Winthrop University welcomed it's first cohort of the Master of Science in Athletic Training in May 2023. Subsequent cohorts will begin each May.
Athletic training is the art and science of the prevention, recognition, care, and
rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses in physically active individuals. It involves
the organization and administration of athletic training programs, as well as the
education and counseling of a physically active population. Athletic training has
been recognized by the American Medical Association as an allied health care profession
and is practiced under the supervision of a physician. The governing body for the
profession is the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA). The organization
responsible for the certification of athletic trainers is the Board of Certification,
Inc. (BOC).
Since the founding of the NATA in 1950, the role of the professional athletic trainer
has changed dramatically. The certified athletic trainer is an essential member of
the athletic health care team in a variety of settings including secondary schools,
colleges and universities, professional sports teams, sports medicine clinics and
industrial settings. Education standards implemented in the late 1960's, along with
the concept of certification of athletic trainers, have greatly increased the demand
for specific curricular content to meet the needs of the aspiring athletic trainer.
Athletic training education is complex process. Professional education programs in
athletic training must seek accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of
Athletic Training Education (CAATE).