ApplicationAthletic Training
How to apply to the Master of Athletic Training (MAT) Program
There are two routes for application and entrance.
Option 1: Post-Baccalaureate EntranceOption 2: Accelerated 3+2 BA in Exercise Physiology/MAT for Gustavus Students
Procedures for Admissions
Application Form
The MAT participates in the Athletic Training Centralized Application Service, known as ATCAS. All students must complete the online application.
ATCAS charges an application fee. For all applicants, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education offers a fee wavier assistance program. For current Gustavus students, please contact Mary Westby for information about an internal candidate discount.
Timeline
Applications open September 1st and close April 1st. The admission decisions will be made on a rolling basis until the cohort is full or April 1st. All students will be notified of admission to the MAT no later than April 30th. Students will have until May 15th to deposit to Gustavus and June 1st to officially enroll.
It is recommended that all prospective students complete a FAFSA for eligiblity for federal grants and loans. Completing the FAFSA by April 1st is recommended, but the earlier in your application process, the better. For more information please visit the Financial Aid Office.
Below are some specific deadlines of which applicants should be aware that may modify the above timeline
For 3+2 Gustavus Applicants
For those interested in opting out of housing for their 4th year at Gustavus (first year in the MAT), applications must be received by December15th with a rolling admission decision prior to January 15th. Students must deposit prior to February 1st and complete the off campus application by the deadline put forth by Residential Life. Failure to be deposited or complete the form by the deadline will result in a student no longer being eligible for the 3+2 housing exception. For more information on on-campus housing options please contact Residential Life
For Post-Baccalaureate Applicants
For those interested in on-campus housing, completed applications must be received by January 15th with rolling admission decisions prior to February 15th and applicants must deposit prior to March 1st to be part of the housing assignment process. Applicants who apply and/or deposit after these deadlines can still contact Residential Life for options, but there is no guarantee of availability. For more information on on-campus housing options please contact Residential Life
For all Current Gustavus Students and Gustavus Alumni (3+2 or Post-Baccalaureate)
The Master of Athletic Training program is committed to serving the undergraduate students and alumni of Gustavus Adolphus College. To honor that commitment, up to 50% of seats (up to 10) per cohort are prioritized for current Gustavus students or alumni of the college who successfully meet the admission criteria. If there are not 10 successful applicants from the college, those seats will be opened up to the general public. To potentially access these prioritized placements, current Gustavus students and/or alumni need to apply by December 15th with rolling admission decisions prior to January 15th. Students must deposit prior to February 1st. After this time, all unclaimed seats will be opened up for the general population of applicants, which can include Gustavus students, alumni, and outside candidates.
Review of Applications
The initial review of requirements is done by a member of the Gustavus Admissions team. A review team consisting of the MAT Program Director, Clinical Education Coordinator and Research Coordinator, then review the application for appropriateness for admission to the Gustavus MAT. Additional faculty and/or clinical preceptors may be part of the review team as needed. The review team utilizes the following criteria for admission:
| Does the student have the academic record to prepare them for the workload of the MAT? |
Overall GPA
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2.5-3.0
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3.01-3.5
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3.51-3.75
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3.751-4.0
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Pre-requisite GPA
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2.5-3.0
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3.01-3.5
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3.51-3.75
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3.51-3.75
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Quality of Reference to Academic Preparation or Future Academic Goals
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Some articulation by the reference only of academic current/future academic goals. No connection noted to past, current, or future academic work.
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Some articulation by the applicant OR reference of academic current/future academic goals. Minimal to no connection noted to past, current, or future academic work.
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Clear articulation by the applicant OR reference of academic current/future academic goals. Minimal connection noted to past, current, or future academic work.
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Clear articulation by the student of academic current/future academic goals tied to previous, current, or future academic work.
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Applicant and/or reference does not make any reference to academic success and/or growth experiences. Some academic success and/or growth experiences are evident in the supporting documents, but not otherwise addressed by the applicant in materials.
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Applicant and/or reference provides some description of some academic success and/or growth experiences. Applicant or reference provides minimal connection to future success in the MAT. Additional academic success and/or growth experiences are evident in the supporting documents, but not otherwise addressed by the applicant in materials.
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Applicant provides thorough description of some academic success and/or growth experiences OR Reference provides through description of some academic susccess and/or growth experiences. Applicant or reference provides minimal connection to future success in the MAT.
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Applicant AND reference thoroughly describes multiple academic success and/or growth experiences. Applicant and/or Reference make clear connections between the academic success and/or growth experiences and the applicants future success in the MAT.
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Research experience limited to coursework on research methods and/or statistics only.
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Research experience within or outside the field of interest with some basic experience beyond coursework on research methods/statistics (i.e. developed a research project but did not complete the project as part of a class, some participation in a faculty's member research)
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Research experience within the field of interest with some basic experience beyond coursework on research methods/statistics (i.e. developed and completed a research project, significant participation in a faculty member's research)
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Research experience in the field of interest with meaningful and extensive contributations and/or research skills evidenced by honors thesis, publications, presentations, or other scholarly products
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| Does the student have the written communication skills to prepare them for the writing expectations of the MAT? |
Sentence Structure
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Incomplete or run-on sentences
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Sentence structure needs editing
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Sentences varied, some awkward
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Excellent sentence structure, varied composition and length
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Errors
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Errors make the work incomprehensible
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Errors result in some issues with understanding
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No major errors that affect understanding
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Error free, reflecting thorough proofreading
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Language Choices
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Uses language that sometimes impedes meaning because of errors
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Uses language that generally conveys meaning to readers with clarity
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Uses straightforward language that generally conveys meaning to readers
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Uses graceful language that skillfully communicates meaning to readers with clarity and fluency
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Use of Sources
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Demonstrates an attempt to use sources to support ideas in the writing.
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Demonstrates an attempt to use credible and/or relevant sources to support ideas that are appropriate for the discipline and genre of the writing.
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Demonstrates consistent use of credible, relevant sources to support ideas that are situated within the discipline and genre of the writing.
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Demonstrates skillful use of highquality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas that are appropriate for the discipline and genre of the writing
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Context and Audience
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Demonstrates minimal attention to context, audience, purpose, and to the assigned tasks(s) (e.g., expectation of instructor or self as audience).
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Demonstrates awareness of context, audience, purpose, and to the assigned tasks(s) (e.g., begins to show awareness of audience's perceptions and assumptions).
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Demonstrates adequate consideration of context, audience, and purpose and a clear focus on the assigned task(s) (e.g., the task aligns with audience, purpose, and context).
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Demonstrates a thorough understanding of context, audience, and purpose that is responsive to the assigned task(s) and focuses all elements of the work.
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| Does the student have the persistence and motivation needed to succeed in the MAT? |
Seeking out oupportunities for learning/growth
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No evidence of persistence in achieving long-term goals or motivation for the field of study | Some evidence of persistence and motivation but not explicitly stated | Evidence of persistence and motivation provided with no accompanying info about relevance for the field of study | Evidence of persistence and motivation including initiative in seeking out opportunities and/or explanation of how the evidence is relevant to the field of study |
| Is the student able to contribute a unique perspective or background to the MAT community and patient populations? | Ability to share unique perspectives | No evidence of ability to share unique perspectives to enhance learning or contribute to the program needs/goals. | Some evidence of ability to share unique perspectives but not explicitly stated by applicant or reference | Applicant OR reference provides evidence of ability to share unique perspectives with no accompanying info about the relevance for the field of study. Additional evidence of the ability to share unique perspectives are possibly evident in the supporting documents. | Applicant AND/OR reference provides evidence of ability to share unique perspectives and an explanation of how the evidence is relevant to the field of study. Additional evidence of the ability to share unique perspectives are possibly evident in the supporting documents. |
Admission Decisions
Admission decisions are communicated to applicants via the Gustavus Adolphus College admission portal. Admission decisions can include acceptance, contingent acceptance, waitlist, or denial. Contingent acceptance will be accompanied by specific program requirements that must be attained prior to full acceptance by May 1. Waitlist decision will be made by June 1. All accepted applicants must deposit by May 31st. Waitlisted students not informed until June 1 may have until June 15 to deposit.
Transfer students
The graduate degree in athletic training is a two-year, full-time, cohort model program. The program is required to meet specific standards, including curricular standards, that are taught in assigned courses within the degree.
Due to both the sequential nature of the curriculum and the difficulty in determining if all curricular standards have been met in transferred courses, students will not be allowed to transfer credits into the MAT.
If a student wants to transfer into the Accelerated 3+2 BA in Exercise Physiology/MAT plan at the undergraduate level, they will be subject to the transfer policies and processes of Gustavus Adolphus College. Transfers into the Accelerated 3+2 plan will only be accepted prior to the fall of sophomore year at Gustavus. In addition, the feasibility of successful completion of the accelerated plan should be reviewed with the MAT program director in conjunction with the Exercise Physiology advisor prior to admission to the Exercise Physiology major. Transfer students for which the Accelerated 3+2 BA in Exercise Physiology/MAT degree is not feasible are encouraged to apply to the MAT for Post-Baccalaureate entrance (Option 1).
Additional Requirements Prior to Beginning Clinical Education Experiences:
Upon enrollment and prior to beginning the clinical education component of the MAT, students will need to submit or complete the following items:
- A satisfactory background check
- Verification of immunizations (must include Hepatitis B, annual flu vaccine, COVID-19 sequence and any annual boosters that are currently or might be recommended/required in the future)
- Tuberculosis Screening Test
Failure to successfully complete these items may result in removal from the MAT due to inability to complete clinical educational experience.
Students will be required to update this information with the MAT throughout enrollment, at a minimum of annually.
Recommended courses:
The following courses are not required for admission but are recommended as they compliment the MAT content.
- Public Health courses
- Psychology courses
- Economics courses
- Ethics courses
- Sociology courses
- Motor learning or develop courses
- Medical terminology courses
- Prevention and care of injury courses
Retention
In order to remain in good standing with the MAT, students must complete the following:
- Receive a C or higher in all required courses and maintain a 2.5 GPA
- Pass all competencies and proficiencies at an “Acceptable” and/or “Proficient” level
- Commit no MAT student policy and procedure manual violations
- Stay in good standing with the College and its policies
- Maintain Emergency Cardiac Care Certification
Failure to maintain good standing with the program can result in probation status, temporary removal, or permanent removal from the MAT. Decisions will be made through the disciplinary process detailed in the MAT student policy and procedure manual.