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About the Master of Athletic Training (MAT) Degree

Why Study Athletic Training at Cedarville?

Help athletes get back in the game with Cedarville University’s Master of Athletic Training (MAT) program, your pathway to becoming a Certified Athletic Trainer. You'll be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in this fast-paced field and pass the National Athletic Trainers Association - Board of Certification (NATA-BOC) national exam. Through exceptional classroom teaching and real-world, hands-on learning experiences, Cedarville's MAT program will prepare you to become an effective athletic trainer who serves with Christlike compassion.

Cedarville also offers a BS in sport medicine + MAT accelerated completion option. You'll work towards your BS in sport medicine, then move into the MAT program after three years, once you're admitted. The BS in sport medicine curriculum is strategically designed so that your senior year courses are taken as part of your first year of the MAT program. When you graduate, you will have earned a BS in sport medicine, a Bible minor, and an MAT degree in just five years!

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What Sets Cedarville Apart?

  • Biblical Worldview

    All courses are built on the solid foundation of Scripture.
  • Real-World Experiences

    You will complete immersion experiences where you will fulfill the role of a full-time athletic trainer. 
  • Collaborative

    You will benefit from interprofessional interaction with students and faculty in other healthcare programs.

Program Overview

Highlights of the MAT Program

Biblical — With biblical integration in every course, you will discover how to serve your clients with the mind of Christ.

Exceptional Facilities — Program utilizes Cedarville’s 3,000-square-foot athletic training facility with a devoted educational laboratory.

Mentoring Faculty — Christian faculty members who are highly credentialed practicing clinicians and will teach, advise, and care about your success.

Accredited — Cedarville’s Athletic Training program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).

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Athletic Training Program

Athletic trainers are often the unsung heroes behind every team. They prevent, diagnose, and rehabilitate injuries and keep athletes performing at their highest level. If you want to blend a love for sports with the art of healing, athletic training may be the perfect fit for you, and Cedarville’s athletic training program is the perfect place to receive your training.

Opportunities to Learn Outside the Classroom

Interprofessional Collaboration — You will benefit from interprofessional interaction with students and faculty from Cedarville’s well-established and well-regarded healthcare programs, such as nursing, pharmacy, and our PA program. You will be trained in procedures from professors from other disciplines, including wound care, suturing, pharmacology, and general medical procedures.

Traditional Clinical Experiences — During your coursework, you will have extensive opportunities for direct patient care. Traditional clinical experiences allow you to spend part of the day in a didactic learning environment, while the rest of your day will be devoted to clinical patient care. You will complete clinical experiences with Cedarville Yellow Jackets NCAA Division II athletic teams and at local schools and medical facilities under the direction of a physician or athletic trainer. Traditional experiences are capped at 20 hours per week. Keep in mind that off-campus clinical experiences require students to provide their own transportation.

Immersive Clinical Experiences — You will complete four-, eight-, and 12-week immersive clinical experiences, where you will fulfill the role of a full-time athletic trainer, including treating patients, collaborating with a healthcare team, and filing insurance. Immersive experiences can be completed at places such as physician offices, NFL and MLB teams, and physical therapy clinics. You'll be supervised by a physician or athletic trainer during the immersive experiences, which are capped at 40 hours per week.

What Can You Do With an MAT?

Graduates will be able to work in a variety of settings, including high schools, colleges, professional sports teams, physical therapy centers, and doctor’s offices.

To receive the credential of Certified Athletic Trainer, all of our graduates sit for the Board of Certification (BOC). Graduates of Cedarville's program have a 15% higher first-time pass rate than the national average on the certification exam. They readily obtain positions in high schools, universities, clinical settings, and private practices across the nation. Our retention and graduation rates affirm the success of our program. View the CAATE Information and Outcomes Page on the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education website.

Admission, Costs and Aid, Start Dates

Admission Requirements — The first step in your graduate school journey at Cedarville is to apply to the program through the Athletic Training Centralized Application Service (ATCAS) and complete the free Cedarville Graduate Application.

Master of Athletic Training Admission Requirements

Costs and Financial Aid — Your decision to pursue quality, Christian graduate education represents a valuable investment in your career and professional development. To assure your degree is also affordable, Cedarville graduate programs are competitively priced and can be supplemented with a variety of financial aid.

Master of Athletic Training Costs
Application Timeline
  • Fall Decision Application Deadline – October 15
    •  Interview December 2
  • Winter Decision Application Deadline – Feb 1
    • Interview March 3
  • Spring Decision Application Deadline – May 1
  • Start Date – June
Application Process

Program Curriculum

Your rigorous MAT curriculum will prepare you to pass the National Athletic Trainers Association - Board of Certification (NATA-BOC) national exam.

Program Format and Related Programs

Cedarville offers both graduate and undergraduate programs, with flexible completion options. You may also want to consider these related programs as you consider the degree or program that is a best fit for you.

Female athletic trainer wrapping an athlete's ankle in the training room.

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Program Contacts

Photo of Mike Weller

Mike Weller, EdD, AT, ATC

Dean, Associate Professor of Athletic Training - School of Allied Health and Psychology

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Gayle Wilken

Director of Graduate Recruitment - Residential Healthcare Programs

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