Driven to meet both marketplace demand and the Board of Certification (BOC) standards of professional practice, Midland University’s Master of Athletic Training (MAT) program recently completed a self-study and submission covering 109 standards to earn a final vote of approval for accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).
The recently attained accreditation is required for all Midland MAT students to be eligible to take the Board of Certification (BOC) exam to become certified athletic trainers (ATC) and represents one of three graduate programs accredited by CAATE in the state of Nebraska.
By Fall of 2022, undergraduate programs will no longer be able to accept students into an athletic training program to be eligible to take the BOC. Following the vision of relentless relevance, Midland established its graduate-level athletic training program to best serve the needs of students and the changing landscape of healthcare.
In conjunction with the MAT program, Midland additionally offers a 3+2 option, allowing undergraduates to get a degree in Human Performance and a Master of Athletic Training in five years of study. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected growth of athletic training is set to be much faster than average with a 23% growth as compared with other occupations. Athletic trainers with graduate degrees yield an average of $5,000 more than athletic trainers holding only undergraduate degrees.
Incoming students interested in the 3+2 option will begin by pursuing an undergraduate degree and fulfill all prerequisite courses during the first three years of their undergraduate program. Eligible students will then be able to apply to the MAT program during their junior year. Once accepted, they will enroll in master level courses in the summer and fall of their senior year while simultaneously finishing their undergraduate degree. By the end of the fall semester, successful students are awarded undergraduate degrees and become full-time graduate students in the spring.
“This accreditation has been a dream of the athletic training staff and faculty since 2013,” said Mark Snow, Midland University Dean of the School of Human Performance and Director of the Master of Athletic Training program. “It is gratifying to come to this accomplishment. I cannot begin to extend adequate appreciation to everyone involved in this process for their hard work. I especially want to thank our inaugural class of graduates who are the pioneers in this program. They have worked exceptionally hard and have been a vital component in this esteemed accomplishment.”
