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Bridgewater State University has made the decision to voluntarily withdraw accreditation effective May 12, 2023. Any student, currently enrolled in the undergraduate Health Science or Health Science Pre-Athletic Training Concentration majors, who wants to pursue graduate school to become an athletic trainer should contact Dr. Robert Colandreo

 

The MS in Athletic Training program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) and prepares the athletic training student with the necessary academic and clinical experiences to sit for the National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA) Board of Certification (BOC) examination. The entry-level program is designed for individuals who may have an undergraduate degree in another field, but would now like to become a BOC certified athletic trainer. The program includes courses in injury prevention; recognition; assessment and immediate care of athletic injuries; health care administration; and professional development and responsibility.

The Athletic Training Program (ATP) provides a quality education program that meets or exceeds the standards and guidelines delineated by the Commission on Athletic Training Education (CAATE). This philosophy balances the content knowledge with prescribed psychomotor and cognitive skills. In addition, we want to develop competent athletic trainers who can effectively provide quality health care to physically active individuals, and in doing so, improve the quality of life for these individuals. 

Inherent in these outcomes is an understanding of how individuals develop and learn; a congruency between theory and practice, the value of diversity in society, as well as professionalism and ethical behavior in the workplace and society.  To attain these outcomes, the ATP should provide learning experiences to athletic training students to:

  • Provide students an opportunity to obtain an appropriate degree in Athletic Training.
  • Comply with the Standards as established by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).
  • Provide students with the necessary background to successfully pass the Board of Certification (BOC) national examination.
  • Provide students with the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills needed for an entry-level position as a Certified Athletic Trainer.
  • Promote acceptable standards of ethical conduct and professionalism

Graduate Program Coordinator: Dr. Robert Colandreo

Bridgewater State University has made the decision to voluntarily withdraw accreditation effective May 12, 2023. Any student, currently enrolled in the undergraduate Health Science or Health Science Pre-Athletic Training Concentration majors, who wants to pursue graduate school to become an athletic trainer should contact Dr. Robert Colandreo

 

Curriculum

Prerequisite courses can be found here.

Required Courses:

ATTR 511 - Research Methods 
 or
PHED 511 - Research Methods in Physical Education
ATTR 528 - Introduction to Diagnostic Medical Imaging
ATTR 530 - Law and Policy in Athletic Medicine
ATTR 538 - Applied Functional Anatomy
ATTR 539 - Management of Head, Neck and Spinal Conditions
ATTR 540 - Management of Lower Extremity Conditions
ATTR 541 - Management of Upper Extremity Conditions
ATTR 542 - Therapeutic Exercise
ATTR 543 - Pharmacology
ATTR 546 - General Medical Conditions
ATTR 550 - Therapeutic Modalities
ATTR 551 - Orthopedic Interventions
ATTR 560 - Psychosocial Intervention and Patient Care
ATTR 561 - Level I Clinical Experience in Athletic Training
ATTR 562 - Level II Clinical Experience in Athletic Training
ATTR 563 - Level III Clinical Experience in Athletic Training
ATTR 564 - Level IV Clinical Experience in Athletic Training
ATTR 565 - Level V Clinical Experience in Athletic Training
ATTR 590 - Administration in Athletic Training

Total Minimum Credits: 57

Exit Requirement

All candidates will be required to show evidence of a culminating experience by successfully completing one of the following:

  • ATTR 501 - Athletic Training Project (under the guidance of an advisor); ATTR 502 - Research (with an oral defense)
  • Departmental comprehensive examination*
  • Board of Certification (BOC) national examination

*Please see the Graduate Academic Policies section of the Graduate Academic Catalog for additional information regarding comprehensive examinations.

***For the most up-to-date information regarding course descriptions, please visit our University Catalog.

Learning Outcomes

ATP Goals & Objectives:  

• Demonstrate the cognitive and psychomotor skills delineated in the NATA Athletic Training Educational Competencies.

• Display ethical behavior in accordance with professional standards.

• Collect, interpret, and disseminate information in an effective manner.

• Display effective oral and written communication skills that are appropriate to the population being addressed.

• Recognize the athletic trainer's role in the present and emerging health care arena.

• Appreciate the need for science-based efficacy of our profession through ongoing research and publication.

• Permeate basic behaviors into professional practice non-discriminatory with respect to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic, political, or religious affiliation. 

Didactic Outcomes
Goals Program Competency
Demonstrate the cognitive and psychomotor skills delineated in the NATA Athletic Training Educational Competencies, 5th ed.  Apply didactic knowledge to clinical practice
Display clinical skill and competence in the psychomotor skills identified in the Clinical Integration Proficiencies, 5th ed.    Apply psychomotor skills and CIP outcomes in labs, clinical seminars, clinical sites, and patient care. 
Display ethical behavior in accordance with professional standards  Adhere to the ethical standards of the NATA, practice within the legal boundaries of the applicable practice act, incorporate ethical decision making into practice, demonstrate academic honesty 
Collect, interpret, and disseminate information in an effective manner.  Effectively use electronic medium to gather information, demonstrate effective professional writing, demonstrate effective professional verbal communication 
Display effective oral and written communication skills that are appropriate to the population being addressed.  Communicates effectively to a diverse populations, presents professional work in writing
Recognize the athletic trainer’s role in the present and emerging health care arena.  Function as part of a health care team in a wide variety of practice settings. 
Appreciate the need for science-based efficacy of our profession through ongoing research and publication.  Conduct literature reviews, analyze data to formulate a conclusion, appreciate the value of evidence based practice,   
Permeate basic behaviors into professional practice non-discriminatory with respect to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic, political, or religious affiliation.  Consider unique skills & abilities of healthcare professionals in the academic environment.  

 

 

Clinical Education Outcomes
Goal Program Competency
Recognize  the  scope  of  practice  of  athletic  trainer’s  in the  healthcare  environment. Students will function  as  part  of  a  health  care  team  in  a wide  variety  of  practice  settings.
Expose  students  to  a  variety  of  clinical  settings. Students  will  be  placed  in  a  variety  of  practice  settings
Exposed  to  a  variety  of  preceptors Incorporate  the teaching  of  effective  clinical  preceptors. Students  will  be  assigned  to  specific  clinical  instructors that  have  received  preceptor  of  the  program  status.
Maximize  independent  decision  making grounded in evidence-based  practice/best  practices. Skill  demonstration  of  a  systematic  approach  as  to asking  &  answering  clinically  relevant  questions. 
Demonstrates  clinical  competence. Demonstrate  psychomotor  skills  in  academic  classes, clinical  seminars,  during  clinical  experiences.
Display  ethical  behavior in  accordance  with  professional standards. Adhere  to  the  ethical  standards  of  the  NATA and  the BOC standards  of  professional  practice,  practice  with  in the  legal  boundaries  of  the  applicable  practice  act, incorporate  ethical  decision  making  into  practice, demonstrate  academic  honesty.
Permeate  basic  behaviors  into  professional  practice non-discriminatory  with  respect  to  race,  ethnicity,  sexual orientation,  socioeconomic,  political,  or religious affiliation. Consider unique  skills  &  abilities  of  healthcare professionals  &  clinical  environments.

 

Funding Opportunities

The College of Graduate Studies provides various opportunities for graduate students to receive funding while working towards their degrees. Appointments are competitive and are determined by undergraduate and/or graduate grade point averages, pertinent experience, educational preparation and interviews. For information on assistantships, fellowships and conference funding awards, please visit our Graduate Funding Opportunities page.

The Athletic Training, MS program is eligible for unsubsidized student loans and applicants are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. For more specific questions, please visit the Financial Aid Office website or contact them directly at finaid@bridgew.edu.

Bridgewater State University
 

The below information was obtained from CAATE (https://caate.net/program-info/269


BOC Examination Pass Rates
Graduate Athletic Training Program 2019-2022

 

    2019-2020      2020-2021 2021-2022   3-Year Aggregate  
Number Graduated 4 6 0 10
Number Who Took Exam 4 6 0 10
Number of First Time Pass 3 4 0 7
Number of Passed Any Attempt 4 6 0 10
First Time Pass Rate % 75% 67% 0% 70%
Overall Pass Rate % Any Attempts 100% 100% 0% 100%

 

Graduation Rates
Graduate Athletic Training Program 2019-2022

   2019-2020   2020-2021 2021-2022
Number of Students Graduating 4 6 0
Graduation Rates 80% 100% 82%

 

Three-Year Cumulative Graduation Rate = 91%

 

Program Retention Rates
Graduate Athletic Training Program 2019-2022

     2019-2020     2020-2021  2021-2022
Number of Students Beginning the Program 5 6 1
Number of Students Returning for Year 2 4 6 1
Program Retention Rate 80% 100% 100%

 

Three-Year Cumulative Retention Rate = 91.7%

 

Employment Rates
Graduate Athletic Training Program 2019-2022

     2019-2020
          n=4
   2020-2021
          n=5
2021-2022
      n=1
3-Year Aggregate
# of Graduates Employed as Athletic
Trainers
2 3 0  
Athletic Trainer Employment Rate 50% 60% 0% 56%
# of Graduates Employed in Other
Settings*
0 0 0 0
Employment Rate in Other Settings* 0% 0% 0% 0
# of Graduates Not Employed** 1 2 0 3
Rates of Graduates Not Employed** 25% 40% 0% 33%

 

Four-Year Cumulative Employment Rate in Athletic Training = 60%

*This field represents students employed in fields other than athletic training
**This field contains any and all individuals who are unemployed due to enrollment into another degree program,
military service, individuals whose employment status is unknown, as well as generally unemployed graduates.

 

 

 

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