title: Student-Retention and Career-Placement Rates Between Bachelor's and Master's Degree Professional Athletic Training Programs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The debate over what the entry-level degree should be for athletic training has heightened. A comparison of retention and career-placement rates between bachelor's and master's degree professional athletic training programs may inform the debate.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the retention rates and career-placement rates of students in bachelor's and master's degree professional programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Web-based survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 192 program directors (PDs) from bachelor's degree (n = 177) and master's degree (n = 15) professional programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PDs completed a Web-based survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  We instructed the PDs to provide a retention rate and career-placement rate for the students in the programs they lead for each of the past 5 years. We also asked the PDs if they thought retention of students was a problem currently facing athletic training education. We used independent t tests to compare the responses between bachelor's and master's degree professional programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a higher retention rate for professional master's degree students (88.70% ± 9.02%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 83.71, 93.69) than bachelor's degree students (80.98% ± 17.86%, 95% CI = 78.30, 83.66) (t25 = -2.86, P = .008, d = 0.55). Similarly, PDs from professional master's degree programs reported higher career-placement percentages (88.50% ± 10.68%, 95% CI = 82.33, 94.67) than bachelor's degree professional PDs (71.32% ± 18.47%, 95% CI = 68.54, 74.10) (t20 = -5.40, P < .001, d = 1.14). Finally, we observed no difference between groups regarding whether retention is a problem facing athletic training (χ(2)1 = 0.720, P = .40, Φ = .061).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Professional master's degree education appears to facilitate higher retention rates and greater career-placement rates in athletic training than bachelor's degree education. Professional socialization, program selectivity, and student commitment and motivation levels may help to explain the differences noted.
authors: Department of Athletic Training, Lynchburg College, VA.
authors: Thomas G
authors: TG
authors: Bowman
authors: Department of Kinesiology, Athletic Training Program, University of Connecticut, Storrs.
authors: Stephanie M
authors: SM
authors: Mazerolle
authors: College of Education, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb.
authors: William A
authors: WA
authors: Pitney
authors: Department of Exercise Science and Sport Studies, Springfield College, MA.
authors: Thomas M
authors: TM
authors: Dodge
authors: Department of Kinesiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
authors: Jay
authors: J
authors: Hertel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002322:Career Mobility; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D013177:Sports / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000193:education*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
keywords: attrition; persistence; professional education