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Master of Science in Athletic Training Program

Whitworth’s M.S. in Athletic Training program is no longer accepting applications at this time.

Start Your Career in Athletic Training at Whitworth University

Degree Snapshot
Degree Master of Science in Athletic Training
Program Format In-person with clinical rotations
Graduate Admissions Deadline No longer accepting applications
Completion Time Two years
Cost per Credit $665* per credit (financial aid and scholarships available);
All-inclusive; no extra fees and no hidden costs.
*for the 2023-24 academic year

Whitworth's MSAT degree is an intensive, full-time professional program designed to be completed in two years. You'll graduate from the athletic training master's program with the experience and preparation to take the national Board of Certification (BOC) exam and become a certified athletic trainer. For BOC pass rates, graduation and employment rates, visit the CAATE Program Information and Outcomes page.

Benefit from: 

  • The most affordable option in the Pacific Northwest for out-of-state students
  • Washington's first accredited M.S. Athletic Training program (nationally accredited since 1999), with more than 30 years of experience in AT education
  • Hands-on clinical experience
  • Exceptional clinical site placement partnerships, including Division I schools, semiprofessional sports and nontraditional settings

What is Athletic Training?

Athletic trainers are healthcare professionals who provide preventive services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Athletic training falls under the larger umbrella of sports medicine, and athletic trainers work closely with physicians. Whitworth's master's degree in athletic training (MSAT) can prepare you for ATC certification and sports medicine careers.

Why a Master's Degree?

Whitworth's MSAT program was designed in response to nationwide changes in the athletic training profession that require accredited athletic training programs to make the transition to the master's level. This change means that students will gain more in-depth knowledge and quality professional experience, and that they will benefit from an advanced degree. When the changes are fully implemented, the minimum certified athletic trainer education requirement will be a master's degree.

What Does This Mean for You?

If you've already completed a bachelor's degree (such as exercise science, kinesiology, pre-athletic training or pre-physical therapy) at another university, you can complete your master's in athletic training in as little as two years. When combined with an undergraduate degree from Whitworth, our accelerated dual-degree program allows for completion of a bachelor's and master's degree in athletic training in just five years.

Academic courses cover content in the following five domains of athletic training:

  • Injury/illness prevention and wellness
  • Clinical evaluation and diagnosis
  • Immediate and emergency care
  • Treatment and rehabilitation
  • Organizational and professional health and well-being

Program Format

Classes are primarily face-to-face due to the hands-on nature of the knowledge and skills required for the athletic training profession. During off-campus clinical rotations, a limited number of courses may be offered online or in a hybrid format.

Whitworth's MSAT program is offered in a cohort format. Simply put, this means that you'll be part of a small group that takes the cohort curriculum in sequence, one course at a time, and completes the program as a unit. Because student groups stay together throughout the program, they develop a stronger sense of community and collaborative learning, while instructors build upon a knowledge base that increases with each successive course.

Please see the course catalog for course descriptions.

MSAT Two-Year Course Layout