| Coursework | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Biology with Lab (designed for science majors)* | 8 |
| Chemistry with Lab (designed for science majors)* | 8 |
| Biochemistry* | 3 |
| Microbiology with Lab* | 4 |
| Human Anatomy and Physiology with Lab* | 8 |
| Genetics* | 3 |
| Medical Terminology | 1 |
| English Composition (or equivalent) | 3 |
| General Psychology (or equivalent) | 3 |
| Statistics | 3 |
You may apply with no more than two prerequisite courses in progress. All prerequisite courses must be completed by December 20, 2025. All prerequisite courses must be completed with grades of “B-” or better within five years of enrollment. Exceptions to this timeline may be granted case by case, subject to faculty review. Online laboratory courses may be accepted case by case, subject to faculty review. Courses for which credit was awarded by AP examination are acceptable toward the general psychology or statistics prerequisite courses only.
Exceptions: To request consideration for exceptions to the prerequisite course timeline and/or acceptance of online laboratory courses, please email the PA Admissions Waiver Request Form to pa@naz.edu. The waiver must be approved by the program director; that decision is final and not open to appeal. Waivers will not be considered until the application has been verified by CASPA.
Given the nature of the online format for the didactic year, all applicants and matriculants need to identify as U.S. citizens, have documentation of permanent residency, or have dual citizenship status. While an F-1 Academic Student Visa is permissible for in-person courses, this Visa only deems such students eligible for one online course per term, hence excluding participation in this hybrid format.
If you earned a degree from a non-U.S. institution, you must meet all admission requirements (above) for the PA program as well as admission requirements for international students at Nazareth University at the time of application.
The Nazareth PA program extends preference in the form of a guaranteed interview to any student who meets all application requirements and either:
If you are a preferential candidate and are not granted admission, you will not be offered preference in subsequent application cycles.
The Nazareth PA program uses rolling admissions. As such, there is a competitive advantage to submitting a verified application as early as possible in the application cycle.
The Nazareth PA program does not grant advanced placement/standing within the program curriculum based on previous coursework or educational/work experience.
The study of medical sciences is not purely an intellectual exercise. Candidates for the PA program must possess the ability to learn, integrate, analyze, and synthesize data. In general, you should have certain minimum physical, emotional, cognitive, and social capacities to complete all requirements of the PA program.
You must possess all of the abilities described in the five categories below, with or without reasonable accommodations as determined by the Academic Success & Accessibility office. Fulfillment of the technical standards with reasonable accommodation does not guarantee a graduate of the program will be able to fulfill the technical standards for employment or residency. Candidates with disabilities are encouraged to contact the program and/or the Academic Success & Accessibility office early in the application process to discuss accommodation needs.
You must acquire information as presented through demonstrations and experiences in lectures and laboratories. You must be able to evaluate patients accurately and assess their relevant health, behavioral, and medical information. You must be able to obtain and interpret information through a comprehensive assessment of patients, correctly interpret clinical data, accurately evaluate patients’ conditions and responses, as well as develop a diagnostic and treatment plan. Vision, hearing, and touch or the functional equivalent is required.
You must exhibit interpersonal skills to enable effective caregiving of patients, including the ability to communicate effectively and sensitively in English, with all members of a multidisciplinary health care team, patients, and those supporting patients, in person and in writing. You must be able to clearly and accurately record information and accurately interpret verbal and nonverbal communications.
You must have adequate physical endurance, motor function, and sensory ability to be able to provide and/or direct the:
You must meet applicable relevant safety standards for the environment and follow universal precaution procedures.
You must effectively interpret, assimilate, and understand the complex information required to function within the PA program. Problem-solving is a critical skill that requires conceptual integrative and quantitative thinking abilities. You must also be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships, the spatial and functional relationships of structures, and to analyze and apply this information for problem-solving and decision-making. You must be able to effectively participate in educational activities both online and in person, individually and in small groups, in all learning environments. You must have the ability to organize, prioritize, analyze, and evaluate detailed and complex information individually, in small groups, in clinical settings, both in person and via remote technology. You must be able to learn, participate, collaborate, and contribute as part of a team.
You must exercise good judgment and promptly complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients. You must have the emotional health to fully use your intellectual ability, exercise good judgment, and complete all responsibilities attendant to the evaluation and treatment of patients. You must be honest, able to self-assess mistakes, respond constructively to feedback, and assume responsibility for maintaining professional behavior. The skills required include the ability to effectively handle and manage heavy workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of the uncertainties inherent in the practice of the profession.
You must be able to develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with faculty, patients, families, caregivers, and colleagues. You must be able to tolerate physical and emotional stress, maintain alertness and wakefulness, and continue to function effectively. You must have a high level of compassion for others, motivation to serve, and integrity. You must behave in an ethical and moral manner consistent with professional values and standards. You must possess sufficient interpersonal skills to interact positively and sensitively with all people.
You must be able to satisfy the above requirements with or without reasonable accommodations. For questions about reasonable accommodations, see the Nazareth Academic Success & Accessibility website.
Nazareth University has applied for provisional accreditation from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Nazareth University anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2026, pending achieving provisional accreditation status at the September 2025 ARC-PA meeting. “Accreditation Provisional” is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards, or when a program appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. In the event that the program does not receive provisional accreditation, Nazareth will not refund the CASPA application fee.