The term Tactical Athlete (TA) can refer to firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel, and soldiers in all branches of the military. The unique physical requirements of the TA require high levels of fitness and the ability to perform strenuous tasks with little to no warning. For all TA fields, fitness testing, fitness, and injury prevention are inherently part of the culture. The United States Bureau of Labor reports average to above average growth of firefighters, police, and military occupations over the next decade. According to data from 2015 there are 1.1 million (345,000 career, 815,000 volunteer) firefighters, over 800,000 police officers, and more than 1.2 million active duty military in the US.
The Tactical Athlete Strength, Conditioning and Injury Prevention Graduate Certificate features a 6 course, 18 credit, 100% online curriculum. The mission of the certificate program is to provide graduates with foundational knowledge, skills and abilities to become leaders in tactical strength, conditioning and injury prevention. The curriculum covers content focused on improving the health, fitness and resiliency of emergency responders (i.e., Tactical Athletes). Upon graduation students will be prepared for a variety of positions (Strength and Conditioning Coach, Athletic Trainer, Health and Fitness Coordinator) or to pursue a graduate degree.
Admissions
Application Requirements
Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions. For specific information about this program, see Graduate Application Deadlines and Requirements on the College website.
Policies
For policies governing all graduate certificates, see AP.6.8 Requirements for Graduate Certificates
Certificate Requirements
Total credits: 18
This certificate may be pursued on a part-time basis only.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ATEP 510 | Advanced Functional Anatomy | 3 |
| KINE 601 | Advanced Exercise Physiology | 3 |
| KINE 602 | Movement and Fitness Assessment | 3 |
| KINE 603 | Applied Biomechanics | 3 |
| KINE 609 | Applied Strength and Conditioning Programming | 3 |
| KINE 610 | Corrective and Preventative Exercise Techniques | 3 |
| Total Credits | 18 | |