Master of Athletic Training
UNI's athletic training degree program has a strong legacy of student success. The first accredited program in Iowa to offer the Master of Athletic Training (MATR) leading toward professional certification, this program prepares you to excel in a career where you can make significant contributions as a health care professional. This degree offers:
- Highly effective hands-on learning environments: Four athletic training clinics, hydrotherapy room, research laboratory, UNI’s only cadaver lab and specially equipped classrooms
- Clinical experiences with athletic trainers and licensed health care professionals on and off campus
- A student-to-faculty ratio and close instructional relationships with faculty and staff that enhance your learning experience.
You can enter this nationally accredited program with an approved bachelor's degree, or complete UNI’s new 3+2 blended program which leads to both your BA and MATR in five years.
Placement Rate
Graduates going on to secure positions in the past three years
Job Growth
Job potential well above other occupations over the next decade
Accredited Master’s Program
Ongoing recognition of quality program with successful outcomes
A program with impact
“There are so many opportunities available at UNI. I’ve worked with people at the collegiate level, high school level, been in an orthopedic office. I have learned way more than I ever thought I would in two years. With this athletic training program, I know that I’m going to have a career out of it. Seeing an athlete go from getting injured to going back to play is so inspiring. Sometimes it takes weeks, sometimes it takes months, but you are there every single step of the way. It feels good.”
Experiences of a lifetime
“I think going into a graduate program is a great choice. Every class that I have taken has been intriguing and enjoyable because they all include content about something I love. If you choose to join UNI's MATR program, get to know every staff member they are some of the best people I know and every conversation with them is enjoyable.”
Courses and Careers
Courses
Your coursework includes a rigorous set of classes as well as clinical experiences which are a required part of the curriculum. A sampling of courses:
- Advanced Acute Care in Athletic Training
- Orthopedic Injury Assessment
- Pathoetiology of Musculoskeletal Injury
- Therapeutic Interventions
- General Medical Conditions
- Preventative Health Techniques
- Administration and Professional Development
- Advanced Rehabilitation
- Mental Health Care in Athletic Training Practice
- Gross Anatomy
Careers
With the master’s in athletic training, you are prepared to take the national exam for certification for a career in demand. With a better than average job growth expected, you will fill needs as a certified athletic trainer in positions in various settings, including:
- School districts, colleges and universities
- Professional teams (NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.)
- Fitness and wellness organizations, small and large
- Medical groups, clinics, occupational health, hospitals and health systems
- Military
- Public safety
- Performing arts
- Independent practice
New pathway to MATR
Considering your options to achieve your MATR? A new intensive, blended option provides a 3+2 alternative. As of fall 2022, this program includes three years of undergraduate studies and two years in the master's program at UNI. Upon completion, you earn both your BA and MATR. Connect with athletic-training@uni.edu for more details.
Nationally accredited
UNI's master of athletic training program is accredited by the CAATE and will have its next comprehensive review during the 2025-2026 academic year. CAATE is located at 6850 Austin Center Blvd., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731-3184.
Interested? Request Information.
Contact us directly at:
UNI Athletic Training Program
203 WRC
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0607
Email: athletic-training@uni.edu