Athletic training vs. Kinesiology masters

[F1]

Hey everyone,

I'm currently doing a degree in Sports Science, and was looking to go to the USA to do a masters. Any advice on what is better; athletic training or kinesiology (cause being a stupid brit I don't know the difference between the two )? If it makes a difference I want to work as a strength and conditioning coach when I'm done. I'm going to try and complete the NSCA and possibly the ACSM qualifications, before I graduate as well. Finally, any tips on Uni's to consider or avoid appreciated as well; I got it narrowed to about 20, but I'm having difficulty cutting the list down from there.

Cheers, and thanks in advance
mac

[dos]

Definately 100% Kinesiology. In the U.S., athletic training is considered more sports medicine (i.e. working with athletes etc. in re-hab, taping, treatment). The name can be a bit misleading to those from other countries. Sounds like you want to be a conditioning coach so the MA/MS in Kinesiology along with your CSCS and USAW certifications should be part of your plans.

What states are you considering? You know that there's no coast like the west coast!!

[bryanc]

The devil is in the details. The most important thing you need to do now is research. You've already started by narrowing down your schools. You've also decided to get your CSCS and ACSM certs.

The questions you need to answer now are:

1) Where do you want to work ultimately (i.e. which country) and what do successful S+C coaches have as qualifications there? Is a CSCS standard certification? Or is there other stuff? For instance, while many S+C coaches have their CSCS here in Canada, it's not the paramount certification that allows them to get work. So, having your masters and a CSCS would not enable you to work in Canada unless you had at least your CFC, and possibly your PFLC and possibly provincial certification, depending on your province (Craig can probably explain more on this).

2) What are the differences between the programs in terms of time-to-completion, number of courses, material taught in courses, research requirements?

3) What is the focus of each program? Exercise physiology? Actual program design? Nutrition? Rehabilitation? Each program will have a smattering of all of these and more, but they will tend to focus more on one or two than the others.

4) What are graduates of the programs you're interested in doing for a living? Are they all S+C coaches for teams? Or are they all working in rehab environments? Or are they all personal trainers in some capacity?

5) What is the research output of the department that runs the Masters program? While this seems like I'm making a plug for academia, a program that has low or poor research output is a) usually less well-known and b) not on the cutting edge of new innovations. Hence, you will be working with professors who are not as conversant with the field as it is evolving _today_ and you will not have access to either the knowledge or the facilities/equipment/technolog y that enables you to emerge from your program as someone to be chased after. _You_ don't have to be doing research in _your_ program necessarily (particularly in a course based masters), but the faculty in your program should be.

6) Who are the faculty you want to be working with in the program you're about to give skads of cash to? This is related to number 5. If you want to be an S+C coach, you should preferrably be working with an S+C prof--yes, they do exist. If no one in your faculty does S+C research/programming, you're basically taking a glorified undergraduate program with professors that teach from other, more knowledgeable sources. You want to be learning from THOSE more knowledgable sources, not from the handed-down-to profs.

7) Are the programs you are interested in course-based or thesis-based masters? Do you care if they are one or the other? And then see question 4, and differentiate between graduates of course-based vs. thesis based programs (many universities offer both).

8) Explore other options. The US may not necessarily be the best place to pursue what you want to do. Australia and Canada also have excellent programs for developing S+C people--though the fundamental philosophies of each program differ somewhat. Australia has one of the world's best infrastructures for talent identification and support for athletes (not great, but probably better than most other countries). The chances of you working with a team during your masters is probably higher there than it would be at a university in the US or Canada (though I'm just going from what I know from talking to Aussies at conferences).

9) And finally, what is your back-up plan? What will you do if none of the programs you apply to accept you? Don't forget that many universities have restrictions on foreign student enrollment, particularly in course-based masters programs (restrictions are considerably less in thesis-based masters since you're contributing to the research output of the university).

Just remember: Don't get caught up in the actual _name_ of your department or degree. It'll only ever appear on your degree and your CV, and hopefully anyone hiring you, isn't hiring you on the basis of the _name_ of your degree. If they are, run away.

[F1]

Cheers, that's made things a little bit clearer.

Was thinking west coast; want some where that's hot and sunny, sick of rainy UK! Any recommendations for Uni's in that part?

Also from the list I've got, some Uni's offer MA and some MS in kinesiology. Is that a major difference? Over here, an MA is considered less scientific than a MS.

Thanks again

[bryanc]

The same distinction between MA and MS exists in Canada, but not, apparently, in the US, though some universities that offer both do have program differences between the two (where the MS is more "science" weighted). It doesn't seem to matter in the US whether you have an MA or MS in terms of marketability to prospective employers. However, if you're considering going back to the UK to work, or any other commonwealth country, it might be an issue (though again, most people doing the hiring for any significant position will want to know more about what you know, and who you've worked with than what letter of the alphabet follows your M.)

[F1]

Yeah I was thinking of staying in the USA afterwards and working. That's why I've been looking mainly at US uni's, but I'm quite impressed with some of the Canadian programs. Although if an MA is similar to an MS, I'm gonna have to go and relook at all the uni's I just scrapped cause I thought they were offering a "lesser" degree, damn!

Cheers for the advice guys
mac

[dos]

F1,

Over here the difference (at many universities) between an MA and an MS is someone taking comprehensive exams vs. someone doing a thesis. Same exact coursework etc. just different "exit exam".

As far as a West Coast university that will actually 'prepare' for the S&C world with hands-on training it has to be, hands-down, Long beach State University. Dr. John Garhammer has been the primary author or at least been involved in a large amount of the research available on the Olympic Lifts etc. He is a CSCS and a USAW coach and one of the most respected educators in the country. I know that LBSU is one of these schools that will grant MA vs. MS on thesis vs. exam etc.

I think the most important thing is coursework rather than the "MA" or "MS" branding. When you consider that most 'recreation' majors get awarded BS's and MS's it puts a better perspective on things. My wife has an MS.....in mathematics! I think I might have completed a little more scientific coursework than her BTW, I have an MA in Kinesiology andDID complete and publish a research thesis.

[F1]

Thanks dos and everyone else, you've certainly given me some stuff to consider and hopefully make my final decision easier.

Cheers
mac