the USM Graduate School website, as this is the only way to officially be accepted to the University. The start of the program is in the summer semester, which typically begins around the end of May or the beginning of June.

All students will need to apply through the USM Graduate School website (Graduate Admissions) for admission to the university, even if they initially apply to the program through ATCAS (ATCAS Application).

Professional Licensure Disclosure

The University of Southern Mississippi MSAT is currently accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), 2001 K Street NW, Third Floor North, Washington, DC 20006 USA. 

This program is designed to prepare students to sit for the Board of Certification (BOC) exam. Upon graduating, passing the BOC exam, and having or obtaining an approved emergency cardiac care card, individuals can apply for certification through the BOC and become certified athletic trainers (ATC). Certified athletic trainers can then apply for licensure in 46 states and the District of Columbia. Contacts for state licensure or other state regulations can be found on the Board of Certification website.

For questions, please contact Dr. Leslie Oglesby, LAT, ATC at 601-266-5495 or at Leslie.OglesbyFREEMississippi

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