Pre-Athletic Training Requirements

The following pre-requisite classes or their equivalents are required to be completed before admission to the professional program with a grade of "C" or better:

a. Kinesiology/Biomechanics

b. Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II, both with labs

c. Exercise Physiology

d. General Psychology

e. Basic Nutrition

f.  Statistics

g. Biology

h. Chemistry

i. Physics 

(A Note to Transfer students: As soon as you decide to transfer to the University of Montana, you should notify the Program Director immediately to review application requirements. Each applicant will be considered on an individual basis.)

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS & APPLICATION STEPS FOR MASTER'S PROGRAM

1. Submit Athletic Training Student Application through ATCAS (found online at: https://atcas.liaisoncas.com) (pay application fee to ATCAS) 

2. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 for all college coursework (a GPA below 3.0 may be considered)

3. Completed pre-requisite courses with a grade of "C" or better (students may be enrolled in pre-requisite courses at time of application). Prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to the start of the professional program.

4. Official transcript(s) of all college coursework (submit to ATCAS). Obtain a current official copy of all college course work.  Students must complete or be in the process of completing required course work prior to application to the professional athletic training program.

5. Submit 3 professional letters of recommendation (submit to ATCAS)

          - All recommendation must be received by November 1st / February 1st.

          - Please do not request recommendations from personal friends. 

          - At least one letter from a Certified Athletic Trainer is strongly recommended.

6. Application essay which should address your professional goals and desire for pursuing athletic training as a career. (submit to ATCAS)

7. Current resume (submit to ATCAS)

8. Program Interview - in person, videoconference, or by phone

9. Submit secondary application to the University of Montana's Graduate School upon acceptance to AT program (http://www.umt.edu/grad/apply/default.php) (separate application fee from ATCAS)

***Please note that the GRE requirement for admission has been suspended for the 2021-2022 application cycle and will be removed for future application cycles (approved by Graduate Council September 2021).

ADMISSION POLICIES

Students who desire admission into the Master’s in Athletic Training Program must submit a formal application to ATCAS. 

Early Admission consideration: Students may submit their application for early consideration by November 1st. Up to half of the cohort may be filled at this time depending on the qualifications of the applicants. Applicants not accepted during early admission will still be considered with the regular admissions cycle unless the applicant does not meet the minimum application criteria.

Regular Admissions: Applications and supporting materials are due no later than February 1st. Applications received after the deadline will be considered on a rolling admissions basis if available slots exist. Students are encouraged to apply by the February 1st deadline, as the program will likely reach capacity at that point. Applications received after the deadline will be considered on a rolling admissions basis if available slots exist.

Formal notification of admission to the Master’s program will be made in writing.

Candidates who are NOT admitted to the program will also receive written notification of this decision.  Students may be selected as alternates and if a vacancy should become available prior to summer semester, these students will be informed.  Not all qualified candidates may be admitted to the Master’s program due to limited enrollment in clinical experiences.

PROVISIONAL ACCEPTANCE GUIDELINES

Once students are provisionally accepted into the professional program, students must provide the following documentation to be considered for full admission:

1. Each student must complete and provide verification of a Hepatitis-B vaccination series and titer (or must sign a waiver) (students may be in process).

2. Each student must obtain a tuberculosis test and provide verification of results. This will be repeated yearly while in the program.

3. Technical Standards:

   Each applicant must read and sign the “technical standards” document confirming that they understand and are able to comply with the established standards (included in the professional manual).

4. Completion of the agreement statement located in professional manual.

5. Criminal Background Check: the student will be required to contact the vendor (Castle Branch) to begin the online process.  The cost will be approximately $55. For international students the background check may cost up to and over $150.  Contact the Program Director for the necessary information.

SCORING OF APPLICATION

(CAATE Standard 24B, 24P, 28)

OBSERVATION HOURS RECOMMENDED (NOT REQUIRED)

Observation hours are designed for the purpose of exposing students to the field of athletic training.  They will provide you with insight to the day to day responsibilities of an athletic trainer and the type of medical care that they provide to their patients. Although completion of observation hours is no longer an admissions requirement, we recommend you take time to fully explore the field prior to application.

Students in the 5 year MAT program are classified as graduate students in years 4 and 5. As such, in those two years they are only eligible for graduate level financial aid. They are not eligible for the Federal Pell Grant or for scholarships such as the MUS Honors scholarship where being an undergraduate is a condition of the award.