MAT Admission

Students who want to apply for the Master of Athletic Training Program must submit an application through the Centralized Application Service for Athletic Training (ATCAS) at the link below.

Apply Here

Looking for undergraduate admission and Pre-Athletic Training? Visit our Pre-AT admission page. 

MASTERS-DEGREE-LEVEL ATHLETIC TRAINING PROGRAM

The Drake University Master of Athletic Training program is accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), located at 2001 K Street NW, 3rd Floor North Washington, DC 20006; (512) 733-9700; website https://caate.net/. A required comprehensive accreditation review will be conducted during the 2025-2026 academic year.

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Students who are currently enrolled in pre-athletic training at Drake should refer to the Drake MAT Connection requirements for more information.

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Admission to the Drake University Master of Athletic Training (MAT) program is based on academic and personal qualifications that are necessary for successful, competent practice as an athletic trainer. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of the fit between their personal goals and the mission and goals of the MAT program.  Prior education, work experience, honors, awards, service to others and leadership activities are also considered in the admission process.

No GRE required!

Students can apply to our MAT program by meeting the following requirements.  Please note that these are the requirements applicants must meet in order for their applications to be considered complete.  Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission to the MAT program.  

• Submit an application through the Centralized Application Service for Athletic Training (ATCAS).
• Complete the required Drake-specific questions within the ATCAS application.
• Complete at least 3 years of undergraduate coursework (92 credit hours)
• No minimum GPA is required, although a 3.0 prerequisite GPA (as calculated in ATCAS) is considered competitive.
• 50 hours of observation or shadowing in an athletic training setting is recommended, but not required.  All applicants will be asked to demonstrate their understanding of athletic training settings during the interview process.
• Complete (or be in the process of completing) the prerequisite coursework outlined in the table below.  All required courses must be completed by the end of the summer term prior to entering the MAT program.

Subject	Credit Hours	Drake Courses
Anatomy and Physiology A complete year course sequence in anatomy (one semester) and physiology (one semester) is required.  Students may take a combined anatomy/physiology sequence, but they must take both semesters in order to fulfill the requirement.  Labs are required.	8 credit hours (including labs)	HSCI 125/L and 141/L (PHAR 125 may replace HSCI 125); or BIO 018/L and 129
Exercise Physiology A one-semester course in exercise physiology is required.  A lab is not required.	3 credit hours	BIO 134 or HSCI 107
Biological Sciences A one-semester course in the biological sciences is required.  Courses may include ecology, evolution, cell biology, heredity, biological diversity or the structure of plants and animals.  A lab is required.	4 credit hours (including lab)	BIO 012/L or BIO 013/L
General (Inorganic) Chemistry A one-semester course in general (inorganic) chemistry is required.  The course must fulfill the prerequisite requirements for advanced chemistry courses.  A lab is required.	4 credit hours (including lab)	CHEM 001 and 003, or 002 and 004
General Psychology A one-semester introductory course in psychology is required.  This course must fulfill the prerequisite requirements for advanced psychology courses.  A lab is not required.  Developmental psychology or sports psychology may also be substituted.	3 credit hours	PSY 001 (4 credit hours)
Physics/Biomechanics A one-semester course in general physics or biomechanics is required.  This may be a course designed for physics, life science or health science majors.  A lab is not required.	3 credit hours	PHY 011
Nutrition A one-semester course in nutrition is required.  A course intended for health care majors is recommended.  A lab is not required.	2 credit hours	BIO 032 or PHAR 126
Statistics A one-semester course in general statistics is required.  Business statistics, psychology statistics or biological science statistics courses are accepted.	3 credit hours	STAT 060, 071 or HSCI 060
Medical Terminology A one-semester course in medical terminology is required.	1 credit hour	HSCI 095
*Please note: English Composition and Public Speaking have recently been removed as prerequisite requirements for our MAT program.  The Prerequisites section of the ATCAS application was finalized prior to this change and we are no longer able to make changes to this section.  However, we no longer have a credit-hour requirement for English Composition and Public Speaking.

Students must earn a grade of C or higher in order to receive transfer credit and fulfill prerequisite courses.  Please see Drake University's Transfer Credit Information page or contact the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at (515) 271-3018 for more information.  Students who wish to fulfill prerequisites using Advanced Placement (AP) scores must earn a 4 or higher on the AP exam.  Please contact the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences for more information. 

Drake University's Master of Athletic Training (MAT) program operates on a rolling admission process.  We will interview and admit students until the A1 class is full and a sufficient number of applicants have been identified for the wait list.  We recommend submitting application materials early in order to ensure your application is processed and considered in a timely manner.  Students with strong applications and academic credentials will be invited to complete the second phase of the admission process, which includes a required virtual or on-campus interview.

Upon admission to the Drake University MAT program, students must (requirements subject to change):

• Submit a signed technical standards form                     
• Provide proof of CPR certification
• Pass a criminal background check                                                                       
• Submit a copy of immunization record
• Pass a drug screening                                               
• Submit a copy of health insurance

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Tuition and Fees

Official tuition and fees are set on an annual basis by the Drake University Office of Finance and Administration, approved by the Board of Trustees and administered through the Office of Student Accounts.  Information regarding tuition and fees for the current academic year in the Master of Athletic Training (MAT) program can be found on the Office of Student Financial Planning website.  Here, you will also find the activity and technology fees and additional resources and opportunities for financial assistance.

Tuition for the Drake MAT program is calculated on a per-semester basis for students taking up to 18 credit hours per semester.  This provides a high value for students' tuition costs. 

Students in the Drake 3+2 MAT track should consult the Student Financial Planning Office for tuition charges during the overlapping year.

Interested in financial assistance?  Visit our Office of Student Financial Planning website. 

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Enrollment Requirements

Upon admission to Drake University's Master of Athletic Training program, students must

• Submit acknowledgment that they have read and understand the program's Technical Standards
• Provide proof of CPR certification
• Pass a criminal background check
• Provide an official health certification
• Submit a copy of immunization record
• Pass a drug screening
• Submit a copy of health insurance
• Complete HIPAA, FERPA, bloodborne pathogen and mandatory reporter training

Admitted students will receive more information about these requirements during the enrollment process, and can be found in our Master of Athletic Training Student Handbook or our Master of Athletic Training Experiential Handbook.