Fortunately, there are a few Doctor of Athletic Training (DAT) programs that are currently available through a 100% online format. These types of programs make learning convenient for those with full-time employment.
With that in mind, please consider that some online programs may require synchronous courses, as well as asynchronous classwork. The synchronous format means some of your classes may require you to attend coursework or lectures at a certain time of the day to complete the requirements.
In addition, many DAT programs are offered through the hybrid format. In this setting, your school program is predominately provided online; however, they also require on-campus attendance. For example, some demand 4-5 days of on-campus work per semester or have clinical residency requirements for graduation.
If possible, exercise is something that most of us try to avoid. While the benefits have been proven to improve the quality of life, sometimes, it’s just hard to develop the habit. However, if you are an athletic trainer, being in good physical condition is your job or at least part of it!
To reach your full potential, why not earn a Doctor of Athletic Training degree to help you assist others? Encourage others to maintain good physical and emotional health while playing sports, like the ones mentioned on Betfred Near Me, or other related activities.
Best Online and Traditional Doctor of Athletic Training Degree Programs
A.T. STILL UNIVERSITY
DOCTORATE IN ATHLETIC TRAINING
School Highlights: The online Doctorate in Athletic Training from A.T. Still University is an incredibly thorough distance education degree. The curriculum is broken down into multiple foundational groups, such as Clinical Decision-Making and Applied Research. It then supplies concentration options that focus the coursework on specific areas of the discipline.
Students accepted into this program have an extensive professional and educational history in athletic training and attend A.T. Still University to drastically refine already well-developed skills.
Graduates gain an impressive amount of clinical experience and knowledge that can be immediately applied to a position of employment in athletic training, which is just one of the many benefits of an online degree.
More importantly, graduates become empowered in their careers as academic leaders, healthcare administrators, and expert clinicians with a passion for promoting their profession! Their advanced skill sets become useful in creating and implementing viable solutions to current issues in the community and individual health.
This is a 69-credit post-graduate program where students build their expertise in clinical decision-making, applied research, and innovations in the field of athletic training. ATSU specifically designed it with experienced athletic training professionals looking for a terminal degree with real-world clinical applications.
Aside from the doctorate degree, students can also tailor their educational experience by pursuing one or more of the 20 graduate certificates. Attainment of these certifications is akin to gaining specialist skills and, thus, boosting your opportunities for career advancement.
If you already have a Master of Science in Athletic Training degree from ATSU, you can apply the courses to the DAT degree program. Your advanced standing means you can earn the DAT degree within 24 months instead of the usual 36-month time-to-completion.
The admission requirements include the following:
- A master’s degree, minimum, from an institution with regional accreditation
- Official transcripts from the institution where the master’s degree was earned
- Minimum of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) graduate cumulative GPA
- Certification from the Board of Certification (BOC) or its substantial equivalent from foreign credentialing bodies in case of international students
- Proof of state licensure with its photocopy being acceptable
- One completed and signed official recommendation form
- Application form with complete and accurate details
GRE scores aren’t required but proof of proficiency in the English language, with applicants choosing from three options. First, English is your first language; second, you have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited four-year post-secondary institution in the US; and third, you meet the minimum TOEFL or IELTS scores.
Proficiency in word processing software and computer literacy are also required of candidates. Every candidate must also pass a phone interview before admission into the program.
Concentration Options:
- Rehabilitation
- Orthopaedics
- Leadership and Education
- Sports Neurology and Concussion
Campus Location: Kirksville, MO
Accreditation:
- Higher Learning Commission
- Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
LEARN MORE ABOUT A.T. STILL UNIVERSITY’S DOCTORATE IN ATHLETIC TRAINING
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
DOCTOR OF ATHLETIC TRAINING
School Highlights: Temple University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the entire country. It also provides outstanding distance education options, such as the online Doctor of Athletic Training through the College of Public Health.
This curriculum was designed for working, certified athletic trainers seeking further advancement, knowledge, and enhanced skills in the profession. Temple University ensures diversity and inclusivity in its student body, too, resulting in better student experiences! Students expand not just their career-specific knowledge and skills but also their perspectives of their profession, peers, and patients.
The curriculum consists of 36 credits with an expected two-year time to completion. Students must also be enrolled in the regular and summer terms to earn the degree in two years. Courses, however, vary in length from six-week to 15-week sessions, with all of them offered entirely online.
These courses are also delivered in both synchronous and asynchronous formats. Students then interact with their peers and professors, access learning materials and submit assignments and perform other academic-related activities through digital technologies. These include:
- web-based conferencing,
- video meetings,
- chat rooms,
- live class discussions,
- and discussion boards.
Furthermore, every core class has a synchronous schedule that students are well-advised to follow. There is a strong emphasis on concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries.
Professional skills learned also include the survey, interpretation, and application of research literature; the use of evidence-based techniques toward the improvement of patient outcomes; and interdisciplinary collaborations.
Students work closely with renowned faculty members and a diverse cohort through extensive scenarios that instill excellent leadership and teamwork qualities in all online students.
Faculty members also encourage students to participate in departmental research as part of their educational experience. The current research projects include:
- human balance and locomotion;
- biomarkers associated with brain injuries;
- and cellular and molecular mechanisms related to exercise and muscle adaptation.
Temple University has several research centers, too, where these projects are being conducted. The Athletic Training Division Laboratory, Translational Exercise Biology Laboratory, and Sports Concussion Laboratory are a few of these facilities.
Applicants must use the SOPHAS Express portal to submit the necessary application documents including:
- Three letters of recommendation
- Goals statement
- Current résumé
- Official transcripts
- Photocopy of BOC card
Applicants who are considered for admission will undergo an interview but aren’t guaranteed admission.
Temple also offers additional options to enhance students’ prospects, for example, in the Teaching in Higher Education Certificate. Individuals without a master’s degree in athletic training can apply to Temple’s program, while certified athletic trainers with a keen interest in research may consider the MS in Kinesiology with Athletic Training concentration program. Both master’s degrees are accepted as the foremost admission requirement to the DAT program.
Coursework Sample:
- Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions
- Evidence-Based Decision-Making in Athletic Training
- Rehabilitation Methods and Techniques for Sports-Related Injuries
Campus Location: Philadelphia, PA
Accreditation:
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- Council on Education for Public Health
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TEMPLE UNIVERSITY’S ONLINE DOCTOR OF ATHLETIC TRAINING
INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
DOCTORATE IN ATHLETIC TRAINING
School Highlights:
Indiana State is well-known for its excellent online programs and has appeared on numerous lists of the best distance education schools in America.
Among these programs is the 24-month, 57-credit hybrid learning doctorate in athletic training with a mission of developing exceptional leaders, scholars, and practitioners in the field. Students prepare for improved advanced-level instruction and patient care in athletic training in schools, healthcare and wellness facilities, and communities.
Students attend classes and complete coursework both online and on-campus in an intensive, hands-on-learning-style program. Individuals can expect to have live, face-to-face contact with faculty members, academic advisors, and peers during 12-15 days of on-site instruction during the academic year, usually in July, November, and April. These on-campus sessions are mandatory unless valid circumstances prevent attendance and their schedules are announced in advance.
Otherwise, the program is completed entirely online, aside from the various clinical experiences and possible assistantships. The program uses both synchronous and asynchronous delivery for its courses.
Students learn as a cohort and, thus, make progress as a group. A small class size of 25 students means ISU can maintain academic excellence and one-on-one attention for its doctorate students.
Continuous and full-time enrollment for 24 months is required for all students; part-time enrollment isn’t available at present. Students are well-advised to devote 3-5 hours of study time per credit per week; each course is equivalent to 1-3 credits.
This is a no-dissertation program, but students are required to complete several research projects throughout their stay. Many of these research projects may be published in scientific journals, too. Due to the research-intensive design, students prepare to become scholarly technicians with a passion for real-world applications.
The curriculum includes three courses in directed research where students choose their topics based on their professional interests, among other factors. Like with a dissertation, students must also pass an intensive oral and written defense of their research projects.
Students must also engage in professional clinical experiences and, thus, are required to sign affiliation agreements, including supervisor agreements with ISU. These are possible through graduate assistantships, paid internships, and/or paid employment.
Coursework Sample:
- Manual Therapy
- Underserved Populations and Emerging Settings
- Innovations in Collaborative Health Care
Campus Location: Terre Haute, IN
Accreditation:
- Higher Learning Commission
- Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
LEARN MORE ABOUT INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY’S DOCTORATE IN ATHLETIC TRAINING
UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO
ATHLETIC TRAINING, D.A.T.
School Highlights:
The University of Idaho is the very first school in the nation to offer an advanced academic doctorate in athletic training. It is a hybrid model program that is perfectly suited to full-time, practicing professionals working in educational, clinical, or traditional settings.
There is a particularly strong emphasis on improving clinical practice through manual therapy techniques combined with plenty of opportunities to contribute to the existing body of knowledge through original research.
Students complete 66 credits to earn a doctorate degree. The 24-month cohort program has small class sizes to maintain instruction quality. Applications are accepted until April 15 each year.
Each cohort starts in June of each year, with the fall and spring semesters filled with clinical rotations, which the faculty must approve prior to admission. Students can then attend graduate school and work full-time while also allowing them to apply their didactic coursework to their active clinical practice.
The curriculum has three focus areas – clinical practice and its current issues, applied research, and a clinical residency. The program starts with the on-campus summer term with three courses in manual therapy and practice, among others. The fall and spring terms are characterized by the hybrid delivery of courses in:
- action research,
- clinical residency,
- and applied research, to name a few.
This means students spend a total of four weeks on campus every summer for live coursework sessions and attend online classes throughout the fall, winter, and spring terms. Students complete residency and clinical requirements in their home communities, which often leads to outstanding employment opportunities.
Students are encouraged to engage in community-centric services through programs like the Free Injury Clinic. Here, they participate in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of athletic-related injuries and illnesses under the guidance of faculty members.
Coursework Sample:
- Holistic Foundations of Pain in Patient Care
- Designing and Conducting Applied Research in Patient Care
- Leadership and Mentoring in Athletic Training and Clinical Practice
Campus Location: Moscow, ID
Accreditation:
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO’S ATHLETIC TRAINING, D.A.T.
MORAVIAN COLLEGE
DOCTOR OF ATHLETIC TRAINING
School Highlights:
At Moravian College, a hybrid online school, students engage in a Doctor of Athletic Training that supports students’ professional practice in real time. Students can still work full-time at their jobs, provided that they can cope with the accelerated pace.
The curriculum is designed to enhance students’ skills in their personal work environments and their clinical experiences. It is a six-semester degree that can be finished in two years and includes two week-long residencies.
It has three start dates, too – fall, spring, and summer – meaning professional athletic trainers can start their post-graduate studies at their convenience. However, enrollment in May means being ineligible for the Summer Institute in that academic year.
While on campus, students take advantage of a 40,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center. The rest of the program is completed entirely online, using high-quality learning platforms that connect students with expert faculty members.
The coursework includes pivotal topics in athletic training, such as:
- advanced therapeutic modalities,
- clinical imaging,
- epidemiology,
- leadership,
- and entrepreneurship.
Admission is on a selective basis, and retention is just as challenging. Students must maintain at least a 3.0 overall GPA or be on probation for the first instance or be dismissed from the program on the second instance. Students must also maintain a “C” grade, minimum, in all DAT courses or be dismissed from the program, too.
Applicants must have the following credentials to be considered for admission:
- At least 3.0 GPA for a master’s degree or for the last 60 credits of a bachelor’s degree Current ATC credential
- Current AT state license
- Proof of current practice, including consistent patient care
- Preferential consideration for applicants with five years of full-time practice experience
Application requirements include:
- One academic letter of recommendation and one clinical letter of recommendation
- Clinical practice statement
- Personal statement
- Resume
- Official transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended
- Virtual or in-person interview
Individuals interested in earning a dual doctorate degree in athletic training and a master’s degree in business administration (DAT-MBA) should check out Moravian’s program.
Coursework Sample:
- Entrepreneurship in Sports Medicine
- Performing Arts Medicine
- Leadership in Athletic Training
Campus Location: Bethlehem, PA
Accreditation:
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
LEARN MORE ABOUT MORAVIAN COLLEGE’S DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ATHLETIC TRAINING
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the Doctorate degree in Athletic training program?
The purpose of a Doctorate degree in Athletic Training is to provide advanced knowledge and skills to students to become leaders in the field of Athletic Training. This program focuses on sports medicine, injury and rehabilitation, and therapeutic interventions for athletes.
Students learn about evidence-based practice, clinical decision-making, and research methods. The program prepares students for professional practice as athletic trainers or in a related field.
What is the hardest part of being an Athletic Trainer?
The hardest part of being an Athletic Trainer is dealing with the physical and emotional demands of the job. Athletic Trainers are responsible for helping athletes prevent, diagnose, and treat injuries, as well as providing emotional support to athletes who are dealing with an injury, illness, or other personal challenges.
Becoming an Athletic Trainer can be an emotionally draining job, and Athletic Trainers must be prepared to handle these situations with empathy and professionalism.
What will I learn in a Doctorate of Athletic Training program?
A Doctorate of Athletic Training program will provide a comprehensive education in the field of Athletic Training. Students will learn the fundamentals of Athletic Training, such as injury prevention, assessment and management of injuries, nutrition, exercise physiology, biomechanics, kinesiology, sports psychology, and therapeutic modalities.
Students will also learn how to apply these principles to the care of athletes and active individuals. Additionally, students will gain experience in research methods, evidence-based practice, and clinical practicums.
How will earning a Doctorate of Athletic Training degree advance my career?
A Doctorate of Athletic Training degree can open doors to a wide variety of career opportunities, from teaching and research to consulting and healthcare management. With a Doctorate, you can become an expert in sports medicine and demonstrate your advanced knowledge and skills to potential employers.
You will be able to design and implement evidence-based programs in the treatment, prevention, and management of injuries as well as have a deeper understanding of the psychological and social aspects of sports performance.
Additionally, you will be able to lead research projects and serve as a mentor to other athletic trainers. Ultimately, a Doctorate of Athletic Training degree can help you stand out among other professionals in the field and provide you with the credentials to pursue higher-level positions.
Should I have had a sports career myself to excel in Athletic Training?
No, you do not need to have had a sports career yourself to excel in Athletic Training. Athletic Training is a field focused on the prevention, assessment, and management of injuries and requires a strong understanding of anatomy and physiology, exercise science, and nutrition. You can excel in Athletic Training without any prior experience in sports.
Is earning a Doctorate degree in Athletic Training worth the time and money?
The answer to this question depends on the individual’s goals and career aspirations. For those who are looking to become a licensed athletic trainer or advance in their current profession, then a Doctorate degree in Athletic Training may certainly be worth the time and money.
Those who wish to earn the highest level of expertise in the field and open up better career opportunities may also benefit from obtaining a Doctorate degree in Athletic Training. However, if an individual is seeking a higher degree merely for the prestige, then it may not be worth the time and money investment.
Ultimately, it is a personal decision only the individual can make when assessing the potential rewards of obtaining a Doctorate degree in Athletic Training.
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