Athletic Training Program Policy on Course Credit for Courses with Fieldwork Requirements
Montclair State University does not have an institution-wide policy on fieldwork or the calculation of course credit to assure an equitable balance between student seat time and time in the field. This is due to the complex and unique characteristics of each major program disciplines and professions represented in each of the academic departments. However, departments and programs are allowed to submit their plans for how they will incorporate fieldwork and ensure a fair and equitable balance between seat time and field time for review and approval by the administrative team.
The Athletic Training Program will use the following guidelines to calculate actual seat time and field time for courses in the major program that require students to engage in immersive and non-immersive clinical fieldwork experiences.
- 1 semester hour (sh) = 200 hours of fieldwork or 13 seat time hours (plus a 2 hour examination time) per semester (15 weeks plus the university mandated examination time).
- Seat time hours are determined by the University policy that 1 sh is equal to 50 minutes of seat time and over a period of 15 weeks, or approximately 750 minutes or about 13 hours for the semester.
- A 3 sh clinical education/fieldwork/practicum course can either meet for:
- 600 fieldwork hours with no seat time.
- Approximately 40 seat time hours with no fieldwork.
- Some combination of the two adjusting for fieldwork and seat time for students.
- Fieldwork or seat time can be accounted for in other activities as well such as required professional development, mentorship, preseason contact time, or non-orthopedic contact time. All courses are designed to assume that students will have approximately 5-9 hours of out of class study-time and assignments (i.e. homework and readings) in order to be prepared for fieldwork and seat time demands.
- A 2 hour examination period to occur during the university designated examination week each semester.
The following table shows the distribution of time-based on these criteria:
New Time Distribution
| Course | Credits (sh) | Seat time %/Practicum time % | Time in hours (seat/practicum) | Min-max Fieldwork Hours for Completion |
| ATTR 551 | 3 | 60/40 | 24/250 | 240-260 |
| ATTR 552 | 3 | 60/40 | 24/250 | 240-260 |
| ATTR 553 | 3 | 50/50 | 20/300 | 290-310 |
| ATTR 554 | 3 | 40/60 | 16/350 | 340-360 |
Note: Time in hours refers to the total time for the semester in seat and in fieldwork and each course instructor will determine how the seat time will be distributed during the 14 or 15-week semester.
Typical Course Sequence
Students enter the program in the late summer and take one course prior to entering the main program and practicum courses. Students will then take nine (9) credits in each of the following fall and spring semesters. The second year of the program follows a similar sequence with one summer course and nine credits in the fall and spring semesters.
Year 1
| Summer | Credits | Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ATTR 500 AT Principles | 3 | ATTR 540 Clin Exam I | 3 | ATTR 541 Thera Int I | 3 |
| ATTR 540 Pathology | 3 | ATTR 542 Clin Exam II | 3 | ||
| ATTR 551 Clin Edu I | 3 | ATTR 552 Clin Edu II | 3 | ||
| Total | 3 | Total | 9 | Total | 9 |
Year 2
| Summer | Credits | Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ATTR 533 Admin | 3 | ATTR 532 Med Issues | 3 | ATTR 560 Th of EBP | 3 |
| ATTR 543 Thera Int II | 3 | ATTR 531 Psych Issues | 3 | ||
| ATTR 553 Clin Edu III | 3 | ATTR 554 Clin Edu IV | 3 | ||
| Total | 3 | Total | 9 | Total | 9 |