MSAT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Cal State Fullerton’s accreditation status?

In 2017, we received a maximum 10-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). We successfully transitioned to a graduate-level professional program in 2019. We will undergo a comprehensive review during the 2026-2027 academic year.

What are your outcomes on the BOC certification examination?

100% of our graduates have passed the BOC certification exam on their first attempt since 2015.

What courses are included in the MSAT program?

This program requires 58 units, taken over 2 full academic years (Summer, Fall, Spring) and includes a clinical rotation during each semester and summer. Courses are only offered once per year, in a pre-determined schedule. Please see the MSAT Curriculum page on our website for specific course sequencing.

Where are your clinical sites?

We offer a variety of clincial experiences, including: university (NCAA Division I & III), community college, high school, and professional sports (MLS and NFL), rehabilitation clinics, and physican practice settings.  We are always interested in adding high quality clinical sites and preceptors in a variety of settings who consistently provide current and high quality athletic training care to patient populations.

What is the total tuition and fees for Cal State Fullerton's program?

Cal State Fullerton's MSAT programs remains one of the best values in athletic training education, considering the high quality of our program and our total cost of attendance. Even for out-of-state residents, our tuition is comparable to the cost of programs at private institutions.

The California State University determines the annual tuition and the fees vary based on campus. For the 2024 cohort (MSAT Class of 2026), the total cost of tuition and fees is $24,700 for California residents and $49,250 for non-resident students.

Please see our MSAT Costs & Scholarships page for a breakdown of this year's figures and a description of additional costs associated with the program.

Do you offer out-of-state tuition waivers?

A limited number of non-resident tuition waivers may be awarded to highly qualified out-of-state and international students who demonstrate financial need, exceptional scholastic ability, and prior scholastic achievement. Non-resident students who have been accepted to the MSAT program AND have confirmed their intent to enroll may be nominated for a waiver by the MSAT Director.

What is the application deadline?

All application materials must be received by November 1st at 9:00 PM Pacific. Please see our web page MSAT Application Procedures for information about deadlines.

Do I have to have a specific undergraduate major to apply to the MSAT?

Students must earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. However, no specific major is required. The most common undergraduate degree for prospective students is Kinesiology or Exercise Science.

I am an international student. What are the requirements for applying?

The requirements for applying to the MSAT program are the same for all students. For specific requirements for applying to Cal State Fullerton (e.g. TOEFL scores), please visit https://admissions.fullerton.edu/intl/master_grad.php. 

Which prerequisite courses are required to apply to the MSAT program?

Please see the MSAT Prerequisites page on our website.

Is there a time limit for accepting prerequisites?

Prerequisites must be completed within 7 years of applying to the MSAT.

How do I know if the course I took will satisfy a prerequisite?

Please complete the Course Prerequisite worksheet with the specific course(s) that you have questions about. Make sure you include the school name and the number of units. Then email the worksheet and course syllabus to msat@fullerton.edu and we will help answer all your questions.

Will you accept a prerequisite that I took on a Credit/No Credit grading basis?

We will accept courses for which you received a grade of "Credit" from Spring 2020 only. For all other semesters, courses must be graded on a letter grade basis.

Can prerequisite courses be "planned" or “in progress” at time of application?

Yes, applicants can have prerequisites "in progress" in the Fall (at time of application) and/or "planned" in the Spring (after application), but all courses must be completed prior to the start of the MSAT program in June. For planned courses, applicants will be asked to show that they are enrolled in the courses.

Students who have not completed all prerequisites at the time of application may be offered admission on a contingent basis, pending review of final transcripts for the courses that had not been completed.

Is there a limit on the number of prerequisite courses that are “in progress” when I apply or that I have to still take in the Spring before starting the program?

There is no specific number. However, if you have a lot of courses still left to take, it is difficult for us to evaluate your academic ability especially if the courses that are not completed yet are the upper division science courses. These courses often give us the best insight into your academic abilities in difficult courses such as those in our curriculum.

Can I take prerequisites at a community college?

Yes. Many lower-division courses are offered at the community-college level. Some of the upper-division prerequisite courses (e.g., exercise physiology) may only be offered at a 4-year undergraduate institution. Fortunately, many universities (including Cal State Fullerton!) offer courses online throughout the year.

I took a course at a community college and according to assist.org, it doesn't transfer to Cal State Fullerton. Do I have to retake a different course?

No. Courses do not need to be "transferrable" to your undergraduate institution or Cal State Fullerton for degree credit to count as a prerequisite. We only care that you received the same content in the course you took. Check the Prerequisite Worksheet to compare course descriptions with the course you took to the preferred course(s) at Cal State Fullerton.

I received credit for an Advanced Placement (AP) course I took in high school. Does that count as a prerequisite?

No, pre-requisite courses must be taken at an accredited college/university.

Is the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) required?

No, we have not required the GRE since 2020.

Do I need to have CPR/AED Certification prior to applying?

No, students will complete the American Red Cross CPR/AED Certification for the Professional Rescuer course as part of summer classes before starting the first clinical rotation.

How many observation hours must I earn to be eligible for this program? Do these hours need to be in multiple settings (e.g., college and high school, etc.)?

We require applicants to have completed 120 hours under the supervision of a certified athletic trainer. While it is recommended to gain hours in different employment settings of athletic trainers, this may not be feasible for all prospective applicants, so it is NOT required to earn hours in multiple athletic training employment settings.

If I have "most" of my hours done by the time I apply, can I finish the remaining hours before starting the program?

No, students must have completed all 120 hours at the time of application. The purpose of these hours is to ensure that students understand the profession of athletic training and are certain that a career in athletic training is the right fit for them.

If I have completed way more than 120 observation hours, am I considered a stronger applicant?

Not necessarily. While clinical hours can be an exciting component of a prospective applicant's experience, the strongest applicants are those that have demonstrated their ability to maintain a healthy balance between clinical hours and strong academic performance. Our evaluation rubric does not provide extra points based on the number of observation hours they have completed.

What are you looking for in your evaluation of applicants?

A PDF of our evaluation rubric is available online. We value diversity in our students and as such, we complete a multi-faceted review of each applicant. That's why we don't have a minimum GPA requirement. We consider the applicant's academic record (50%), interview (25%), quality of ATCAS application (15%), and letters of recommendation (10%) as the basis of our admissions decision-making process.

These application items help us evaluate the qualities that we believe are crucial to being successful in our program AND the athletic training profession: academic abilities (transcipts), character & work habits (essay questions and letters of recommendation), and interpersonal and communication (interview). All candidates are evaluated by the MSAT Admissions Committee which include core faculty, and may include preceptors and/or current MSAT students.

When does the program begin each year?

The program begins towards the end of June each year. Dates are announced once the university determines the specific summer schedule. During the first summer, students take 4 courses in an intensive 6-week long session before starting a summer clinical rotation that occurs before the start of the Fall semester.

Can I work while enrolled in the MSAT program?

While we do not prohibit students from working while in the program, we highly advise that students do their best to position themselves to be able to dedicate full time to the program. We have designed the program to include a rigorous curriculum with ample opportunities for clinical experiences. Other responsibilities will likely diminish the quality of their academic work and the valuable clinical experiences available to students who have more flexibility and availability.

I am an intercollegiate athlete and still have eligibility. Can I compete on Cal State Fullerton's team while enrolled in the MSAT program?

Because the time commitment and level of dedication needed to be successful in the MSAT program and intercollegiate athletics is so similar, we do not allow students to compete while enrolled in the program. The majority of our clinical rotations are in the athletics setting which creates a major and unavoidable time conflict that cannot be accommodated.

We really value the experiences and perspectives that former student-athletes bring to athletic training so we hope that you'll join us once you are done with your college athletic career.

Do students get to choose their clinical sites or preceptors?

While we highly value student input, we rely more so on our faculty's experience in athletic training and education to determine the clinical placement that we believe will benefit the student the most. Because our program is small, we get to know each student personally as far as their goals, personality, strengths, and needs. We then try to find the best fit with clinical site, preceptor, patient care opportunities, etc. We also believe it is important that students gain experience in a variety of settings to better prepare them for clinical practice so every student is assigned to a combination of high school athletics, 2- and 4-year athletics, and rehabilitation clinic settings.

Does your program provide any certifications?

We do not provide additional certifications. Certifications for techniques like instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization typically come with a hefty price tag. In order to keep tuition costs as low as possible, we do not bundle additional certifications in the total price of the program. We DO, however, teach the same manual therapy and rehabilitation techniques in our courses, just without the branding and cost that comes with a certification. Because our students possess the same skillset, we believe that our graduates are equally competitive in the job market to those who paid for the certifications in their programs.