Application and Acceptance Requirements

Upon acceptance into the university, each student wishing to enter the Athletic Training Education Program must declare the Exercise Science - Athletic Training Option as their major field of study. Near the end of the student’s first semester of course work, they must submit an official application for acceptance into the Athletic Training Education Program. Requirements for consideration of an application and qualification for being granted an interview include: completion of observation experiences, a C or better in PE 310, Introduction to Human Physiologic Response to Exercise, a C or better in PE 265 Advanced First Aid and Critical Care (with certification), a C or better in PE 264 & Lab, a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better, and successful completion of the established application process. Each student will be required, as part of the application process, to complete an interview with the Athletic Training Education Program committee who will ultimately grant acceptance. Official application must be submitted by the last Friday before finals of the student’s first (fall) semester declared in the program. In the event a student does not declare athletic training in his/her first semester, then the student must submit an application during the spring term prior to scheduling an interview. Interviews will be scheduled during April of the spring semester for all students who qualify. Notification of full acceptance into the program will be provided once all qualified applications are reviewed. Each applicant will be notified by mail of their status. A student, once declaring athletic training as a major is required to submit an application upon the completion of their first semester and will also be required to gain full acceptance by the conclusion of the second semester after declaring athletic training as their major field of study. A student not achieving full acceptance by their second application having declared athletic training as a major will not be permitted in the program. Transfer or students wishing to change to the Athletic Training Education Program will have their candidacy individually evaluated.

Although each student will be required to complete an established criteria for application, completion of the criteria does not ensure acceptance into the Athletic Training Education Program. Only an established number of positions will be available each year for qualified applicants. The number of available positions is dictated by the number of clinical educators currently present in the program. The ratio of students to each clinical instructor (8:1) must be maintained so that the program can ensure a quality clinical education environment. Ranked cumulative GPA & successful completion of entrance requirements will contribute to the evaluation process that the program committee will use to consider granting acceptance to any applicant. The program committee may utilize all aspects of the student’s first year observation experiences, the results of the interview, the student’s ACT or SAT scores, TOEFL scores, GPA, grades in pre-requisite courses, and each of the components that make up the competency acquisition within pre-requisite courses to assist them in granting acceptance to any qualified applicant. Those students with the highest GPA and who qualify for acceptance as well as demonstrate excellence in each component of their observation / candidacy period will be given first consideration for acceptance.

Transfer or change of major students

A UNK student wishing to change their major field of study or a student wishing to transfer into the program utilizing previous academic or practical experience must provide the program committee with verification of like experiences to that of any student beginning their study as a declared athletic training student. Every such student wishing to apply for admission into the ATEP must present verification practical experience under a Certified Athletic Trainer, verification of successful completion of an equivalent Human Anatomy and Physiology course with an accompanying lab, proof of certification in American Red Cross or American Heart Association CPR for the Professional Rescuer, proof of certification in American Red Cross First Aid, successful completion of a course similar to PE 264 Foundations of Athletic Training and Lab, and a minimum of a 2.5 overall GPA.

Retention Requirements

A student will be required to maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA and a 3.0 GPA in the Exercise Science and Athletic Training Core in order to remain in the clinical program and to maintain full acceptance status. A student falling short of a cumulative 2.5 GPA and/or a 3.0 in the Exercise Science and Athletic Training Core after being fully accepted into the program, will be placed on probation and will not be permitted to continue to gather field experience hours, enroll in PE 174 practicum courses or officially complete clinical competencies until their GPA is returned to the minimum of 2.5 and/or 3.0 respectively. A student who is not reinstated after 2 semesters of probation will be removed from the program. No student will be permitted more than a total of 2 semesters of probation. Once the student is fully accepted into the program they will be required to achieve a minimum of a C in Exercise Science and Athletic Training Core courses. Upon receiving a grade below a C, the student will be required to repeat the course during the next semester it is offered and will not be permitted to enroll in any of the following sequence courses, enroll in PE 174 practicum courses or continue their clinical progression.

Requirements for Graduation

Each student must complete all of the ATEP required General Studies courses & meet the university requirement of 45 credits over each content area. Each student must complete the 37 credit hour Exercise Science Core and the 44 credit hour Athletic Training Program core of courses with a 3.0 average in the core. Each student must complete the 128 credit hour program with a 2.5 cumulative GPA. Each student must complete all clinical and Field Experience requirements designated for each clinical level.