A degree in athletic training can lead to an exciting career, working with athletes to heal and prevent sports injuries. If you want to become an athletic trainer, but you don't have the time or resources to attend classes in person, you can earn a degree online, from the comfort of your home. Several athletic trainer programs are available online, and you can choose the program that best suits your needs and career goals.
Program Overview
Athletic trainers work closely with physicians to treat and prevent sports injuries. Athletic trainer programs are usually taught by coaches, professors and physicians, with the goal of giving you intimate knowledge of the human body and how it works, so you can better understand and treat sports injuries. To become an athletic trainer, you will need to take courses in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, biomechanics, sports psychology, first aid, athletic injuries, CPR, sports nutrition and wellness.
Online Bachelor's Degrees
A bachelor's degree in athletic training can land you a job at many schools or colleges as an athletic trainer. To earn accreditation with the National Athletic Trainer's Association, you will need to choose an online program from an institution that is accredited with the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Many universities offer some online courses for athletic trainer degrees, but there are only a handful of institutions that offer undergraduate degrees in sports medicine fields that are completely online, including American Military University, California University of Pennsylvania Online and Penn Foster.
Online Master's Degrees
A master's degree can help you earn higher pay or ascend to more prestigious positions as an athletic trainer. Some institutions offer online masters degrees in athletic training, including Manchester College and Lenoir-Rhyne University, while others offer online master's degrees in related fields. For more general master's degree programs, Ohio University offers a program in athletic administration and the University of Central Missouri has an advanced degree in physical education and sports science.
Career Opportunities
Athletic trainers can work in a variety of settings, including high schools, colleges, sports medicine clinics, dance companies, the armed forces and with professional sports teams. Some high school athletic trainers also work as teachers at the school. It is also becoming increasingly popular for trainers to work in private companies, helping employees with injuries. Career prospects for athletic trainers are good, according to the Mayo Clinic, with a 10 percent growth rate per year.
References
- American Military University: Earn a Sports Degree Online
- National Athletic Trainers' Association: Get Certified
- Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education: Accredited Programs
- DegreeDirectory.org: What Is the Curriculum of an Online Athletic Training Degree Program?
- GradSchools.com: 14 Online Athletic Training Graduate Programs
- MayoClinic.com: Athletic Training Career Overview
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