Master of Athletic Training Program
MAT FAQ
The required courses include: Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology (OR Anatomy & Physiology I and II to substitute for Human Anatomy and Human Physiology), Nutrition, Statistics, General Psychology, First Aid/CPR.
The following courses are highly recommended but not required:
- Biomechanics
- Kinesiology
- Exercise Physiology
The MAT is a two-year or six (6) consecutive semester program. The program is cohort based. Cohorts begin in July as the second summer five-week classes begin. The MAT program is entry-level or professional level for those who are not certified athletic trainers.
Yes, Truman has a 3+2 program that is designed for you to complete a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and the Master of Athletic Training degrees in five years. For more information and the curriculum plan, see the ES/MAT 3+2 Program.
The program is an entry-level or professional-level athletic training program.
The MAT program is for anyone who has an earned a Bachelor’s degree and meets the program pre-requisites. This program is for individuals who wish to become certified athletic trainers.
The GRE is not required for the admission into the MAT program.
To become admitted into the MAT program, the individual must apply to the Truman State University Master of Athletic Training program. An electronic acceptance will be sent via the Slate program for the applicant to check he/she is accepting admission into the program. Applicants who fall within in the Direct/Automatic Admit will still follow the same procedure. A Direct/Automatic Admit occurs when an applicant has met all of the admission criteria (minimum prerequisite course grades, GPA, observation hours, letters of recommendation, CPR certification, and completed application) at the time of application submission. Applicants who are completing prerequisite courses at the time of application will be evaluated by the MAT program admissions committee. Applicants who do not meet the minimum MAT program admission criteria may apply for acceptance consideration on a case-by-case basis.
No Truman applicant may use the Athletic Training Program Director or HES Department Chair as a reference.
The additional information requested that must be sent to the Athletic Training Program Director includes:
- a current physical exam (within the last year)
- immunization records
- copy of current ECC (First Aid/CPR) certification
- National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA) member number
- signed technical standards form
- completed background check
- signed admissions statement
At this time, the Truman MAT program does not use a criminal background check.
Truman State University requires students at the graduate level to complete a master’s research project. The MAT program has selected a master’s research paper as the graduation requirement. This includes selecting a faculty mentor (faculty from any discipline), designing a hypothesis and topic, conducting the research to test that hypothesis, and writing a research paper (described in the course work). Completion of the research is a graduation requirement.
During the spring semester of the student’s final semester, he/she will be required to present the research at the University level at a designated time and location. The student has the opportunity to present at the state, district, or national level as well and guidance for that process will be provided by the MAT program faculty.
The Athletic Training Educational Competencies are a list of knowledge, skills, and clinical abilities students must master in order to progress and graduate from the MAT program. These skills are taught in the courses and assessed in the Athletic Training Clinical courses. Students must meet a mininum score to pass each competency. Those not meeting the mininum score will receive remediation in the Athletic Training Clinical course. If by the end of the semester, the mininum standard has not been met in the course, the student will fail the course and not progress in the program.
Observation Hours
Any observation or internship hours performed under a certified athletic trainer count toward your observation hours.
The minimum hours required for the MAT application is 40. An applicant may do more hours than the minimum which looks favorably among the review committee.
We provide a form where you can record your Observation Hours. You may print and upload to the application as many Observation Hours Forms as needed.
Yes. The athletic training clinic at Truman allows a limited number of observation hours (25) and number of observation students (8) each academic semester. For more information about this observation site, contact Cassie DeBlauw at cdeblauw@truman.edu.
Observation hours should be done in the past four (4) years of the application year to be considered part of the required 75 hours component. Hours done prior to the four (4) year mark may be entered as additional experience on the application form.
Cost and Aid
A complete breakdown for estimated costs per year for graduate students can be found at Graduate Cost of Attendance.
Financial aid is offered to Truman graduate students. One of the most common is the GTRA award. Information can be found at www.truman.edu/majors-programs/graduate-studies/financial-information/ or by contacting the program director.
Fees for the entire two-year program include:
- $90 ATrack lifetime membership fee
- $90 NATA membership
- $40 MOATA Educator’s and Student Leadership Conference (for 2 years)
- $330 BOC exam fee
- $8 for CPR certification and student identification badge
- $30 for program clothing (must purchase one polo)
- $40 Graduation Fee (one-time fee)
Optional/Other Fees:
- $50-130 Parking decal
- $300-1000 Rent (apartment to house costs)
Once accepted into the MAT program, there are secondary application materials that will be emailed to you for completion. These include:
- physical form
- technical standards form
- Hepatitis B verification or waiver
- registration agreement form
Graduate Teaching/Research Assistantship (GTRA)
GTRAs are either a cash stipend or a tuition waiver for up to nine graduate credits per academic semester that is awarded by the individual graduate program and Truman State University. GTRAs are available during the academic year (August-May). More information about GTRAs at Truman can be found at https://www.truman.edu/majors-programs/graduate-studies/financial-information/
All accepted Truman MAT applicants may apply for a GTRA award.
To be eligible for a GTRA award, the applicant must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, 1 letter of support (a letter of recommendation used for the program application may be used), and a completed program specific GTRA application. Applicants are assessed on their communication, leadership, and experience skills. The MAT admission committee will review the applications and determine the award amounts. Currently, the program offers 10 GTRA positions that range from $2,000 to full tuition (up to 9 credit hours). Currently, the program is able to offer 2 full tuition remission and 8 $2,000 awards. For more information, please contact the Truman Master of Athletic Training Program Director.
The positions available for a GTRA award vary by year and department need, but can include:
- teaching ES 205
- teaching HLTH 198L activity course
- program marketing coordinator
- research lab technician
- anatomy lab assistant
- student wellness assistant
Applicants are instructed to mark the “I want to be considered for a GTRA” box on the graduate application. On April 1, the Program Director will send out the program specific application to applicant emails to be complete by a specified date (April 15). Applicants will be notified by the Program Director of the award and the amount to be dispersed. Some positions may require additional training (American Heart Association Instructor Certified).