Master's in Athletic Training

Are you looking for a unique program to pursue your professional career? Do you enjoy athletics or working with active people? Do you enjoy helping people recover faster? Do you enjoy health care?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then the Master’s in Athletic Training degree from Jacksonville State University may be the opportunity for you! This new program provides a rigorous hands-on education using both classroom and exciting clinical experiences for professional success.

Program outcomes emphasize student learning and functional application for graduates to engage as an AT in a variety of arenas – including high school, collegiate, youth, and industrial settings.


Admissions Requirements

MAT Student Handbook

Student Achievement Outcomes

Image of new MAT room

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education

Now taking applications for our 5th Cohort to begin in the Fall of 2024!

Apply using ATCAS.

  • Initial deadline - Feb. 15, 2024
  • Second deadline April 15, 2024

For more information contact Dr. Chris Clark


Social Media and Events

Announcing our Newest MAT Cohort

Meagan Chastain, Jacob Cole, Samantha Knight, Ashley Lemons, Aquriya Muller, Isabel Robles.
composite image of Master's of Athletic Training students

Did You Know?

You do not have to have an undergraduate degree in Athletic Training to pursue your master’s in our program?

Our admission requirements mandate the completion any bachelor’s degree. While we recommend a degree in Exercise Science and Wellness or a healthcare field, undergraduate degrees in fields like education, marketing, public relations, communications, and business can make you uniquely qualified and enhance your professional opportunities after completing of a Master’s in Athletic Training degree. (However, there are certain pre-requisite courses that must be completed in order to apply for our program).

ATs now are required to obtain an entry-level Master’s degree rather than an entry-level Bachelor’s degree?

The governing bodies for Athletic Training mandated the education change by 2022 so there will no longer be any undergraduate programs by 2022. A recent mandate by the Strategic Alliance of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) is changing the professional education of Athletic Training students from an entry-level Bachelor’s degree to an entry-level Master’s degree.

ATs can work in a variety of settings and get great jobs?

Professionals settings in AT include professional sports, collegiate sports, secondary schools, hospital/clinics, industrial settings, military, and recreation…just to name a few!

There are many career opportunities in Athletic Training?

Employment of athletic trainers is projected to grow 23% from 2016 to 2026. This growth rate is much faster than most other occupations. The Bureau predicts a change from 27,800 jobs for athletic trainers to 34,100 jobs by 2026, an increase of 6,300. 

What Can You Do With This Degree?

  • Work with a professional sports team or player (NFL, MLB, NBA, MLS, PGA, etc.)
  • Work with a collegiate or high school team
  • Work in corporate health and wellness
  • Work in industrial settings
  • Work in hospitals and clinics
  • Work in the military
  • Work in recreational facilities

About the Program

The Master's in Athletic Training Program is housed in the Department of Kinesiology and within the College of Health Professions and Wellness. Our program is administratively housed with similar healthcare profession programs (I.e. nursing, respiratory therapy, sport management, physical education, and exercise science and wellness) that are subject to specialized programmatic accreditation. The College of Health Professions and Wellness was established to deliver a top-quality education for 21st century professionals in an effort to promote health and wellness in our communities, state, nation, and around the world. It is our goal to prepare future leaders in health and wellness professions. While completing your Master's Degree, we will ensure and maintain professional socialization, which is the process by which students develop a sense of self as members of a profession, internalize the values of their profession, and exhibit these values through their behavior. We will conduct this by integrating athletic training students into various College of Health Professions and Wellness courses, other than athletic training courses, and provide in-class activities/education with other healthcare fields at Jacksonville State University.

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Accreditation

The MAT program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) until the 2026-2027 academic year.