To be considered for admission to the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program, an applicant must have participated in the competitive admissions process and previously earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university. The minimum overall grade point average (GPA) required for admission is 3.0 on a 4.0 scale as calculated by the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistant (CASPA). Other entrance requirements apply and are detailed below.
The PA Studies (PAS) program requires a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test Score. The official GRE score report is due by September 1 of the application cycle. There is no minimum score requirement; however, higher scores are considered more competitive. Applications will be considered incomplete until an official score report is received from Educational Testing Service (ETS). Early submission of scores is strongly encouraged. The GRE code for the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC) PA Studies is 6380.
Prerequisite Coursework
Prerequisite courses may be in progress or planned at the time of your application, however, all prerequisite coursework must be completed by December 31st of the year you apply. Prerequisite coursework must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States. Foreign coursework is not accepted. Prerequisite coursework must be satisfied with a grade of C or higher (2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale). All science coursework must be intended for science majors.
The Office of Admissions and Recruitment cannot provide transcript evaluations. Applicants are responsible for confirming that prerequisite requirements have been satisfied.
General Course Requirements
| Course Title |
Semester Credit Hours |
| Psychology |
3 |
| Statistics |
3 |
| Anatomy (with lab)* |
4 |
| Physiology (with lab)* |
4 |
| Organic Chemistry (with lab) |
4 |
| Microbiology (with lab) |
4 |
| Genetics |
3 |
*A combination of eight semester credit hours of anatomy and physiology coursework can be used to fulfill the requirements for anatomy and physiology.
Coursework is converted to semester credit hours when calculating GPA and when determining if minimum prerequisite requirements have been met. There is no restriction on when prerequisite courses were completed.
Transcripts
Upon acceptance of an offer of admission, applicants who were actively enrolled in classes at the time of application must request that final official transcripts from their degree awarding institution be sent directly to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment before matriculation in the program. Final transcripts must list all courses, including those that were in progress between initial application and final matriculation into the program.
Prerequisite Coursework Substitution
In the event that an applicant believes a course meets prerequisite requirements because is similar in content to a prerequisite course listed above but it does not carry the same name or was not delivered by a usual academic department, the applicant may request consideration of the coursework as a prerequisite substitution. Prospective applicants seeking substitution for prerequisite coursework should submit their request via e-mail to admissions@unthsc.edu.
The request must include a catalog course description and copy of the course syllabus from the college or university where the course was completed. If a catalog course description or course syllabus is not available, a letter from the academic department that offered the original course describing the content and nature of the course may be substituted. Coursework substitutions and content hours must be equivalent or comparable to the prerequisite being considered. Substitutions are approved on an individual basis and the program reserves the right to approve or deny any prerequisite course substitution request.
Admission Procedures
Applicants will be considered for admission as early as September during the year prior to matriculation. Applications through CASPA typically become available in April. The deadline for CASPA application verification is September 1 of the year prior to matriculation. Early application is recommended. Applicants should not send CASPA application materials, transcripts, recommendation letters, or other information to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment unless specifically requested to do so. Neither the Office of Admissions and Recruitment or PAS program assumes any responsibility for application materials sent to CASPA and will not forward admissions materials to the application service on behalf of applicants. To allow for timely receipt and processing, it is recommended that all application materials, fees, transcripts, and recommendation forms be submitted at least 30 days prior to the posted deadline. Applicants submitting after the posted deadline will not be considered. A $50 nonrefundable HSC application processing fee is required in addition to CASPA application fee.
The admissions process is designed in a manner that does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, sex, national origin, veteran status, religion, or disability. All applicants and enrolled students are required to meet the minimum Health and Technical Standards at all times in order to participate in the MPAS program.
Information submitted in the application materials must be complete and correct. Applicants must notify the Office of Admissions and Recruitment regarding any changes in the information provided on their application. Falsification or omission of any information on the application documents will void a student’s admission, cancel their enrollment, and may result in disciplinary action.
All materials submitted during the application process become the property of the HSC and cannot be returned.
Re-Application
A complete CASPA application must be received anew for each year in which the candidate is applying. Applications cannot be held over for subsequent years.
Applicant Selection
In reviewing applications for interview selection and acceptance, many factors are evaluated that help examine the qualities an applicant could bring to our program. These factors include:
- Academic background
- Direct patient care or healthcare-related experiences
- PA mentorship/shadowing experiences
- Understanding of the role of the PA
- Letters of recommendation
- Community service
- Honors, achievements, and awards
- Other life experiences and extracurricular activities
- Communication and leadership skills
- Resiliency and adaptability
- Desire to attend HSC
Although an applicant’s entire academic record is considered, strong academic performance alone does not ensure acceptance. Applicants who demonstrate consistent academic success, particularly in their most recent 60 credit hours of coursework, with grades above “C” in prerequisite courses, a competitive science GPA (3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale) and with no persistent pattern of withdrawals on their transcript, are more likely to be extended an invitation to interview.
While prior experience in a healthcare setting is not required, this experience is considered a beneficial attribute and viewed positively by the admissions committee. Typically, admitted students will have experience working in a setting where PAs practice and will have experience shadowing PAs. PA mentoring and shadowing experiences are not required but are encouraged.
Letters of recommendation from a PA or physician are strongly encouraged.
Evidence of personal integrity, maturity, motivation, well-developed communication, and interpersonal skills, critical thinking skills, writing ability, dedication, and the ability to work with others are additional factors that will be considered. The above qualities are evaluated by several means, including the content of the application, letters of recommendation, the scope and nature of extracurricular activities (including work and volunteer experience), the scope and breadth of prior education, and through the interview process.
Candidate factors that decrease the likelihood of an offer of admission to the program include a criminal record or evidence of prior enrollment, without conferring a degree, in a PA program, medical school, or other health professons program.
Selected applicants will be invited to the HSC for an admissions interview prior to selection. The Dean of the College of Health Professions has final approval for all admission decisions.
Applicants who are admitted to the degree program cohort and plan to enroll are required to submit an Admission Decision along with a non-refundable $500 deposit, which will be used toward the student’s first semester tuition. Deferred matriculation is available upon approval for up to one year in certain circumstances.
Transfer of Course Credit
The program does not accept transfer credits. No credit is awarded for portfolio-based experiential learning or non-credit courses.
Advanced Placement
The Physician Assistant Studies Program does not award advanced placement and course waivers to students accepted into the MPAS program.
Dual Degree Opportunities
HSC offers numerous dual degree opportunities combining the MPAS degree with the MPH, MHA, MS, and PhD degrees within the College of Public Health and College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences. For details, please see the section on the Dual Degree Programs within this catalog.
More details regarding the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program and curriculum can be found here .
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