Athletic Training Program continues accreditation

Charleston Southern University’s Athletic Training Program recently received notification that the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) has granted it continuing accreditation for the maximum 10 years.

Brian Smith, director of the athletic training program, said, “The CAATE continuing accreditation demonstrates that our program is compliant with all 109 standards and demonstrates to future students that our program is topnotch.”

The CSU program has moved from a bachelor’s degree to a Master of Athletic Training in response to national standards that will require by 2022 a student must earn a professional master’s degree in order to be eligible to take the Board of Certification national certifying exam for athletic training. Current standards allow students who have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree to take the BOC exam.

Smith said, “Incoming freshmen should major in kinesiology and then apply to the Master of Athletic Training Program their senior year.”

The National Athletic Trainers Association states that athletic trainers are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians and provide services comprising prevention, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions.

The CSU Athletic Training Program prepares students to become well-rounded, clinically sound, professionally certified athletic trainers in an educational setting promoting excellence in the field of athletic training within a Christian environment. The program has a rigorous didactic and clinical education program spanning 24 months with a strong emphasis in evidence-based clinical examination and diagnosis of injuries and illness sustained by physically active patients. In addition, the coursework and clinical experiences provide future athletic trainers with the knowledge, skills and abilities to function as an integral member of the health care team. 

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