Pre-PA Curriculum Admissions

What Is The Application Process?

The three year BS/MS Program in PA Studies is designed to accommodate 40 students per year. Students are interviewed in depth by representatives of the PA Program as part of the admissions process to the college and are approved to enter the college as PA majors beginning the pre-PA curriculum.

Transfer/Second Degree admission, which occurs at the beginning of the professional program, is limited. Selected candidates are invited for interview on campus. For all applicants, previous health care experience is not required but strengthens the application. Students entering as PA majors must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 per semester, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2, and minimum cumulative science GPA of 3.0 (with a grade of C+ or higher per course) to enter the PA Program.

After completion of the two-year pre-professional requirements at Wagner College, students interview for continuation into the PA Program. Those who have achieved a cumulative index of 3.2 or higher, as well as a cumulative science index of 3.0 or higher (with a grade of C+ or higher per course) will be interviewed for continuation into the three year PA Program.

In addition, students must participate in a minimum of 25 hours per semester of health related community outreach activities (or a minimum total of 100 hours health-related community outreach activities).  No separate application form for this phase is needed.  Students confirmed for admission to the PA Program must fulfill all prerequisite requirements and maintain these indices to commence the PA Program.

Second degree students must meet the same requirements.

Program Admissions

After two full academic years, during which the student must complete all the prerequisite course requirements for the PA Program, as well as the designated portion of the general education requirements, the student generally enters the PA Program, where s/he must successfully complete three years of professional course work:  one year of didactic instruction; one year of clinical experience; and one year of graduate-level clinical and research work.

The student finishing the Pre-PA Curriculum applies for continuation into the professional PA Program at the end of the sophomore fall semester.  Students entering as PA majors must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.2 or higher to continue as PA majors.

Those who have achieved a cumulative index of 3.2 or higher as well as a cumulative science index of 3.0 or higher (with a grade of C+ or higher per course) will be interviewed for continuation into the three-year PA Program.  Students confirmed for admission to the PA Program must maintain these indices to commence the PA Program.

Learn more about the Freshmen Application Process or the Bachelor's Degree Application Process.