Pre-Athletic Training (BS)

Overview

The Pre-Athletic Training degree is designed to prepare students for application and admission to a Master’s of Science in Athletic Training degree program of their choosing. The curriculum is designed to provide students the prerequisite courses and knowledge that is needed to successfully pursue graduate admission. This includes foundational knowledge in anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology. The curriculum also provides a solid foundation for students to pursue further education in exercise physiology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and a variety of other allied health disciplines.

The Program

Graduates from the SNU Pre-Athletic Training Program are prepared and eligible to attend graduate school in the pursuit of a Master's in Athletic Training. The core of the curriculum focuses on:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Physics
• Biology
• Chemistry
• First Aid/CPR
• Orthopedic Evaluation
• Nutrition
• Exercise Physiology
• Biomechanics

The Preparation

Clinical Skills Concentration

The Clinical Skills Concentration equips students with the foundational knowledge and hands-on experience necessary for a career in clinical practice. Through focused coursework and applied learning opportunities, students gain essential competencies in injury evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation—skills directly applicable to future roles as athletic trainers and other healthcare professionals.

What makes this concentration particularly distinctive is the opportunity for students to begin developing these clinical skills at the undergraduate level. While many programs reserve such applied training for graduate studies, this early exposure allows students to enter professional master’s programs, such as the Master of Science in Athletic Training, with a significant head start. By cultivating clinical reasoning, technical proficiency, and patient-care skills during their undergraduate education, students not only strengthen their graduate school applications but also build a solid foundation for advanced practice, positioning them for success in a competitive field.

Curricular Requirements

• KNES 2613 Personal & Community Health
• KNES 2672 Terminology for Health Professions
• KNES 3623 Structural Kinesiology
• KNES 3163 Lower Extremity Injury Evaluation
• KNES 3173 Upper Extremity Injury Evaluation
• KNES 3663 Therapeutic Modalities
• KNES 4663 Therapeutic Rehabilitation
• KNES 4674 Internship

Strength & Conditioning Concentration

The Strength and Conditioning Concentration prepares students with the knowledge and skills essential for the National Strength & Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification exam. Students apply industry standard, evidence-based guidelines to the administration of fitness assessments, the development and implementation of strength and conditioning programs, and the management and oversight of such programs. Students complete 48 hours of coursework encompassing the knowledge and skills essential to the certified strength and conditioning specialist. The culminating experience of the concentration is a robust strength and conditioning field experience under the supervision of an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Students are encouraged to take the National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist exam.

Curricular Requirements

• KNES 1511 Methods of Teaching Resistance Training
• KNES 2113 Sports Nutrition
• KNES 3113 Sports Psychology
• KNES 3223 Exercise Technique, Testing & Prescription
• KNES 4133 Program Design for Strength & Conditioning
• KNES 4123 Scientific Principles of Strength & Conditioning
• KNES 4333 Professional Certification Preparation
• KNES 4664 Strength & Conditioning Field Experience I
• KNES 4674 Strength & Conditioning Field Experience II

Articulation Agreements

Southern Nazarene University has signed articulation agreements with the Masters of Science in Athletic Training programs at the following institutions:

• Sterling College (Sterling, KS)
• Wichita State University (Wichita, KS)
• Oklahoma State University (Tulsa, OK)

Details regarding these agreements can be requested from the School of Kinesiology Chair’s office and the Academic Affairs Office.