Approach
You are a unique individual ... and we believe your education should reflect that. So we'll tailor our program to fit your needs and interests. Do you want to work with athletes in a high-school setting? Would you like to work closely with physicians? We'll arrange internships and clinical experiences to give you extensive targeted, hands-on training even before you graduate.
Accreditation
Capital's undergraduate athletic training program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) an honor we've earned every year since 1990. Capital is one of the few colleges or universities in Central Ohio with CAATE accreditation and one of only 25 such programs in the state.
Faculty
Each of our five full-time faculty members plays four complementary roles: classroom teacher, clinical instructor, adviser and athletic trainer for Crusader athletic teams. This gives our faculty a deep and thorough understanding of where you are academically. They can offer support where you need it most and challenge you in ways that will expand your professional horizons.
Class Size
As an athletic training major, you'll get lots of individual attention. Classes are small. What's more, the teacher/student ratio for classroom courses is one professor to every six or seven students. In clinical setting, it's frequently one-to-one.
Facilities
Capital's 1,800-square-foot training facility is among the finest at the NCAA Division III level. Our athletic training room is located right next to a laboratory classroom and a rehabilitation room. Our modern treatment, rehabilitation and conditioning equipment will prepare you to work with clients in off-campus clinical and internship environments.
Prerequisites for the Program
So you've decided you want to be an athletic training major. What happens next?
Athletic training is a competitive, pre-professional program. While you can declare your major as soon as you're accepted to Capital, you must also formally apply and be admitted to the program. At the time you apply (in the second semester of your freshman year), you must:
- Have successfully completed 24 semester hours of undergraduate courses*
- Possess a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher
- Undergo formal interviews with department staff and a panel of current students
- Provide two letters of recommendation from job supervisors, high-school teachers, athletic trainers, etc.
- Complete a series of journal-documented, directed observations before the application deadline (at least 10 practice and three game observations)
- Have a physician verify your fitness to complete the program**
Once you've been accepted to Capital's athletic training program, you must:
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75
- Pass each athletic training course with a minimum grade of C
- Pass each clinical experience with a minimum grade of B
There are a number of programs at Capital whose students incur additional fees. As an athletic training major, you’ll have to pay for:
- Athletic training attire
- Personal medical equipment
- Liability insurance
- Transportation to clinical sites
- Membership in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association
The exact amount of these fees will vary from year to year.
Clinical Experiences and Internships
Classroom instruction is important ... but athletic training is all about hands-on experience.
As an athletic training major at Capital, you will coordinate the prevention, recognition, treatment and rehabilitation of athletes' injuries under the direction of a team physician and the supervisor of certified athletic trainers.
Athletic trainers have a wide variety of career options. And we want you to explore the areas that interest you most. Our metropolitan Columbus location gives you access to an amazing variety of real-world clinical experiences, including:
- Completing rotations in your choice of 18 intercollegiate sports teams
- Observing surgeries at sports medicine clinics
- Assist in teaching prevention and conditioning at urban, suburban and rural high schools
- Assisting in physicians' offices and rehabilitation centers
- Educating and training the members of corporate fitness centers
Want to make your resume stand out in the crowd? Go beyond your clinical requirements and do an internship. No matter what kind of real-world experience you crave, your adviser can make it happen ... even if it's never been done before. You can even arrange an internship abroad.
Athletic training students have completed internships with:
- Toledo Mud Hens
- Columbus Crew
- Children's Hospital of Cincinnati
- Columbus Destroyers
With all the options we give you for hands-on learning, expanding your horizons has never been more rewarding.
After Graduation
When you graduate with a Capital degree, you're automatically eligible to take the Board of Certification Examination. You'll need to pass this exam to find work as an athletic trainer. But chances are, you'll be prepared. Over the last few years, the pass rate for Capital students is an impressive 97 percent.
* BIO 100 or 151, CHEM 101 or 130, HSPTS 160 First Aid and CPR, and HSPTS 260 Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries.
** The technical standards set forth by the Athletic Training Educational Program establish the essential qualities considered necessary for students admitted to this program to achieve the knowledge, skills and competencies of an entry-level athletic trainer, as well as meet the expectations of the program's accrediting agency, Commission on Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Students must read the Technical Standards policy in the Student Athletic Training Manual and verify that they meet the technical standards with or without reasonable accommodations.