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Professional Athletic Training Major and Program

Mission Statement

The purpose of Union's Professional Athletic Training program is to challenge its students to become highly effective health care professionals incorporating both professional and spiritual growth in their life plans. To that end, the mission of the AT Program is to prepare students to be competent and proficient athletic trainers by providing comprehensive education in the Foundation Behaviors of Professional Practice; the 8 competency content areas set forth by the 5th Edition of the Athletic Training Education Competencies; and the BOC Standards of Professional Practice. The Program faculty believes in providing students with enriching educational experiences which foster personal growth, communication skills, critical thinking skills and professional ethics.

Curriculum

Accreditation

The Professional Athletic Training Program of Union University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).

Admission Requirements

  • All applicants must apply, be accepted and admitted to Union University.
  • The following courses are pre-/corequisite courses for admission into the Professional Athletic Training Program: PEWS 113, PEWS 170, PEWS 222, PEWS 240. Preference will be given to students who completed or are “in progress” in all four courses at the time of application. These courses must be completed with a grade of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better to meet retention standards of the Professional Athletic Training Program. Retention standards can be viewed in the Athletic Training Handbook.
  • All applicants must present a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.
  • All applicants must submit to the Program Director a completed application for admission to the Professional Athletic Training Program by the deadline of April 1 for formal enrollment in the following fall semester. Applications that are received after this date will be considered based on the maximum enrollment space available in the Professional Athletic Training Program.
  • All applicants must submit a current transcript from all institutions that they have previously attended.
  • Criminal background check and drug screening clearance are required for placement within the West Tennessee Healthcare System, not admission to the program.
  • All applicants must meet with the Professional Athletic Training Program faculty for a formal interview.

Competitive Admissions Process

Union University’s Professional Athletic Training Program involves a selective process of competitive program admission. Prospective students may declare their major to be athletic training upon entrance to Union University, but each student must still be formally admitted to the Professional Athletic Training Program before entering into the clinical phases of the sequential curriculum. Candidates must meet all criteria for acceptance in the program. A student may complete all criteria for admission but that does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Prospective candidates must submit the formal application to the Program Director of athletic training education by April 1 of each year to be considered for fall enrollment. All applicants will be ranked in accordance with their performance in the following categories: (1) overall GPA, (2) success in prerequisite coursework, (3) applicant essay, (4) recommendation/references, and (5) a formal interview with the Professional Athletic Training Program Selection Committee. During the interview, each member of the Professional Athletic Training Program Selection Committee will complete a scoring scale. Candidates will be evaluated on intellectual, social and technical skills relative to the athletic training profession. All components of the application process are individually weighted and scored. Individual scores are incorporated into a cumulative score that determines the candidate's rank. Enrollment in the Professional Athletic Training Program is limited to a program capacity of forty (40). Final admission into the program rests with the decision of the Professional Athletic Training Program Selection Committee. All student candidates will receive the admission decision in writing by May 1. Student candidates who were denied admission into the Professional Athletic Training Program will have the opportunity to reapply for admission for future enrollment.

Program Requirements

  • All Professional Athletic Training Program students must complete a physical examination from a licensed medical practitioner and submit a complete health history and record of immunizations.
  • All Professional Athletic Training Program students must sign agreements in reference to the technical standards of the program, acknowledgment of the Union University Athletic Training Student Handbook, and the Hepatitis B Vaccination Election Form.
  • All Professional Athletic Training Program students will be required to maintain CPR certification (Professional Rescuer or equivalent) for the duration of the program and must be annually screened for tuberculosis.

Operational Fair Practices and Additional Fees

Some additional fees will apply upon entrance into Union University's Professional Athletic Training Program.

  • Each student will be billed a laboratory fee of $50.00 per semester for clinical course work (AT 265, 275, 365, 375, 465, 475).
  • Each athletic training student will be billed an additional fee of $25.00 per year for liability insurance.
  • Students enrolled in AT 170 will be billed $30.
  • Each athletic training student will be required to invest in professional attire in order to meet the standards of professional practice in clinical education.