The School of Health Professions offers the Accelerated Masters (3+2) Pathway to complete both the Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine (BS-SM) and the Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) programs within a 5-year period. This program is designed for students who know they want to be an athletic trainer, excel academically, and want to expedite their journey to becoming a certified athletic trainer.
Students pursuing the 3+2 pathway are not guaranteed admission to the MSAT program. Students will apply to the MSAT program after completing (or being enrolled in) at least 94 hours in the BS-SM curriculum.
Upon successful completion of the Master of Science in Athletic Training (year 5), the student is eligible to sit for the Board of Certification (BOC) exam. Students who pass the BOC exam may be employed as Certified Athletic Trainers at various settings such as high schools, clinical outreach programs, clinics, colleges and universities, military, professional sports, public service, industrial wellness, and performing arts.
For the Accelerated Master’s option, students are required to meet the following criteria:
- Students must have completed (or be enrolled in) a minimum of 94 hours in the Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine program at the University of Southern Mississippi.
- Students must have a minimum TOEFL/IBT score of 79 for international applicants.
- Students must have earned a 3.5 or higher-grade point average (GPA – based on a 4.0 system) from all undergraduate coursework.
- Students must have completed the following courses with a grade of ‘B’ or better: HP 211, HP 219, and HP 350.
- Students must have completed the following courses with a grade of ‘C’ or better: Anatomy and Physiology (8 credit hours), Biology (3 credit hours), Chemistry (3 credit hours), Physics (3 credit hours), General Psychology (3 credit hours), Exercise Physiology (3 credit hours), Biomechanics (3 credit hours), and Nutrition (3 credit hours).
An application for the program will need to be submitted to the MSAT program coordinator by February 15th of the application year, which will include:
- Cover Letter and Resume/CV
- 3 writing prompts
- 3 letters of recommendation (professional and/or academic)
- Minimum of 100 hours of clinical observation under the supervision of a certified athletic trainer
- Note: This does not need to be completed at the time of application but will need to be verified prior to beginning MSAT coursework.
- Completion of the technical standards document
Following review of applications, select applicants may be contacted for an interview by the MSAT Program Admissions Committee. Interviews will be either in-person or via Zoom. The MSAT Program Admissions Committee will make a determination based on an applicant’s application and interview process. The interview process is led by the MSAT program and not the USM Graduate School.
Note: Declaring the 3+2 pathway does not guarantee acceptance into the MSAT program but it does ensure that you are meeting standards to be a high quality applicant.
Students who are not accepted to the program via the 3+2 pathway will be required to complete their BS-SM degree according to the Year 4 plan outlined in the degree plan. Students are eligible to reapply for admission to the MSAT program (standard pathway) after completion of their undergraduate degree.
Once accepted to the program, students are required to maintain the rigorous standards set forth by the USM Graduate School and the MSAT program. Students who are unable to maintain these standards will be dismissed from the MSAT program and required to complete the remainder of the BS-SM program as outlined in the degree plan. Students who maintain these standards after Year 1 will be formally admitted to the USM Graduate School as a full-time graduate student.
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