The Undergraduate Athletic Training Education Program is entering its 25th year and has been awarded continuing accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education Programs (CAATE) through 2009 - 2010. Prospective students may major in athletic training or combine athletic training with a teacher certification program. The basic concept of athletic training involves prevention, care, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries.

The Post-Professional Graduate Athletic Training Education Program is beginning its 17th year and is accredited by the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) as an advanced degree program in athletic training. The program was recently reaccredited by the NATA through 2011 - 2012. The student entering this program receives a Master of Science Degree in Athletic Training and can expect to complete the requirements in one calendar year. Students graduating from the program will now be able to receive national certification as a Performance Enhancement Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Students will learn how to use the same Optimum Performance Training Model used by the National Academy of Sports Medicine for training Olympic and Professional athletes.

With the first class graduating in December, 2004, the extremely successful online Master of Science in Exercise Science and Health Promotion program focuses on a common core of courses with three track options: 1) Wellness and Fitness, 2) Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention, 3) Rehabilitation Science, and 4) Sport Psychology. This innovative program, developed with endorsement and support from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), is completely Internet-based and is designed to be completed by health, exercise, wellness, teaching, military, and fitness professionals in one calendar year.

The Physical Therapist Assistant program (PTA) began in 1999 and was recently re-accredited in May, 2007 for 10 years by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). The PTA program is a two-year associate degree program. The student will receive an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Physical Therapist Assistant. Physical therapist assistants (PTA) work in partnership with physical therapists to provide rehabilitation services for individuals who are unable to function due to neuromuscular disease, neuromuscular injury, or want to improve function via prevention. Physical therapists and physical therapy assistants provide services individuals to improve their level of functioning and improve quality of life.

Sport Management Studies is beginning its 7th year, with the student pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Management. The Sport Management program at California University of Pennsylvania has received national certification from the North American Society of Sport Management (NASSM). This program is designed to provide the student with a depth of knowledge and a broad range of specific competencies in management, marketing, and communications as they relate to sport. Students will have the option to select from a variety of minors to supplement their educational experience. There are three tracks which the student can choose from: 1) Sport Management Studies; 2) Professional Golf Management, and 3) Wellness and Fitness.

Professional Golf Management (PGM) began as a track under Sport Management Studies in Fall, 2005. This program will lead the student to a variety of careers in the golf industry, as well as lead to becoming a Class A PGA Professional. PGM will be seeking accreditation from the Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA) in the very near future.

Wellness and Fitness began as a track under Sport Management Studies in Fall, 2005. This program will lead the student to a variety of careers in the fitness & wellness industry. In addition, students will be prepared to sit for the Certified Personal Trainer Examination from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). This undergraduate program is designed to be completed by health, exercise, wellness, teaching, military, and fitness professionals in three calendar years. A two-year sequence is available for students who have completed an associate degree. This unique fully web-based (100% online) program is the only one of its kind in the world.

The Master of Science in Sport Management Studies program is designed to meet the needs of the working professional. The curriculum has been uniquely structured to cover the basic foundations of the sport industry as identified by the North American Society for Sport Management. The program is delivered completely online, allowing students to complete all requirements in 13 months. There are three tracks which the student can choose from: 1) Mentorship; 2) Facility and Event Management; and 3) Intercollegiate Athletic Administration.

The field of Gerontology is expanding as the number of older Americans continues to increase, fast outpacing other segments of the population. With 35 million Americans currently over the age of 65 and a projected 40 million older citizens by the 2010, our society is facing crucial issues about aging which will impact the health and welfare of every single American. Implications for academic study and training in Gerontology are enormous. The study of aging will be of critical importance during the next century as the 'baby boomers' pass into the ranks of the older generations. California University offers two academic programs to meet these needs: the Bachelor of Science in Gerontology and the Aging Specialist Certificate. The bachelor's degree is a career-oriented course of study that can accommodate both full- and part-time students, students with or without professional experience and incoming freshmen and transfer students. 120 semester credits are required for the degree, including 42 credits of gerontology coursework. Students do 6 to 12 credits of internship work in an agency or facility serving older adults. Variety is the best word to describe jobs in gerontology. The bachelor's degree in Gerontology prepares students to pursue graduate education in gerontology or a related discipline or to work with older people in settings including long-term care facilities, retirement communities, senior housing, federal, state and local government offices on aging, home health care agencies, senior centers, adult day services, adult protective service agencies, care management agencies, business and industry, leisure programs, and health promotion programs.

The department also offers a course in Current Health Issues to meet the needs of the university's general education program, as well as the teacher certification programs and has a strong area of emphasis in First Aid and Personal Safety and Emergency Medical Techniques. In addition, we offer several courses in the area of Current Issues in Athletics and Fundamentals of the Recruiting Process for the College Bound Student Athlete. There are several other courses in the department to meet the general education requirements of the university.

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This Page Last Updated: 5/8/2008 by biddington
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