Athletic Training Option

Print Version

This option is offered within the following major(s):

Exercise and Sport Science - College of Health and Human Sciences

Students completing the Athletic Training option are eligible to sit the National Athletic Trainer's Association Board of Certification (NATABOC) examination. With NATABOC certification, the graduate is qualified for employment as a certified athletic trainer (ATC) in a variety of work settings. These venues include sports medicine clinics, hospitals, high schools, colleges and universities, professional sports teams, and corporate/industrial settings.  

The Athletic Training option is a rigorous academic and clinical program designed to prepare graduates to enter a variety of employment settings and to render medical care to a wide spectrum of individuals engaged in physical activity. The program of study involves specialized academic course work and three years of supervised clinical experience. The technical standards set forth by the OSU Athletic Training option establish the essential qualities considered necessary for students admitted to this program to achieve the knowledge, skills, and competencies of an entry-level certified athletic trainer, as well as meet the expectations of the program's accrediting agency.

The Athletic Training option employs a competitive admission process, in that all students interested in applying for the Athletic Training option must complete prerequisite courses and a directed clinical observation experience prior to gaining formal admission. Typically, the admission process occurs at the end of a student's freshman year. A competitive admission process is used because there are historically more applicants than can be accommodated in the clinical settings. Consult with the athletic training education program director or a College of Health and Human Sciences advisor for program guidelines and application instructions.