Physician Assistant Studies Admission Requirements

To meet students’ expectations and satisfy accreditation requirements, the program has set the bar high for its applicants. Here are the steps each applicant needs to take to be considered:

1. A bachelor’s degree earned from a regionally accredited institution within the U.S. must be completed prior to matriculation.
2. The following prerequisite coursework must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. All prerequisites must come from a regionally accredited college or university within the United States. Our program will not accept prerequisite courses completed outside of the United States. A single course cannot satisfy more than one prerequisite. Applicants may apply with outstanding prerequisite courses as long as a clear and reasonable plan is communicated to the program on completing the courses. Applicants may have no more than two remaining prerequisite courses (with only one being a science prerequisite) after December 31 of the year preceding enrollment. Any outstanding prerequisites must be completed by the following June 15. Preference is given to applicants who have fully completed their prerequisites prior to the October 1 deadline.

Required Courses Credit / Hours

The following prerequisite courses must have been completed within the last seven years of the application deadline - no exceptions.

*Combined Anatomy and Physiology courses (Anatomy and Physiology I with lab and Anatomy and Physiology II with lab) may be taken provided a minimum of 8 semester hours are completed.

++ Applicants must complete a minimum of six semester hours. Recommended psychology courses include Introduction to Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, or Developmental Psychology. Sociology and anthropology courses do not substitute for psychology courses.

1. 3. Applicants must be in good standing with the college or university they are currently or have attended.
   4. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. A minimum science GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is also required. No exceptions will be made. Those applicants not meeting the GPA requirements will be ineligible for admission and removed from further consideration.
   5. Although not required for admission to the program, prior direct hands-on healthcare experience is considered a positive attribute in the program’s holistic consideration of an applicant.
   6. College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams may not be used to meet any of the PA program prerequisite requirements. Experiential learning experience is also not an acceptable substitute for prerequisite requirements.
   7. Starting with the 2025 – 2026 application cycle, the program will accept advanced placement credit for only the following prerequisites: mathematics (college algebra or higher), statistics, and both psychology prerequisites.
   8. Submit an on-line application through CASPA during the application period of April through October 1 of the year prior to the intended entry into the program. There is also a required supplemental application fee of $50. A link for this fee will be provided once your application has been verified by CASPA.
   9. Three letters of reference are to be submitted directly to CASPA.
   10. Official transcripts from all higher education institutions attended must be submitted directly to CASPA. For applicants offered an interview, updates to grades for courses completed after the application deadline (as allowed in #2) must be submitted directly to the Physician Assistant Studies Program.
   11. An on-campus interview will be required of those selected for final consideration from the CASPA applicant pool. Meeting all the prerequisites does not guarantee the applicant an interview.
   12. Applicants offered a position will be formally admitted to the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program after completion of all prerequisites and admission to the NSU Graduate College.
   13. Applicants offered a position must review the post-acceptance requirements and affirm ability to meet each before matriculation into the program (immunization requirements, technical standards, health insurance verification, drug screen, and background check). All post-acceptance requirements and forms must be completed before matriculation.