Dual Degree - Bachelor of Science - STEM & Master of Science - Athletic Training (4 + 2)

Students apply to the dual degree program as incoming freshmen and are admitted directly into the graduate program at the same time as their admission as undergraduate students. Dual degree students are guaranteed a place in the Master of Science in Athletic Training program provided they continue, as undergraduate students, to meet program-specific criteria to progress into enrollment in the graduate program. Dual degree students, therefore, have a space reserved for them in the graduate program beginning in their first year, with clear criteria and achievements required to progress into the graduate program.  

Combined with advisement from undergraduate academic advisor, students’ engagement with the College of Health Professions, participation in activities offered by the Athletic Training program and interactions with MSAT faculty provide strong support toward successful progression into graduate study. Students may pursue one of two pathways to the Master of Science in Athletic Training program.

In the 4+2 option, students complete the bachelor’s degree in the traditional four-year time frame and complete two years of graduate study in the MSAT program, earning both the bachelor’s degree and an MSAT degree within six years. This option is open to students in all undergraduate majors with the exception of nursing and interdisciplinary studies, however undergraduate majors in Exercise Science, Health Science and Biology will allow for the most efficient plan of study.  

The STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) major at Sacred Heart University provides students with curriculum grounded in the natural sciences that combine courses from multiple traditional disciplines. In this major, students will develop basic skills by taking foundational courses in science, mathematics, and computing. They will then focus on additional science content in advanced courses across multiple disciplines. A fourth-year capstone course will help them integrate the concepts from multiple disciplines to solve real-world problems through case studies and projects.

The need for STEM prepared teachers is persistent in the United States and a consistent area of need for teachers in Connecticut. The STEM major is appropriate for undergraduates seeking employment in Elementary Education and is designed for undergraduates to transition into the 5th year program in the College of Education to obtain Elementary Education Licensure and a Masters of Arts in Teaching. STEM majors also have the opportunity to continue on in the College of Education to earn a Certificate of Advanced Studies in STEM Education.