Please note that many of our programs have made exceptions to the application process and admissions requirements due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Additionally, references to in-person campus visits, events, lab work, or classroom interactions should be read in light of current campus health and safety guidelines, which continue to evolve in response to changing conditions. More information can be found on WesternU’s COVID-19 Information page. Please contact us if you have any questions or need further information.
Step 1: Prerequisites and Application Requirements
The first step in the admissions process is to ensure you are on track to complete both the course prerequisites and application requirements in time to apply for your preferred year of entry.
International Students: We do not require a separate application or fee, and you should be prepared to meet all of the prerequisite and application requirements as outlined. If you need assistance with immigration (I-20 form, F-1 visa, SEVIS, etc.), our International Student Services (ISS) staff are available to help you. Visit the ISS website to learn more.
Step 2: Make Yourself a Competitive Candidate
Admission to the program is competitive so you should strive to not only meet, but exceed the minimum requirements. To get a feel for the competitiveness of the applicant pool we recommend that you view our class statistics page and read what the admissions committee recommends you do to maximize your candidacy.
Step 3: Preparing and Submitting Your Application
The apply now page will provide you with step-by-step instructions as well as an application checklist. There are a number of supporting materials that make up your completed application, and it is essential that you print and carefully follow the checklist to ensure that you properly submit these pieces by the deadline. Applicants must ensure that their CASPA application is submitted and deemed complete on or before the November 1st deadline to be considered.
Preference Factors: The PA program has developed a special linkage program with California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) in which Cal Poly Pomona students meeting requirements mandated by the Pre-Professional Advisor from Cal Poly Pomona and the PA program at WesternU, are given special consideration for admission. This is not an early admissions process. Applications for this linkage are handled by the Cal Poly Pomona Pre-Professional Advising office. Please visit the CPP-WesternU Linage program website.
Additionally, in accordance with the Department of PA Education vision, the program will give special consideration for admission to applicants who are from underrepresented populations and who indicate a high potential for remaining in the state of California to work following graduation.
All Prerequisites:
- Must be completed at a regionally accredited U.S. institution (exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis) or its equivalent abroad
- Must be completed with a grade of “C” or better (a grade of “C-” or lower is not acceptable)
- Must be completed by the spring term prior to matriculation.
- Will not be satisfied by advanced-placement, transfer of credit, pass/no credit, CLEP or credit for experiential learning. Due to COVID-19, pass will be accepted for courses completed in 2020 (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer terms). Pass will be calculated as a “B” when calculating GPAs.
- All coursework taken from non-US institutions (including French-Canadian institutions) must be submitted to World Education Services for a course-by-course evaluation
- No more than one science prerequisite course may be in progress after December 31 of the year prior to when you plan to enter WesternU (excluding Anatomy and Physiology). All non-science prerequisites must be completed by December 31 of the year prior to when you plan to matriculate.
- Introductory-level courses in the sciences are not accepted (e.g., courses taken in the sciences for non-science majors)
- You are required to list all college coursework (including foreign coursework) on your CASPA application
- A baccalaureate degree is required for Admission to the MSPA program. Preference may be given to candidates who completed the majority of their upper division coursework at the institution where the baccalaureate degree was granted.
Prerequisite Courses
All courses a candidate wishes to use must appear in our Prerequisite Database as approved.
Required: 6 semester or 8 quarter units of:
Required: 3 semester or 4 quarter units:
Required: 6 semester or 12 quarter units of:
Required: 9 semester or 12 quarter units of:
Not required but highly recommended
Not sure if your course qualifies? If you’d like to find out whether the courses you’ve taken or plan to take will satisfy WesternU’s MSPA prerequisites you may:
- Search the prerequisite database by institution
- If your courses are not listed in the database and you have numerous in question, or simply wish to lay out your coursework, you may instead print and submit an academic worksheet. Note: academic worksheets are available March – August and will be reviewed during this time only
Application Requirements
Completion of required prerequisite courses
Bachelors degree from a regionally accredited US Institution
- Must be conferred by the spring term of the matriculation year
- BS or BA in any subject is acceptable
- A baccalaureate degree is required for admission
Minimum Overall, Science and Prerequisite GPAs of 3.00
- GPA must meet minimum requirement at the time of application and maintained throughout matriculation
- Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 coursework are not calculated into the minimum GPA requirements prior to interviews
- Meeting the minimum GPA requirement does not guarantee the applicant will receive an invitation to interview for the program
- To be competitive candidates should possess GPA’s consistent with the average of the most recent entering class.
History of ongoing community service and involvement
Applicants are required to have a minimum of 120 hours of community service experiences to be eligible for admission.
This may include volunteering and all trends of community service and may include the following:
- Homeless Shelters / Soup kitchens / Food Banks
- Community Outreach
- Veteran Programs
- Clinical (emergency assistant, patient visitor/escort, etc.)
- Tutoring
- Youth Mentoring
- Senior Citizen Home
- Church (missionary trips/outreach)
Although we have a minimum requirement of 120 hours, applicants tend to accumulate and continue to accumulate approximately 500 hours over the course of one to two years. Our more competitive applicants have accumulated well over 500 total hours within the same length of time, and continue ongoing community service up until the time they matriculate.
Access to a computer meeting minimum technical standards
- You are required to have access to a laptop computer or desktop while a student in the PA program
- Computer should meet the minimum technical standards set by WesternU’s IT department
Proof of Legal U.S. Residency – If Required
- International applicants, or any other applicants who are not U.S. citizens and who are living in the U.S., must provide proof of legal U.S. residency prior to matriculation.
Meet the PA Program’s Personal Competencies for Admission and Matriculation
- A candidate for admission to the Physician Assistant Program must have the use of certain sensory and motor functions to permit them to carry out the activities described the Physician Assistant Program Personal Competencies for Admission and Matriculation.
Health Screenings and Immunizations
- Should you be accepted into the MSPA program, you will be required to provide proof of the required health screenings and immunizations
Background Check
- Your admission into the program will be contingent upon a satisfactory criminal background check, which is to be completed and submitted prior to orientation. The background check is required to verify that your history is consistent with the University’s Standards of Professional Conduct, and to ensure that you will be qualified to participate in the required clinical education experiences. A satisfactory criminal background check indicates no criminal history or satisfactory review of a criminal conviction without limitation; both misdemeanor and felony charges will be reviewed. If your background check is not considered “satisfactory”, you may have limited clinical site selection, may not be eligible for licensure or may have difficulty finding employment upon graduation. Supplemental or additional background checks may be required during the course of the educational program to meet the requirements of clinical education sites.
- Application Process
-
Step 1: Prerequisites and Application Requirements
The first step in the admissions process is to ensure you are on track to complete both the course prerequisites and application requirements in time to apply for your preferred year of entry.
International Students: We do not require a separate application or fee, and you should be prepared to meet all of the prerequisite and application requirements as outlined. If you need assistance with immigration (I-20 form, F-1 visa, SEVIS, etc.), our International Student Services (ISS) staff are available to help you. Visit the ISS website to learn more.
Step 2: Make Yourself a Competitive CandidateAdmission to the program is competitive so you should strive to not only meet, but exceed the minimum requirements. To get a feel for the competitiveness of the applicant pool we recommend that you view our class statistics page and read what the admissions committee recommends you do to maximize your candidacy.
Step 3: Preparing and Submitting Your ApplicationThe apply now page will provide you with step-by-step instructions as well as an application checklist. There are a number of supporting materials that make up your completed application, and it is essential that you print and carefully follow the checklist to ensure that you properly submit these pieces by the deadline. Applicants must ensure that their CASPA application is submitted and deemed complete on or before the November 1st deadline to be considered.
Preference Factors: The PA program has developed a special linkage program with California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) in which Cal Poly Pomona students meeting requirements mandated by the Pre-Professional Advisor from Cal Poly Pomona and the PA program at WesternU, are given special consideration for admission. This is not an early admissions process. Applications for this linkage are handled by the Cal Poly Pomona Pre-Professional Advising office. Please visit the CPP-WesternU Linage program website.
Additionally, in accordance with the Department of PA Education vision, the program will give special consideration for admission to applicants who are from underrepresented populations and who indicate a high potential for remaining in the state of California to work following graduation.
- Prerequisite Courses
-
All Prerequisites:
- Must be completed at a regionally accredited U.S. institution (exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis) or its equivalent abroad
- Must be completed with a grade of “C” or better (a grade of “C-” or lower is not acceptable)
- Must be completed by the spring term prior to matriculation.
- Will not be satisfied by advanced-placement, transfer of credit, pass/no credit, CLEP or credit for experiential learning. Due to COVID-19, pass will be accepted for courses completed in 2020 (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer terms). Pass will be calculated as a “B” when calculating GPAs.
- All coursework taken from non-US institutions (including French-Canadian institutions) must be submitted to World Education Services for a course-by-course evaluation
- No more than one science prerequisite course may be in progress after December 31 of the year prior to when you plan to enter WesternU (excluding Anatomy and Physiology). All non-science prerequisites must be completed by December 31 of the year prior to when you plan to matriculate.
- Introductory-level courses in the sciences are not accepted (e.g., courses taken in the sciences for non-science majors)
- You are required to list all college coursework (including foreign coursework) on your CASPA application
- A baccalaureate degree is required for Admission to the MSPA program. Preference may be given to candidates who completed the majority of their upper division coursework at the institution where the baccalaureate degree was granted.
Prerequisite CoursesAll courses a candidate wishes to use must appear in our Prerequisite Database as approved.
Required: 6 semester or 8 quarter units of:
Required: 3 semester or 4 quarter units:
Required: 6 semester or 12 quarter units of:
Required: 9 semester or 12 quarter units of:
Not required but highly recommended
- Prerequisite Database
-
Not sure if your course qualifies? If you’d like to find out whether the courses you’ve taken or plan to take will satisfy WesternU’s MSPA prerequisites you may:
- Search the prerequisite database by institution
- If your courses are not listed in the database and you have numerous in question, or simply wish to lay out your coursework, you may instead print and submit an academic worksheet. Note: academic worksheets are available March – August and will be reviewed during this time only
- Application Requirements
-
Application Requirements
Completion of required prerequisite courses
Bachelors degree from a regionally accredited US Institution
- Must be conferred by the spring term of the matriculation year
- BS or BA in any subject is acceptable
- A baccalaureate degree is required for admission
Minimum Overall, Science and Prerequisite GPAs of 3.00
- GPA must meet minimum requirement at the time of application and maintained throughout matriculation
- Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 coursework are not calculated into the minimum GPA requirements prior to interviews
- Meeting the minimum GPA requirement does not guarantee the applicant will receive an invitation to interview for the program
- To be competitive candidates should possess GPA’s consistent with the average of the most recent entering class.
History of ongoing community service and involvement
Applicants are required to have a minimum of 120 hours of community service experiences to be eligible for admission.
This may include volunteering and all trends of community service and may include the following:
- Homeless Shelters / Soup kitchens / Food Banks
- Community Outreach
- Veteran Programs
- Clinical (emergency assistant, patient visitor/escort, etc.)
- Tutoring
- Youth Mentoring
- Senior Citizen Home
- Church (missionary trips/outreach)
Although we have a minimum requirement of 120 hours, applicants tend to accumulate and continue to accumulate approximately 500 hours over the course of one to two years. Our more competitive applicants have accumulated well over 500 total hours within the same length of time, and continue ongoing community service up until the time they matriculate.
Access to a computer meeting minimum technical standards
- You are required to have access to a laptop computer or desktop while a student in the PA program
- Computer should meet the minimum technical standards set by WesternU’s IT department
Proof of Legal U.S. Residency – If Required
- International applicants, or any other applicants who are not U.S. citizens and who are living in the U.S., must provide proof of legal U.S. residency prior to matriculation.
Meet the PA Program’s Personal Competencies for Admission and Matriculation
- A candidate for admission to the Physician Assistant Program must have the use of certain sensory and motor functions to permit them to carry out the activities described the Physician Assistant Program Personal Competencies for Admission and Matriculation.
Health Screenings and Immunizations
- Should you be accepted into the MSPA program, you will be required to provide proof of the required health screenings and immunizations
Background Check
- Your admission into the program will be contingent upon a satisfactory criminal background check, which is to be completed and submitted prior to orientation. The background check is required to verify that your history is consistent with the University’s Standards of Professional Conduct, and to ensure that you will be qualified to participate in the required clinical education experiences. A satisfactory criminal background check indicates no criminal history or satisfactory review of a criminal conviction without limitation; both misdemeanor and felony charges will be reviewed. If your background check is not considered “satisfactory”, you may have limited clinical site selection, may not be eligible for licensure or may have difficulty finding employment upon graduation. Supplemental or additional background checks may be required during the course of the educational program to meet the requirements of clinical education sites.