Charting the course of your graduate education in athletic training will shape your professional path, including where you work, your leadership capabilities, and how far you can advance in the field.
For aspiring athletic trainers, graduate education unfolds in stages, with a master’s degree followed by a doctorate as their roles and responsibilities grow. It’s not an either/or decision, but a series of complementary steps.
As the field continues to grow within modern health care, practicing athletic trainers have more flexibility in their graduate education. This makes it easier to match each degree to their career goals and the specific roles they want to pursue.
In this article, we’ll compare a Master’s in Athletic Training (MSAT) and a Doctorate in Athletic Training (DAT) within the University of Idaho’s nationally recognized athletic training programs in the School of Health and Medical Professions (SHAMP).
You will see how each degree program prepares you for different roles in athletic training, clinical practice, higher education in general, and leadership across the country:
- How MSAT and DAT education programs differ in purpose, curriculum, and time to complete.
- Which degree is best for entry-level clinical practices versus advanced leadership and academia.
- The different career opportunities and advancements in each path.
Overview of Athletic Training Education
Athletic training is a regulated health care profession that focuses on the prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses in athletes and active populations. Certified athletic trainers work on the sidelines, in clinics, and in rehabilitation centers to deliver frontline patient care, whether it’s emergency management or long-term recovery.
They collaborate with physicians and other health care providers to apply knowledge from biomechanics, physiology, and clinical sciences to keep people moving safely, without exacerbating injuries. It’s a blend of hands-on clinical decision-making and real-time problem-solving that draws many students into the athletic training program.
Evolution of Graduate Athletic Training Programs
Throughout the last decade, the athletic training strategic alliance, including CAATE, the Board of Certification, and the National Athletic Trainers Association, approved a major degree change for the profession.
Effective after 2022, accredited professional programs must be offered at the master’s degree level, making the MSAAT the standard entry point into the athletic training profession.
As more clinicians sought advanced knowledge and skills, doctoral education specifically designed for athletic training emerged. Programs like the University of Idaho’s Doctor of Athletic Training created a post-professional-degree pathway that is clinically based, focused on leadership, and aimed at transforming both practice and organizations.
With that historical shift in mind, it helps to look more closely at what each degree involves and who each is designed for.
What Is a Master’s in Athletic Training (MSAT)?
The MSAT is a professional degree program designed to prepare graduate students to become entry-level certified athletic trainers. At institutions like the University of Idaho, the MSAT is an accredited professional program that meets CAATE accreditation standards and qualifies graduates to sit for the BOC exam.
This master’s degree emphasizes core knowledge and skills in clinical decision-making, patient care, and interprofessional collaboration. It’s the perfect fit if you want to enter professional practice as soon as possible and start building your career in athletic training clinical practice.
Curriculum Highlights
An MSAT curriculum typically includes:
- Injury and illness prevention and assessment
- Therapeutic interventions and rehabilitation planning
- Emergency management and acute patient care
- Extensive clinical experience through immersive rotations
- Research literacy and evidence-based practice
The University of Idaho MSAT, for example, combines hybrid coursework with 900+ hours of supervised clinical education in communities where students want to work. This clinically-based model helps graduate students immediately apply knowledge in real-world settings, where their decisions matter.
Time to Complete
Most MSAT programs take about two years of full-time commitment. At the University of Idaho, the MSAT is a 24-month degree with intensive summer sessions and in-season clinical rotations. This will allow students to complete their degree in a predictable timeline.
Career Outcomes with an MSAT
With an MSAT, you become eligible for the BOC exam and, upon certification and licensure, can work as a clinical athletic trainer in the following:
- High schools, colleges, university athletics, and professional sports teams
- Sports medicine clinics and rehabilitation centers
- Industrial, military, or performing arts organizations
- Community-based health care settings across the country
It’s a path that’s great for students looking to build a strong foundation in practice and work directly with athletes and active populations on a day-to-day basis.
Why Choose the MSAT?
Choose the MSAT if you prefer the following:
- Entering the athletic training field for the first time
- Want a master’s degree that leads directly to certification and professional practice
- Are interested in hands-on clinical work, instead of research or administration, in your immediate future
What is a Doctorate in Athletic Training (DAT)?
A Doctorate in Athletic Training is a post-professional degree for certified practitioners who want to deepen their clinical expertise and expand the impact of their leadership capabilities. It’s not an entry-level credential. Programs such as the University of Idaho’s DAT require existing BOC certification and professional experience in the field.
House in SHAMP, the University of Idaho launched the first Doctor of Athletic Training program in the nation and continues to lead the profession in advanced clinical education.
While the MSAT prepares you for becoming an athletic trainer, the DAT is an advanced degree for certified practitioners who want to lead programs, teach future athletic trainers, and contribute new knowledge based on their experience and knowledge in the field.
Curriculum Highlights
The DAT curriculum typically includes the following:
- Advanced orthopedic and neurologic patient care techniques
- Outcomes assessment, quality improvement, and research translation
- Leadership and health care administration
- Program development, policy, and systems-level practice
- Teaching methods and curriculum design for higher education
The University of Idaho’s DAT was one of the nation’s first advanced clinical doctoral degree programs in athletic training and remains focused on helping practitioners create new, practice-based knowledge they can immediately implement with their athletes and communities.
Time to Complete
DAT programs are usually designed for working professionals, with flexible, hybrid, or online formats. Many can be completed in about two years of part-time study, depending on the college or university and the pace you choose.
Career Outcomes with DAT
A DAT can position you for several roles, such as:
- Clinical specialist or coordinator in advanced health care settings
- Director of sports medicine or health care services in schools, universities, or other organizations
- Faculty member or program director in athletic training education
- Leader in research, quality improvement, or policy that’s related to athletic training and patient care
In short, this doctorate builds the leadership and teaching capacity necessary for influencing entire programs, not just individual treatment plans.
Who Should Choose the DAT?
The DAT makes sense for some individuals, depending on their goals and aspirations.
- If you are a certified athletic trainer with several years of professional practice
- Want to move into leadership, program direction, or academia
- Are interested in gaining new knowledge that will improve outcomes for communities and organizations
Master’s vs Doctorate in Athletic Training: Key Differences
Understanding the difference between these two degree options boils down to more than just the length of study required. This decision is about where you start your career, what kind of practice you want to build, and the level of leadership you seek.
Both are rooted in athletic training and share a commitment to advancing patient care, though they serve distinct purposes within the profession.
Entry Requirements
- Requires a bachelor’s degree and prerequisite coursework. It is the entry-level professional degree program for future athletic trainers
- Requires BOC certification and often at least two years of professional practice as an athletic trainer
Career Goals Alignment
- MSAT will launch your career in direct clinical practice, working with athletes in schools, colleges, and clinics.
- DAT will push your career advancement into specialized practice, program leadership, and higher education roles where you can shape education programs and clinical systems.
Scope of Practice
- MSAT prepares you as a highly competent generalist in athletic training clinical practice, able to manage the full continuum of patient care.
- DAT prepares you for analyzing and redesigning systems, leadership roles in programs and higher education, and positions where you can shape education programs and clinical systems.
Salary and Advancement Potential
While salary ranges are different, based on the institution and region, advanced degree holders will have access to roles with greater leadership responsibilities, such as program directors or administrators. These positions typically come with higher earning potential.
A DAT or other doctoral degree can also be important for long-term advancement in higher education and executive-level health care positions.
Academic vs Clinical Emphasis
MSAT highlights intensive clinical work, day-to-day practice, and immediate readiness for entry-level roles. DAT focuses on research translation, specialization, and systems-level leadership, though you’ll remain closely tied to professional practice.
Which Degree Is Better for Career Advancement?
The term “better” depends on your definition of career advancement. If your goal is to become a highly effective clinician working directly with athletes in schools or professional sports teams, the MSAT is essential for taking that step. It will provide you with the knowledge and skills to provide excellent patient care and build experience that will support future doctoral education if you decide to pursue it.
If your mind is set on leadership programs or you want to shape athletic training education, a DAT will accelerate your path into those types of roles. Many professionals view the trajectory as “MSAT to clinical practice to DAT,” with each degree level compounding to expand options, rather than replace them.
Can a Doctorate in Athletic Training Lead to Academic or Leadership Roles?
A Doctor of Athletic Training is specifically designed to prepare leaders for advanced roles across higher education and clinical systems. DAT-trained practitioners are well-positioned to serve as faculty, clinical education coordinators, and program directors in athletic training education programs.
In many institutions, a doctorate is becoming the expected credential for long-term advancement in academia and senior health care roles. Because the DAT is a clinically based education doctorate, it keeps you connected to your practice while helping you develop the leadership and teaching competencies necessary to mentor the next generation.
How Long Does it Take to Complete Each Degree?
| Degree | Typical Length | Format | Outcome |
| MSAT | 2-3 years | Full-Time | Entry-level clinical practice |
| DAT | 1-2 years | Often flexible/online | Advanced practice and leadership |
Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Degree
Before committing to either an MSAT or a DAT, it helps to take a step back from everything and, with a clear mind, ask a few questions to clarify your direction:
- What are my long-term athletic training career goals?
- Do I want to enter the workforce as soon as possible, or am I ready to invest in a doctoral education now?
- Am I more interested in direct patient care or in shaping education, policy, and organizations?
- What level of time and financial commitment can I realistically make at this point in my life?
Writing your answers to these questions down can help you clarify whether an MSAT, a DAT, or an eventual combination makes sense to you in the short and potentially long-term.
Final Thoughts: Choosing the Path That Fits Your Future
When choosing a master’s vs a doctorate in athletic training, neither option is universally better than the other. They simply serve different stages of your profession. The MSAT is the essential launchpad into the athletic training profession, equipping you for impactful clinical work with athletes and active communities.
The DAT is an advanced, focused pathway for certified practitioners who want to expand their leadership, influence education, and generate new knowledge that reshapes health care systems.
The University of Idaho’s MSAT and DAT programs are built to work together, providing current students and experienced professionals with a clear way to develop as clinicians, leaders, and educators over the span of their careers.
If you’re ready to take the next step, explore how the University of Idaho’s athletic training program can help you create an educational plan that matches your goals, whether that begins with an MSAT, a DAT, or a long-term vision that includes both.