Sports Medicine: Athletic Training
Allied Health & Sciences
Degree awarded: Associate in Science
Program Narrative
The field of sports medicine is gaining in popularity and employment opportunities are expanding. The demand for Certified Athletic Trainers in particular is increasing. Certified Athletic Trainers are employed in secondary schools, colleges, universities, professional sports, hospitals, sports medicine clinics and the durable medical equipment industry.
A career as a Certified Athletic Trainer requires a bachelor's degree at the entry level. If you're planning to attend a four-year college or university, Northampton's Sports Medicine: Athletic Training program is an affordable way to start your education. With a curriculum that parallels the first two years of most four-year programs, NCC's program can save you thousands of dollars on your undergraduate degree.
The Associate in Science degree in Sports Medicine with a concentration in Athletic Training is designed to prepare students to successfully transfer to a four year CAATE accredited athletic training program. Students will also be prepared to transfer to other four year specialty programs within the realm of exercise science. In addition, students in our program develop a level of expertise in sports medicine that opens up additional employment opportunities as a personal trainer or health fitness instructor immediately upon graduation from NCC.
Students in the program learn basic skills in the prevention, emergency care, assessment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries to prepare them to pursue certification as an athletic trainer. Sports Medicine courses include on-campus labs and observational hours in a variety of professional settings. The Sports Medicine program can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. Students pursuing the degree on a part-time basis are highly encouraged to complete the science related courses prior to entering the program specific courses (i.e. Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, etc.). The program requires students to have a good knowledge base in science and math to be successful. Students are advised to speak with an academic advisor to discuss their entrance and success in the program.
Program Requirements
The Sports Medicine program requires a minimum of four academic semesters to complete. Students are admitted to the program once a year (August). Admission is on a competitive basis. Applicants shall have a high school diploma or GED.
The minimum admission requirements to the program include:
- Completion of high school chemistry with a grade of B or better (or NCC's CHEM 135).
- High school biology (or NCC equivalent BIOS 107, 115) with a grade of C or better.
- One year of HS algebra (or NCC MATH 022) with a grade of C or better.
- Eligibility to take English 101.
Meeting the admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Primary consideration is given to those students who have Bs in program sciences. If available spaces in the program are not filled by students who have met the aforementioned standards, the College reserves the right to accept students who have, in the judgment of the College, the potential to complete the Sports Medicine program.
After You Have Been Accepted
Students who have been accepted to the Sports Medicine program will be required to submit:
- A Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Background Check or FBI Clearance.
- Required physical examination forms and immunization history.
- Documentation of recent hepatitis B vaccination or relevant titer.
Deadline
In order to be considered, you must submit an application and all transcripts by February 1 for the Fall semester start date. Applications received after that date will be reviewed on a space available basis.
Program Outcomes
The Associate in Science in Sports Medicine: Athletic Training program will:
- Prepare students to transfer to and excel in a 4 year Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) athletic training program.
- Provide students with the knowledge to sit for the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) exam, the American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer exam.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of prevention, management, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries and begin to bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and clinical practice.
- Students will demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills and gain knowledge on how to apply them to athletic training situations.
- Students will gain knowledge in athletic training professional development standards.
- Provide students with knowledge of athletic training practice standards and employment settings as well as the behavioral attitudes needed to excel in the athletic training environment.
- Students will learn effective communication among health care providers and other integral members within the field of athletic training (administrators, coaches, family, and community).
Associate in Science Degree
| Course Code | Course Title |
Credits
|
| First Year | ||
| BIOS 204 | Anatomy & Physiology I |
4
|
| CMTH 102 | Speech Communication |
3
|
| ENGL 101C | English I |
3
|
| PSYC 103 | Introduction to Psychology |
3
|
| SMAT 101 | Foundations of Athletic Training & Sports Medicine |
3
|
|
16
|
||
| Second Semester | ||
| BIOS 254 | Anatomy & Physiology II |
4
|
| ENGL 151 | English II |
3
|
| HEAL 150 | Contemporary Health |
3
|
| SMAT 230 | Prevention and Management of Sport and Fitness Injuries |
3
|
| SMAT 235 | Basic Athletic Training Techniques Lab |
1
|
| SOCA 102 | Cultural Anthropology |
3
|
|
17
|
||
| Third Semester | ||
| CHEM 135 | Chemistry of Life |
4
|
| MATH 140 | College Algebra |
3
|
| NUTR 105 | Introduction to Nutrition |
3
|
| SMAT 202 | Kinesiology: Applied Anatomy |
3
|
| ------------ | Arts & Humanities Elective (AH) |
3
|
|
16
|
||
| Fourth Semester | ||
| PHYS 101 | Physics I |
4
|
| MATH 150 | Statistics |
3
|
| SMAT 240G | Acute Care of Athletic Injuries and Illness |
4
|
| SMAT 260 | Exercise Physiology and Exercise Prescription |
3
|
|
14
|
||
| Total Credits |
63
|
- For the Arts and Humanities (AH) Elective, students must select courses from the list of approved courses in that category.
- Either the AH Elective, PSYC 103, or SOCA 102 must be taken in a writing intensive (WI) section.
- One course should be designated as Diversity (D).
Career Potential: Certified Athletic Trainer, Personal Trainer, Health Fitness Instructor, Group Fitness Instructor, Exercise Physiologist, Exercise Specialist, Weight Management Consultant
Transfer Potential: East Stroudsburg University, Temple University, West Chester University, DeSales University