MSAT Program Curriculum & Sequence

The Master of Science in Athletic Training program has two avenues of admission: (1) Traditional Graduate School Admissions and (2) Spalding University 3+2 program. Both program avenues of entrance will follow the same curriculum and sequence below:

All major courses must be completed at Spalding University.

Professional Phase Year 1
(40 hours)

MSAT-500: Foundations of Athletic Training (3 Hours)

This course provides a curricular overview including the changing landscape of athletic training practice, discusses the importance of evidence-based practice, provides early systematic literature review skills, discusses the history of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), the Board of Certification, the Kentucky Athletic Trainers’ Society, Kentucky and Indiana Athletic Training Practice Acts, and teaches the foundations of professional and ethical athletic training practice.

MSAT-510: Emergency Care of Athletic Injuries (3 Hours)

This course focuses on acute sports medicine management skills for treating common injuries and medical conditions that active individuals experience. In addition to basic first aid, the student will be prepared to evaluate and stabilize an athletically active individual for a variety of traumatic situations. Students will acquire the skills necessary to respond to emergencies such as: catastrophic injury to the head and neck, cessation of breathing and circulation, shock, heat and cold illnesses, internal injuries, and other serious or life-threatening injuries that may occur in diverse athletic training practice settings.

MSAT-512: Advanced Regional Anatomy and Neuroscience (6 Hours)

This course provides students with advanced instruction in regional anatomy and the structure and function of the central nervous system. Through the use of anatomical models, and a human cadaver lab, students will learn to correlate join structure to local, regional, and global function during human movement. Students will also demonstrate knowledge of key concepts of nervous system structure and function as it relates to athletic training practice as well as neuroplasticity’s impact on rehabilitative processes.

MSAT-550: Clinical Education I (2 Hours)

Novice students will participate in an introductory athletic training clinical education experience where they will interact with interdisciplinary healthcare team members and apply knowledge and skills learned in early coursework to clinical practice under the guided supervision of a preceptor. Students must complete 8-10 clinical education hours per week during this experience.

MSAT-520: Upper Extremity and Spinal Injury Evaluation (4 Hours)

This course increases the student’s understanding of upper extremity and regional spinal pathomechanics, and basic athletic injury assessment skills. Students will acquire a foundational, regional understanding of palpation skills, goniometry, manual muscle testing, neurological testing, and special tests. Patient cases will be incorporated that link skill development to upper extremity regional conditions commonly treated by athletic trainers.

Prerequisite courses: MSAT-500 MSAT-510 MSAT-512 MSAT-550

MSAT-540: Lower Extremity and Spinal Injury Evaluation (4 Hours)

This course increases the student’s understanding of lower extremity and regional spinal pathomechanics, and basic athletic injury assessment skills. Students will acquire a foundational, regional understanding of palpation skills, goniometry, manual muscle testing, neurological testing, and special tests. Patient cases will be incorporated that link skill development to lower extremity regional conditions commonly treated by athletic trainers.

Prerequisite courses: MSAT-500 MSAT-510 MSAT-512 MSAT-550

MSAT-610: General Medical Conditions with Pharmacology (3 Hours)

This course presents an overview of medical-surgical conditions and pharmacologic interventions commonly utilized by athletic trainers in diverse practice settings and their essential diagnostic test methods. Pharmacologic interventions related to circulatory, digestive, endocrine, immune, lymphatic, musculoskeletal, nervous, respiratory, reproductive, and urinary systems will be discussed. This will include categories of drugs, generic and trade names of common drugs, indications, contraindications, interactions, and potential side-effects of drugs commonly used by athletically active individuals across the lifespan.

MSAT-600: Clinical Education II (3 Hours)

Students will continue to integrate and translate knowledge and skills learned in the classroom and laboratory to the clinical setting under the supervision of a preceptor. Students must complete 10- 15 clinical education hours per week during this experience.

MSAT-630: Advanced Functional Rehabilitation and Return-to-Activity Decision-Making (4 Hours)

This course integrates upper and lower extremity movements with core and lumbopelvic region neuromuscular function. Primary, secondary, and tertiary injury prevention techniques will be developed through the translation of simple functional movements to sport and activity-specific performance to improve whole body postural alignment, dynamic joint stability, and neuromuscular control. Students will apply these concepts to develop sport and activity-specific criteria for safely returning active individuals to sport, recreational activities and vocations.

Prerequisite: MSAT-520, MSAT-540, MSAT-610, MSAT-600

MSAT-530: Therapeutic Modalities and Evidence Based Practice (3 Hours)

This course will discuss the physiological principles, current theories, and evidence basis of therapeutic modality applications. The student will develop an understanding of the underlying physics, physiological effects, indications, and contraindications of the use of diverse physical agents. Emphasis will be placed on the appropriate use of physical, electrotherapeutic and hydrotherapeutic modalities.

MSAT-515: Nutrition, Strength, & Conditioning for Active Populations (2 Hours)

This course discusses nutrition as it relates to health, exercise, and performance. Course topics will include metabolic energy systems, nutritional aspects of substrate utilization (digestion, absorption, metabolism, etc.), assessment of nutritional needs, and diet modification. Students will also learn about strength and conditioning principles to enhance performance for athletically active individuals. Discussions will also include dietary approaches to influence body composition changes and exercise performance.

Prerequisite: MSAT-520, MSAT-540, MSAT-610, MSAT-600

MSAT-620: Health Science Research Design & Statistical Methods (3 Hours)

In this course the student will develop the skills needed to develop an athletic training practice-based research proposal including literature review, protocol design, data collection, statistical analysis, and presentation.

Professional Phase Year 2
(22 hours)

MSAT-660: Psychosocial Aspects of Sports (2 Hours)

In this online course students will learn about and then apply practical as well as theoretical information as it relates to psychosocial aspects of sports, aging, and injury rehabilitation. This class will explore concepts related to stress management, motivation, goal-setting, mastery, imagery, vicarious learning, self-efficacy, kinesiophobia, fear, social cognitive theory, health locus of control, expectations, personality, spirituality, mindfulness, compliance/adherence and perceived barriers. Discussions will focus on the influence of psychosocial factors to behavioral change and health outcomes.

MSAT-625: Clinical Education III (9 Hours)

Students will continue to actively integrate and synthesize classroom and laboratory learning experiences within the clinical setting under the guidance of a preceptor. Students will begin to demonstrate greater proficiency and a growing ability to manipulate, synthesize, and generalize multiple concepts that influence athletic training practice efficacy. Students will demonstrate leadership, mentoring, and teaching skills through direct interactions with clinical faculty and with first-year clinical students. Students will demonstrate greater self-directed learning, and inter- disciplinary problem-solving skills. Students will perform a full-time 30-45 hour/week clinical assignment.

MSAT-680: Leadership, Administration, & Ethics (3 Hours)

This course will focus on issues related to the laws, rules, and regulations that impact the decisions that practicing healthcare professionals must make. Leadership and administrative concerns related to current and emerging ethical and legal healthcare and sports issues will constitutes a major portion of this class.

MSAT-685: Master’s Research Project (3 Hours)

Students will complete their research project providing a written paper and oral presentation. This project represents the culmination of information and experiences learned across the entire program curriculum.

MSAT 690: BOC Prep (2 Hours)

Students will learn test taking strategies to successfully complete the Board of Certification Examination for professional practice as Athletic Trainers.

MSAT-650: Clinical Education IV (3 Hours)

Students will continue to actively demonstrate integration and synthesis of classroom and laboratory learning experiences in the clinical setting under the supervision of a preceptor. Students will begin to demonstrate greater competence and a stronger awareness and understanding of their individual thought processes. Students will demonstrate leadership, mentoring, and teaching skills through direct interactions with clinical faculty and with first-year clinical students. Students must complete 10-15 hours per week during this experience.