Master of Science in Athletic Training

Faculty Director: Birgid Hopkins, MS, LATC, ATC, Associate Clinical Professor

 

The Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) program prepares candidates to meet the growing demand for athletic trainers in college, universities, youth leagues, rehabilitation clinics, and community and commercial settings. Degree candidates combine passion for healthcare with the rewards of assisting patients in recovering from injuries and medical conditions.

Two Pathway Options 

Merrimack offers two pathways to earn your MSAT and become a certified athletic trainer

Two Year Post-Baccalaureate Track(80 credit hours)
Our traditional, two-year-post-baccalaureate program for those with a bachelor’s degree in a field is ideal for experienced allied health professionals who may have been unaware of the opportunities available through an athletic training career at the time when they earned their undergraduate degree.

Our post-baccalaureate track is also available to career changers with undergraduate degrees in unrelated fields, though these students will need to meet certain requirements to enter the program.

 

Undergraduate to Graduate (3+2) Track (174 credit hours)

Accelerated 3+2 track allows students to receive a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science or Health Sciences and a Master of Science in Athletic Training in 5 years (174 credits).  The student will complete three years of prerequisite courses for a pre-professional education including all liberal studies core requirements (94 credits) by the spring of their third year. 

The remaining 32 credits required for the Bachelor of Science degree (126 credits) will be earned through graduate level courses taken in Summer 1 and Fall 1 of the Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT).  The MSAT will be awarded at the end of the fifth year of study with the completion of 48 graduate credits.

Students will formally apply into the graduate program (MSAT) in early spring of their third year, in order to be officially admitted into the program.  Students in the 3+2 Accelerated program who meet all requirements are given priority over post-baccalaureate and other applicants from the College within different majors who would like to choose the 3+2.

Students in other majors interested in applying into the 3+2 (five year accelerated program) may apply although additional coursework may be needed to stay on track.

Students who do not matriculate into the MSAT will use their fourth year to complete their undergraduate degree in Exercise Science or Health Science.

 

Retention:

• Students in the 3+2 track will be required to achieve/maintain:
  • Prerequisite courses:
    • Preferred C+ or better in the following:
    • Anatomy and Physiology I & II
    • Biology with lab
    • Introduction to Nutrition
    • Introduction to Psychology
  • Preferred C or better in the following:
    • Chemistry I & II
    • Statistics
    • 1 Semester of Physics
• Additional coursework in either biomechanics/kinesiology and/or exercise physiology is recommended.
• Preferred 3.0 GPA

 

Career Opportunities

As awareness of sports related injuries such as concussions continues to rise, the demand for these skills among qualified Athletic Trainers is projected to increase a full 21 percent for 2022-faster than the average of any other career [1]. At the same time, community-based health awareness efforts are enhancing parents’ and coaches’ understanding of the risks of youth injury, which should continue to fuel demand for onsite athletic trainers.

The rising population of active, injury prone older individuals, coupled with employers’ concerns regarding on-the-job injuries and liability, are building demand in a wider range of settings than ever before, including:

• Physician offices, where athletic trainers serve in clinical roles complementing physicians
• Rural and urban hospitals, hospital emergency departments, and urgent and ambulatory care centers
• Clinics with specialties in sports medicine, cardiac rehabilitation, medical fitness, wellness, and physical therapy
• Occupational health departments in commercial settings including manufacturing, distribution, and offices
• Police and fire departments, municipal departments, and military bases
• Colleges, universities, and community-based youth sports leagues
• Performing arts, such as dancers, musicians, and acrobats

 

Admission Requirements:

Two Year Post-Baccalaureate Track

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution

• Pre-requisite courses with a C+ or better in the following courses: Anatomy and Physiology I & II, Chemistry I & II, Biology with lab, Statistics, Nutrition, one semester of Physics, Introduction to Psychology.  Additional coursework in either biomechanics/kinesiology and/or exercise physiology is recommended.
• Preferred GPA minimum 3.0

Undergraduate to Graduate (3+2) Track

Students in the 3+2 track will be required to achieve/maintain:

• Preferred GPA minimum 3.0 throughout their undergraduate career (through 126 credits)
• Pre-requisite courses with a C+ or better in the following courses: Anatomy and Physiology I & II, Chemistry I & II, Biology with lab, Statistics, Nutrition, one semester of Physics, Introduction to Psychology.  Additional coursework in either biomechanics/kinesiology and/or exercise physiology is recommended.

Standardized test scores are optional. Merrimack College reserves the right to ask any applicant for additional supplemental requirements in consideration of their application, including, but not limited to, an in-person interview.