Athletic Training, D.A.T.
Redefining Excellence in Patient Care
As the nation’s first Advanced Doctor of Athletic Training (DAT), this program is designed to improve your clinical practice through advanced manual therapy techniques and analysis of patient outcomes in an applied research focus. Gain valuable clinical experiences with opportunities to conduct original research. Coursework involves rotations of physical attendance and hybrid instruction. Students spend four weeks on campus each summer and will complete a clinical residency and a Culminating Clinical Practice.
Fast Facts
- First in the nation to offer an advanced academic doctoral degree in Athletic Training
- Perfect for practicing professionals employed full time in any setting: clinical, academic or traditional
- Residency sites are often designed within student's current practice setting
- Integrated curriculum of classroom and clinical coursework emphasizing advanced clinical practice
- The Athletic Training program accepts applications up to April 15 each year
As a post-professional academic degree with an applied clinical focus, the D.A.T. curriculum is designed to prepare working health care professionals to pursue areas of advanced clinical practice, education, applied research and leadership.
To best prepare practicing clinicians for these environments, the cohort-based curriculum is delivered within 24 months for a total of 66 credits, which includes creation of a Culminating Clinical Practice (CCP). Specifically, two summer sessions lasting four weeks each of on-campus coursework, with the remaining coursework delivered via an online learning platform allowing for synchronous and asynchronous learning through degree completion.
The coursework in the D.A.T. program has three primary focuses:
- Foundations, theory and integration of advanced and novel patient care
- Applied research in patient care
- Clinical residency, which prepares advanced clinicians and scholars for the evolving demands of integrative health care and education
Summer I (On campus)
- AT 606: Professional and Post-Professional Education in Athletic Training (3 credits)
- AT 610: Advances in Manual Therapy and Practice (3 credits)
- AT 620: Research Methods & Evidence Based Practice in Patient Care (3 credits)
Fall I (Hybrid)
- AT 621: Action Research in Patient Care (2 credits)
- AT 630: Holistic Foundations of Pain in Patient Care (2 credits)
- AT 634: Introductory Quantitative Data Analysis and Interpretation in Patient Care (2 credits)
- AT 640: Clinical Residency and Analysis of Patient Care (6 credits)
Spring I (Hybrid)
- AT 622: Designing and Conducting Applied Research in Patient Care (2 credits)
- AT 631: Theory and Application of Current and Novel Paradigms in Patient Care (2 credits)
- AT 635: Intermediate Quantitative Data Analysis and Interpretation in Patient Care (2 credits)
- AT 641: Clinical Residency and Analysis of Patient Care II (6 credits)
Summer II (On campus)
- AT 607: Leadership and Mentoring in Athletic Training Clinical Practice (3 credits)
- AT 611: Integrative Manual Therapy and Practice (3 credits)
- AT 623: Introduction to Survey and Qualitative Research Design in Patient Care (3 credits)
Fall II (Hybrid)
- AT 625: Scientific Writing for Publication in Patient Care (3 credits)
- AT 632: Integrative Patient Care for the Spine and Pelvic Girdle (3 credits)
- AT 642: Clinical Residency and Analysis of Patient Care III (6 credits)
Spring II (Hybrid)
- AT 624: Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis & Interpretation in Patient Care (3 credits)
- AT 633: Application of Advanced Practice Skills: A Practice-Based Evidence Approach (3 credits)
- AT 643: Clinical Residency and Analysis of Patient Care IV (6 credits)