The Best Schools Offering Graduate Degree Programs in Athletic Training
Higher Education Articles May 9, 2017Overview of Schools offering Graduate Programs in Athletic Training
In this article, we take a look at two schools renowned for their graduate degree programs in athletic training and/or kinesiology that are among the best in the United States. Both universities offer master’s as well as doctoral degrees in a field directly related to athletic training.
Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA
The American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education accorded Penn State’s doctoral kinesiology program offered by the university’s College of Health and Human Development top rank on its 2005 list of top Athletic Training programs. Students enrolled in a kinesiology program at Penn State are allowed to focus on athletic training and sports medicine. There is a heavy research basis to the concentration and students are allowed access to extensive research and lab equipment, apart from clinical populations. Varying by the program of study, either a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Master of Science (M.S.) in Kinesiology is awarded, with a concentration in sports medicine and athletic training.
University of Illinois in Champaign, IL
The U.S. News & World Report accorded the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign (UI) the 39th position on its 2010 list of top national schools.
Graduate programs in kinesiology, which can lead to a Master of Science (M.S.) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), are available through the Department of Kinesiology & Community Health. This department is a division of the College of Applied Health Sciences at UI. The school offers four areas of specialization, including athletic training and exercise physiology. Program coursework covers movement efficiency, work output, and energy transfer to prepare them for jobs involving the prevention and treatment of injury in physically-active individuals, including athletes.
List of Schools offering Athletic Training Programs
| School Name | Total Student Enrollment | Location |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 43,651 | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| University of Florida | 50,645 | Gainesville, Florida |
| Boston University | 32,158 | Boston, Massachusetts |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 45,842 | Champaign, Illinois |
| University of Georgia | 36,130 | Athens, Georgia |
| University of Connecticut | 27,043 | Storrs, Connecticut |
| George Washington University | 26,212 | Washington, District of Columbia |
| The University of Texas at Austin | 50,950 | Austin, Texas |
| Ohio State University – Main Campus | 58,663 | Columbus, Ohio |
| University of Miami | 16,825 | Coral Gables, Florida |
