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After the fall 2022 term, baccalaureate degree programs are no longer enrolling students. Students interested in becoming an Athletic Trainer will need to enter into a graduate program. The decision to move from a baccalaureate degree program to a master’s degree program to enter the profession was endorsed by the Athletic Training Strategic Alliance in 2015. You can read the joint statement on the degree change here.

Program Types

The CAATE accredits four different types of educational programs in athletic training.

Professional Programs lead to eligibility to sit for the Board of Certification examination and to enter the profession of athletic training. Professional Programs are available at both the baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate degree levels.

Post-Professional Degree Programs lead to a degree (masters or doctorate) for learners that are already credentialed as athletic trainers and expand the depth and breadth of the applied, experiential, and propositional knowledge and skills of athletic trainers through didactic, clinical, and research experiences. These programs DO NOT qualify the learner to sit for the BOC exam.

Residency Programs: Post professional AT residency programs are formal educational programs that offer structured curricula and mentorship, including didactic and clinical components, to educate athletic trainers in a specialty area. They are designed to build upon and expand the athletic trainer’s knowledge and experience acquired during profession education.

Fellowship Programs: Post professional AT fellowship programs are formal education and training programs that offer structured mentorship, including didactic and clinical components, to educate athletic trainers in a sub-specialty area. Fellowships require formal sub-specialty training beyond successful completion of a residency program or similar experience routes.

The database may be searched by program type (professional, post professional degree, post professional residency), degree level, or state.

Program Status

The CAATE accreditation status is not time limited but remains in place until a subsequent accreditation action is taken to alter a program’s current accreditation status. The CAATE confers the following statuses of public recognition related to accreditation:

Seeking Initial Accreditation:

Is awarded to programs after the CAATE takes action to approve the initial application. Learners who graduate from a Professional Program Seeking Initial Accreditation WILL NOT be eligible to sit for the credentialing examination for athletic trainers. Learners who graduate from a Residency Program Seeking Initial Accreditation WILL NOT be eligible to sit for the credentialing examination for specialized education and focused experience under the Board of Certification Path 1 Requirement.

Initial Accreditation:

Is awarded to a program after the CAATE takes action to grant initial accreditation. This status is only awarded the first time a program receives accreditation through the CAATE. The maximum length of initial accreditation is five (5) years.

Continuing Accreditation:

Is awarded to a program after the CAATE takes action to grant continuing accreditation and refers to accreditation status awarded to programs currently accredited by the CAATE. The maximum length of continuing accreditation for professional programs is ten (10) years. The maximum length of continuing accreditation for Post-Professional Degree Programs and Residency and Fellowship programs is seven (7) years.

Continuing Accreditation - Probation:

Is awarded to a program after the CAATE takes probationary action and refers to currently accredited programs that fail to maintain compliance with the Standards.

Continuing Accreditation - Administrative Probation:

Is awarded to a program after the CAATE takes action to place programs on Administrative Probation and refers to currently accredited programs that fail to follow administrative requirements of an accredited program.

Initial Accreditation Withheld:

Is awarded to a program after the CAATE takes action to withhold initial accreditation and refers to a program in the initial accreditation period that failed to meet the necessary Standards to become accredited.

Accreditation Voluntarily Withdrawn:

Is awarded to a program after the CAATE takes action granting the voluntary withdrawal of accreditation and refers to an accredited program that has requested the voluntary withdrawal of the CAATE accreditation.

Accreditation Withdrawn:

Is awarded to a program after the CAATE takes action to withdraw accreditation and refers to a previously accredited program that has had its accreditation withdrawn for failure to meet the Standards or administrative requirements.

Continuing Accreditation - Inactive:

Is awarded to a program after the CAATE takes action to grant a program’s request to become inactive and refers to an accredited program that is temporarily inactive by virtue of not having any currently enrolled learners.

Accreditation History

When a program is selected, the user can click on the "more" link to get more information about the program. Included in the pop-up table is Accreditation History. The most recent Accreditation Action items are listed first and subsequent actions are in reverse chronological order.

Continuing Accreditation Granted- If a program is compliant with all CAATE Standards following a self-study and site visit, the program may be awarded up to 10 years of continuing accreditation.

Continuing Accreditation Granted- Progress Report Due- The program is substantially compliant with the CAATE Standards, but is non-compliant with at least one Standard. The reason for non-compliance will be stated with a date for the progress report indicated. Depending on which Standards are non-compliant and the successful submission of the Progress Report, the program may be granted additional years of accreditation.

Defer action- is used when there is insufficient information on which to judge compliance and an action is deferred until a time specified by the Commission. A program’s accreditation status remains unchanged during the period of defer action.

Initial Accreditation Granted- refers to the first time a program receives accreditation. The maximum length of initial accreditation is 5 years.

Probation- the program is currently on probation. The reason for the probation and subsequent progress report dates are listed in the Accreditation History.

Show Cause- is a notice of impending Withdrawal of Accreditation. A Show Cause action requires that a program provide evidence as to why the CAATE should not Withdraw Accreditation.

Voluntary Withdrawal of Accreditation-the program has submitted their intent to voluntarily withdraw the accreditation of their AT program and are in the process of teaching out current students. Programs going through voluntary withdrawal are not allowed to accept new programs. The effective date of withdrawal is when the last students have graduated from the program. Students graduating from the program prior to the withdrawal date will be eligible to sit for the Board of Certification Examination.

Instructions to Search Programs

You may use any of the individual search criteria below to filter your search. To further narrow down results be sure to search by BOTH program and degree type.