Master of Athletic Training (M.A.T.) Degree Earns CAATE Accreditation

Through its Department of Health Science Professions (HSP), ASU offers a traditional M.A.T. degree for students who already have a bachelor’s degree – and a joint degree program that allows undergraduate students to earn both their Bachelor of Science in Health Science Professions (B.S.H.S.P.) degree and M.A.T. degree in five years.

Earning CAATE accreditation means that ASU graduates of the M.A.T. programs will be eligible to sit for the Board of Certification (BOC) examination to become Certified Athletic Trainers.

Dr. Kristi White “We are very excited to achieve CAATE accreditation,” said Dr. Kristi White, HSP Department chair. “I cannot thank the ASU administration enough for believing in our program and supporting the need to produce high-quality certified athletic trainers in the state of Texas. I also need to send out a huge thank you to Shannon Sports Medicine, ASU Athletics, San Angelo ISD, Shannon Healthcare, and especially to my hardworking faculty, staff, and M.A.T. students. This huge accomplishment would not have been possible without their efforts and belief in our program.”

ASU launched its M.A.T. program in 2020 and graduated the first five students with their M.A.T. degrees earlier this month. With ASU earning CAATE accreditation, those five students are now eligible to take the BOC examination as early as this summer.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for Certified Athletic Trainers are expected to increase by nearly 25% through 2030. Nine ASU students just completed their first year in the M.A.T. program, and eight new students will begin the program in June.

The initial CAATE accreditation process takes over a year to complete and includes a self-study by the university, followed by a peer review to validate the self-study and evaluate the program’s compliance with the 2020 CAATE Standards for Accreditation of Professional Athletic Training Programs. There are currently 94 Standards that must be met in four categories:

• Program Design and Quality
• Program Delivery
• Institutional Organization and Administration
• Curricular Content

The Peer Review Report is then evaluated by a Review Committee, which gives a recommendation to the CAATE Commission that makes a final decision on accreditation.

ASU earned the maximum initial accreditation period of five years. Subsequent re-accreditations will last for up to 10 years. The review for ASU’s first re-accreditation will take place during the 2026-27 academic year.