Admission Information for Prospective and Transfer Students
We appreciate your interest in the Kansas State University Athletic Training Education Program. Below is information that transfer students and others seeking admission to the program will find helpful.
Athletic training is recognized as an allied health profession. The Athletic Training Education Program places major emphasis on the development of cognitive knowledge in addition to psychomotor skills. This includes practicum, laboratory, and classroom experiences. The program prepares students for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Certification examination. The athletic training major is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs.
Students initially are admitted to the Athletic Training major based on Kansas State University admission guidelines. The first year in the program is a guided observation phase, during which students are assigned to a rotation among the various sports and athletic training rooms at K-State. In the spring semester, students apply for admission to the six-semester practicum phase of the program. The practicum phase provides clinical and field experiences for students to apply related skills in the context of direct patient care at clinical affiliate sites, which include area high schools, clinics and collegiate settings.
Advancement into the practicum phase is selective and competitive. No more than 20 students are selected to advance due to the limited number of approved clinical instructors in the practicum placements. Those not selected are encouraged to pursue other majors. The following criteria, listed in order of importance, are used to select students for advancement. All transfer athletic training students will be evaluated using this same criteria.
- Major GPA: The GPA which combines grades from the following classes will be considered the most important criteria for admission: Chemistry, Basic Nutrition, Principles of Biology, and Introduction to Athletic Training.
- Recommendations: The three recommendations submitted with the application packet. They will be evaluated for the qualities listed on the form provided by the .
- Overall GPA: The overall GPA from all collegiate coursework will be considered. The minimum is a 2.75 but the average athletic training student has at least a 3.0.
- Observation Hours: This is a basic requirement to begin the program. These are done in conjunction with the Introduction to Athletic Training class. The quality of experiences is more important than the quantity of hours. For transfer students, this requirement may be waived if adequate competency is shown with athletic training room hours under a certified athletic trainer. Contact the .
- Statement of Interest: The statement is submitted as part of the application materials. The letter that indicates a strong interest and understanding of the athletic training profession would be considered most advantageous to admission.
- Prior Athletic Training Experience: Experiences under a certified athletic trainer prior to entering the athletic training education program would be considered in the admission process. This does not include the observation hours.
Students entering the Athletic Training Education Program tend to have greater success if they have had high school courses in science, math, and analytical reasoning. You are not disqualified if you do not have this background, but it may be more difficult for you to succeed in the program.
Athletic Training students are required to engage in approximately 15-20 hours per week during their first and second practicum experiences and 20-25 hours per week of for the remaining practicum experiences. Those working with football will have different requirements.
During the course of Introduction to Athletic Training, additional policies will be discussed regarding the athletic training education program. For more information, please contact:
Shawna Jordan, MS, ATC, LAT
Athletic Training Education Program Director
Kansas State University
Department of Human Nutrition
241 Justin Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506