Become a sports medicine expert clinician
Physical therapy is a challenging and satisfying profession — one with many career pathways from which to choose. One particular pathway is developing a career that specializes in sports medicine. Certified athletic trainers have expertise in preventing, recognizing, managing and rehabilitating injuries that result from athletics and other physical activity.
The Dual Degree program DPT/MSAT has been established at Shenandoah University for those students who wish to become members in both professions sharing a common link to become a sports medicine expert clinician. The Dual Degree program offers the student all of the courses required to meet the standards to take the physical therapy licensure examination and the athletic training BOC certification examination. Courses are shared between programs where there is didactic course work that is overlapping between the two professions.
Classes
Our program incorporates the latest in physical therapy technology, exposing and involving you in cutting-edge research. You’ll also have opportunities to network and expand your leadership skills through our professional organizations.
Dual Degree MSAT/DPT Track I
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Summer Year 1 | ||
| AT 501 | Risk Management and Emergency Care for Athletes | 3 |
| AT 511 | Advanced AT Techniques | 1 |
| AT 521 | Functional Human Anatomy I | 2 |
| AT 523 | Therapeutic Exercise I | 1 |
| AT 531 | Pathology/Evaluation of Athletic Injury I | 3 |
| AT 552 | Therapeutic Modalities | 3 |
| Subtotal Hours | 13 | |
| Fall Year 1 | ||
| PT 603 | Gross Human Anatomy I | 4 |
| PT 607 | Examination and Intervention | 4 |
| PT 623 | Histophysiological Aspects of Movement I | 3 |
| PT 643 | Evidence-Based Practice: Introduction to Research Design | 3 |
| PT 653 | Professional Issues I | 3 |
| Pre-Clinical Screening | ||
| PT 761 | Clinical Conference I | 1 |
| AT 591 | Clinical Field Experience 1 for Dual Degree MSAT/DPT | 2 |
| Subtotal Hours | 20 | |
| Spring Year 1 | ||
| PT 604 | Gross Human Anatomy II | 4 |
| PT 610 | Musculoskeletal System I | 3 |
| PT 624 | Histophysiological Aspects of Movement II | 3 |
| PT 656 | Integrated Clinical Experience I | 1 |
| PT 672 | Functional Neuroanatomy | 3 |
| PT 685 | Psychosocial Aspects of PT Practice I | 2 |
| PT 694 | Medical Fundamentals | 1 |
| AT 592 | Clinical Field Experience II for Dual Degree MSAT/DPT | 2 |
| Subtotal Hours | 19 | |
| Summer Year 2 | ||
| AT 624 | Therapeutic Exercise II | 2 |
| AT 631 | Pathology Evaluation of Athletic Injury II | 3 |
| AT 643 | Advanced Rehabilitation of Athletic Injury | 3 |
| AT 699 | Casting and Bracing in Athletic Training | 2 |
| Subtotal Hours | 10 | |
| Fall Year 2 | ||
| PT 709 | Musculoskeletal System II | 3 |
| PT 721 | Pathology | 3 |
| PT 751 | Integrated Clinical Experience II | 1 |
| PT 762 | Clinical Conference II | 1 |
| PT 771 | Adult Neurotherapeutics | 4 |
| PT 781 | Gait Analysis and Biomechanics | 3 |
| PT 796 | Evidence Based Practice I | 1 |
| AT 571 | Sports Nutrition | 3 |
| AT 593 | Clinical Field Experience III for Dual Degree MSAT/DPT | 2 |
| Subtotal Hours | 21 | |
| Spring Year 2 | ||
| PT 703 | Pediatric Physical Therapy | 4 |
| PT 710 | Musculoskeletal System III | 4 |
| PT 734 | Professional Issues II for Dual Degree DPT/MSAT | 1 |
| PT 752 | Integrated Clinical Experience III | 1 |
| PT 797 | Evidence Based Practice II | 1 |
| PT 890 | Advanced Medical Fundamentals for Dual Degree DPT/MSAT | 3 |
| AT 533 | Clinical Medicine | 3 |
| AT 594 | Clinical Field Experience IV for Dual Degree DPT/MSAT | 2 |
| Subtotal Hours | 19 | |
| Summer Year 3 | ||
| PT 753 | Clinical Internship I | 3 |
| Subtotal Hours | 3 | |
| Fall Year 3 | ||
| PT 744 | Prosthetics and Orthotics | 2 |
| PT 821 | Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy | 3 |
| PT 831 | Professional Issues III | 2 |
| PT 861 | Clinical Conference III | 1 |
| PT 881 | Advanced Topics | 1 |
| AT 504 | Psychosocial Intervention/Referral in AT | 3 |
| PT 893 | Evidence Based Practice III | 2 |
| Subtotal Hours | 14 | |
| Spring Year 3 | ||
| PT 832 | Establishing a Physical Therapy Practice/Direct Access | 3 |
| AT 691 | AT Clinical Field experience V for Dual Degree DPT/MSAT | 6 |
| AT 711 | Theories and Practice of Conditioning Athletes | 3 |
| PT 856 | Culminating Clinical Experience | 3 |
| Subtotal Hours | 15 | |
| Summer Year 4 | ||
| PT 856 | Culminating Clinical Experience | 3 |
| Subtotal Hours | 3 | |
| Fall Year 4 | ||
| AT 692 | Clinical Field Experience VI for Dual Degree DPT/MSAT | 4 |
| AT 670 | Healthcare Administration | 2 |
| AT 774 | Senior Seminar | 1 |
| Subtotal Hours | 7 | |
| Total Hours | 144 | |
Dual Degree MSAT/DPT Track II
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Summer, Year 1 | ||
| AT 501 | Risk Management and Emergency Care for Athletes | 3 |
| AT 511 | Advanced AT Techniques | 1 |
| AT 521 | Functional Human Anatomy I | 2 |
| AT 523 | Therapeutic Exercise I | 1 |
| AT 531 | Pathology/Evaluation of Athletic Injury I | 3 |
| AT 552 | Therapeutic Modalities | 3 |
| Subtotal Hours | 13 | |
| Fall, Year 1 | ||
| AT 504 | Psychological Intervention/Referral in Athletic Training | 3 |
| AT 562 | Imaging in Athletic Training | 1 |
| AT 571 | Sports Nutrition | 3 |
| AT 581 | Clinical Field Experience I | 4 |
| AT 505 | Evidence-Based Practice in Athletic Training | 1 |
| Subtotal Hours | 12 | |
| Spring, Year 1 | ||
| AT 533 | Clinical Medicine | 3 |
| AT 653 | Ethics/Professionalism in Athletic Training | 2 |
| AT 582 | Clinical Field Experience II | 4 |
| AT 621 | Functional Human Anatomy II | 3 |
| Subtotal Hours | 12 | |
| Summer, Year 2 | ||
| AT 624 | Therapeutic Exercise II | 2 |
| AT 631 | Pathology Evaluation of Athletic Injury II | 3 |
| AT 643 | Advanced Rehabilitation of Athletic Injury | 3 |
| AT 699 | Casting and Bracing in Athletic Training | 2 |
| Subtotal Hours | 10 | |
| Fall, Year 2 | ||
| PT 603 | Gross Human Anatomy I | 4 |
| PT 607 | Examination and Intervention | 4 |
| PT 623 | Histophysiological Aspects of Movement I | 3 |
| PT 643 | Evidence-Based Practice: Introduction Research Design | 3 |
| PT 653 | Professional Issues I | 3 |
| Pre-Clinical Screening | ||
| PT 761 | Clinical Conference | 1 |
| Subtotal Hours | 18 | |
| Spring, Year 2 | ||
| PT 604 | Gross Human Anatomy II | 4 |
| PT 610 | Musculoskeletal System I | 3 |
| PT 624 | Histophysiological Aspects of Movement II | 3 |
| PT 656 | Integrated Clinical Experience I | 1 |
| PT 672 | Functional Neuroanatomy | 3 |
| PT 694 | Medical Foundations | 1 |
| PT 685 | Psychosocial Aspects of PT Practice I | 2 |
| Subtotal Hours | 17 | |
| Fall, Year 3 | ||
| PT 709 | Musculoskeletal System II | 3 |
| PT 721 | Pathology | 3 |
| PT 751 | Integrated Clinical Experience II | 1 |
| PT 762 | Clinical Conference II | 1 |
| PT 771 | Adult Neurotherapeutics | 4 |
| PT 796 | Evidence Based Practice I | 1 |
| PT 781 | Gait Analysis and Biomechanics | 3 |
| AT 593 | Clinical Field Experience III for Dual Degree MSAT/DPT | 2 |
| Subtotal Hours | 18 | |
| Spring, Year 3 | ||
| PT 703 | Pediatric Physical Therapy | 4 |
| PT 710 | Musculoskeletal System III | 4 |
| PT 734 | Professional Issues II for Dual Degree MSAT/DPT | 1 |
| PT 752 | Integrated Clinical Experience III | 1 |
| PT 797 | Evidence Based Practice II | 1 |
| PT 890 | Advanced Medical Fundamentals for Dual Degree MSAT/DPT | 3 |
| AT 594 | Clinical Field Experience IV for Dual Degree MSAT/DPT | 2 |
| Subtotal Hours | 16 | |
| Summer, Year 4 | ||
| PT 753 | Clinical Internship | 3 |
| Subtotal Hours | 3 | |
| Fall, Year 4 | ||
| PT 744 | Prosthetics and Orthotics | 2 |
| PT 821 | Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy | 3 |
| PT 831 | Professional Issues III | 2 |
| PT 861 | Clinical Conference III | 1 |
| PT 881 | Advanced Topics | 1 |
| PT 893 | Evidence Based Practice III | 2 |
| AT 670 | Healthcare Administration | 2 |
| Subtotal Hours | 13 | |
| Spring, Year 4 | ||
| PT 832 | Establishing a Physical Therapy Practice/Direct Access | 3 |
| AT 691 | AT Clinical Field Experience for Dual Degree MSAT/DPT | 6 |
| AT 711 | Theories and Practice of Conditioning Athletes | 3 |
| AT 774 | Senior Seminar | 1 |
| Subtotal Hours | 13 | |
| Summer, Year 5 | ||
| PT 856 | Culminating Clinical Experience | 3 |
| Subtotal Hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 148 | |
Faculty
Our accomplished and caring faculty serve as mentors beyond the classroom. As a team, they prepare you to serve as a compassionate athletic trainer and physical therapist, critical thinker and ethical leader. You’ll benefit from small class sizes that enable faculty members to provide individualized attention and nurture your academic and professional development.
Rose Schmieg
Athletic Training Program Director, Associate Professor of Athletic Training
Full BiographyKatie Gilbert
Associate Director of Clinical Education, Assistant Professor of Athletic Training
Full BiographyMichele Pye
Associate Director Performing Arts Medicine Program, Assistant Professor Division of Athletic Training
Full BiographyApplication Information
The Dual Degree program involves formal admittance into the DPT and MSAT programs. Additional admission requirements beyond the formal acceptance into each program are listed below:
- No more than five Dual Degree DPT/MSAT students are admitted annually due to availability of clinical affiliation sites for this program.
- Applicants must submit a typed letter with the application to the DPT and MSAT programs stating a request for being admitted into the Dual Degree program.
- Applicants who wish to pursue the Dual Degree program, who have been formally admitted into the DPT and MSAT programs, are ranked on a competitive basis using the admissions criteria established for the DPT and MSAT programs. Admission into the Dual Degree DPT/MSAT program is granted to the top five applicants.