Welcome to the Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT)
Program Overview
Athletic trainers are healthcare professionals who render service or treatment under the direction of, or in collaboration with, a physician in accordance with their education and training and their states' statutes, rules, and regulations. Services provided by athletic trainers include injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Students who want to become certified athletic trainers may earn a single M.S. degree or pursue the combined degree program that includes a B.S. in Exercise Science and the M.S. in Athletic Training. See the B.S. in Exercise Science in the General Catalog.
The Master of Science in Athletic Training program (MSAT) requires 62 semester hours (s.h.) of coursework. The program occurs over two years, including summers, of concentrated didactic and clinical experiences that lead to eligibility for the Board of Certification (BOC) examination. Courses for the didactic and clinical components of the program must be taken in the sequence outlined in the two-year education plan. The curriculum is six semesters long, starting in the summer session with foundational courses. The clinical education component is a four-semester experience that begins in the fall semester of year 1. During the first year, students will be assigned to four, 8-week experiences throughout the fall and spring semesters. During the fall semester of year 2, students will complete a semester-long immersive clinical experience. During the spring semester of year 2, students will complete several short, clinical experiences encompassing non-traditional athletic training settings and specialty clinics. Additionally, during year 2, students will complete a clinical experience with a non-sport population/non-orthopedic injury setting.
The MSAT program has over 75 trained preceptors and roughly 30 clinical sites across the country. Clinical experience opportunities include high school, community college, Division III, and Iowa Hawkeyes Division I athletics programs; University of Iowa Health Care orthopedics and sports medicine clinics; industrial settings; work injury recovery clinic; prosthetics clinic; urgent care clinics and emergency departments; student health clinic; and more. Discover more on our clinical site and preceptor list page.
Iowa Athletic Training Program Historical Perspective
The Athletic Training Program is a long-standing program at the University of Iowa and has been approved and in good standing with the NATA, JRC-AT, CAAHEP, or CAATE since 1974. The program received its first formal/initial accreditation in November of 1994. It was originally housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Department of Health and Human Physiology. With the transition of the undergraduate to the graduate program, the curriculum and program have moved into the Carver College of Medicine and Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation.
The University of Iowa is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).
There are two routes available to apply to the Master of Science in Athletic Training program.
- Students may either complete the Pre-Athletic Training requirements along with their chosen bachelor's degree at an accredited institution in the United States.
- Complete the Undergrad-to-Grad (U2G) program.
MSAT Professional Licensure Disclosure Statement
For programs that are designed to meet or are advertised as meeting educational requirements for a specific professional license, U.S. Federal Regulations (34 CFR § 668.43) require the University of Iowa to disclose information regarding whether the program does or does not meet educational requirements for licensure in each U.S. state or territory (or if a determination has not yet been made).
To become an athletic trainer, candidates must graduate with a degree in athletic training from an accredited athletic training program and successfully pass the Board of Certification (BOC) examination. To practice as an athletic trainer in most states, including Iowa, the individual must be credentialed within the state. States may impose additional requirements for licensure beyond earning BOC certification. Note: California currently does not regulate athletic trainers. As of its most recent review, the University of Iowa has determined that the MS program in Athletic Training meets educational requirements for licensure in U.S. states and territories as shown in the table below. Please see the Professional Licensure Disclosures for further information