Sports Medicine Emphasis
Our Exercise Science / Sports Medicine Emphasis is a two year Masters of Science degree program collaboration between USU Sports Medicine and the Department of Health Physical Education and Recreation. This degree is a 30 credit Thesis Program. The required program courses combine foundation work in exercise science with clinically relevant courses in sports medicine. The option of completing a thesis is a decision made jointly by the student and faculty advisor.
Students work as a certified athletic trainer serving the 16 Division I sports of USU Aggie Athletics. This experience will further develop clinical skills, provide opportunities to develop management skills with various sport teams while pursuing advanced studies and research towards an advanced degree in sports medicine.
The combination of academic, athletic, professional advancement and mentoring at Utah State University, a Carnegie One Research Institution, is truly unique. USU is a member of the Western Athletic Conference, sponsoring 16 sports within the NCAA Division 1. The close interaction between research faculty, team physicians, physical therapists, strength and conditioning coaches and certified athletic trainers is only one of the many strengths of this program. Utah State University’s past success in graduation (100% placement rate in professional and collegiate sport teams, sports medicine clinics and public school districts) will be enhanced with the new Sports Medicine Emphasis.
With the completion of the Jim and Carol Laub Athletics – Academics complex in August 2008, USU Sports Medicine now resides in a state-of-the-art athletic care and rehabilitation facility. The 11,000 sq.ft. Sports Medicine and Research complex contains offices for all staff, examination rooms, treatment rooms, exercise area plus two Hydroworx aquatic therapy pools plus a Hydroworx Cold Plunge pool. Please view a short video of our facility:
Auxillary athletic training facilities are located in:
1) the HPER building and serves women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s gymnastic team practices;
2) the Dee Smith Glenn Spectrum serving women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball.
Utah State University recruits Certified Athletic Trainers, or Certification Eligible, interested in completing advanced degree studies, strengthening their clinical skills and professional preparation. Graduate students work closely with full-time ATC staff to coordinate student-athlete care and rehabilitation. Graduate students have the opportunity to work independently with various sport teams. Current stipends are $10,000 per year with full tuition and fees covered by assistantship*. *Students are expected to complete in-state residency requirements within their first year of residence.
Perspective graduate students must be a certified athletic trainer or certification eligible. All applicants must submit an application to USU graduate school, current university transcripts, three letters of reference addressing academic potential for graduate school and/or competencies in athletic training and scores from the graduate record exam (GRE) or Miller Analogy Test (MAT). Minimum admission criteria are an undergraduate GPA of 3.0, GRE or MAT score above 40th percentile.
Graduate Program Director 
Program Director
Dale Mildenberger is entering his 34th year as the Head Athletic Trainer at Utah State University. As a Senior Associate Athletics Director he is responsible for the health of all of USU's student-athletes, while also overseeing the strength and conditioning program, the equipment area and teaching and supervising the graduate athletic training program.
Mildenberger has received numerous awards, including being inducted into the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 1994, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 1998 and being named to the inaugural Utah Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 2003. In addition he was named the 2004 Utah Athletic Trainer of the Year. Dale is an affiliate associate professor in the Department of Health, Physical Education & Recreation.
Prior to coming to Utah State, Mildenberger was an assistant athletic trainer at the University of Arizona (1974-75), assistant athletic trainer at the United States Military Academy (1969-72) and the head athletic trainer of the Harlem Globetrotters (1969, 1973).
A 1973 graduate of Colorado State, he earned a master's degree from Arizona in 1975. Mildenberger was born May 6, 1949 in Greeley, Colo. He is married to Kathy and has four grown children, Kip, Robyn, Kory and Lani.
Graduate Program Director, Dennis Dolny, Department Head
Graduate Program Secretary ( Status/Documentation)
Shoulder Overuse-Injury Prevention
Nutrition and Fitness Guide for Graduating Student-Athletes
