Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
The Master in Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) prepares graduates with intelligence, sound judgment, intellectual honesty, appropriate interpersonal skills, and critical thinking skills. The graduate will be capable of medical patient assessment and developing a plan of action for addressing health concerns.
The professional curriculum for PA education includes basic medical, behavioral, and social sciences, introduction to clinical medicine and, supervised clinical practice, and health policy and professional practice issues.
Ranked #1 for Best Physician Assistant degree by intelligent.com (2021)
Note: Because the number of applicants may exceed the number of available spots, meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
- Ranked #79 among 300+ national universities by Washington Monthly in 2018
- Ranked 4th best college in Texas 2018 by BestColleges.com
- Accredited, cutting edge degree program
- Experienced, dedicated faculty
- Affordable tuition (ranked #1 in net price among national universities by Washington Monthly in 2018 and #3 most affordable university in America 2018 by BestValueSchools.com)
- Demonstrated student success in research, professional certification and career advancement
Prerequisites
Although the pre-professional course of study may be accomplished at any accredited junior college, senior college or university, it is preferred that all science courses be taken at a senior college and/or university. All prerequisite coursework must be completed by the application deadline for that year’s admissions cycle. Coursework must include the following:
- General Biology (I and II)
- Genetics
- Anatomy and Physiology (I and II)
- Microbiology
- General Chemistry (I and II)
- Organic Chemistry OR Biochemistry
- General Psychology OR Abnormal Psychology
- Statistics
STEP 1
- Submit a UTRGV Graduate Application. The university application fee of $50 ($100 for International Applicants) can be paid online by credit card or electronic check (in the online application). All application fees are nonrefundable.
- Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) application http://www.caspaonline.org
STEP 2
- Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a recognized international equivalent.
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on last 30 hours of course work
- The following items are required and can be submitted through CASPA:
- Official transcripts from each institution attended.
- Submission of a personal statement through CASPA
- Submission of three letters of recommendation through CASPA
- CASPER MMI exam
- GRE General Test. GRE test scores are valid for 5 years. A waiver of the GRE requirement will be granted to applicants who show proof of completing a graduate degree (master’s or doctoral).
- Interview
- Admissions interviews are granted by the PA program by invitation only. Applicants are selected for interviews based on a holistic evaluation of the entire application and supporting materials. The interview includes questions to assess the applicant's knowledge of the PA profession, motivation and commitment, maturity, intellectual curiosity, interest patterns, interpersonal skills and academic history.
- Admissions Committee Decisions
- At the conclusion of all interviews, the admissions committee (comprised of the PA program faculty, and the medical director,) meets to review all applicants who were interviewed and will forward their selections to the program director and dean for approval. Once approved, those selected will be forwarded to the Graduate College for approval and official notification.
Additional requirements for domestic applicants who attended foreign universities:
- For additional information, visit the Additional Documents for Domestic Applicants who Attend Foreign Universities section of our website.
Additional requirements for international applicants:
- For additional information, visit the International Admission page of our website.
Document Submission Procedures
You must submit your required documents including transcripts to CASPA. The Graduate College staff will retrieve your documents from CASPA including: transcripts, personal statement, letters of recommendation,resume, documentation of shadowing, and completion of prerequisite coursework.
NOTE: Students who are admitted to the PA program will be required to have official transcripts sent to UTRGV after notification of admission which usually occurs in Mid-Spring.
Additional Documents
If after submitting your CASPA application, you realize you need to submit additional documents, you may upload them in your UTRGV application.
(Note do not upload documents that have already been submitted to CASPA).
To view a list of application deadlines and program contacts for our traditional programs, click here.
| Fall 2021-Summer 2022 Rates Tuition and Mandatory Fees | ||||
| Graduate | ||||
| Resident | Non-Resident* | |||
| Number of graduate course(s) (hours per course) |
Fall or Spring | Summer Session (each) | Fall or Spring | Summer Session (each) |
| One graduate course (3 hours a semester) |
$1,584.89 | $1,437.79 | $2,808.89 | $2,661.79 |
| Two graduate courses (6 hours a semester) |
$2,875.58 | $2,728.48 | $5,323.58 | $5,176.48 |
| Three graduate courses (9 hours a semester) |
$4,166.27 | $4,019.17 | $7,838.27 | $7,691.17 |
Fees included above:
- University Services Fee - $38.10 per hour ($457.20 maximum)
- Student Services Fee - $5.83 per hour ($69.96 maximum)
- Intercollegiate Athletics Fee - $15.00 per hour ($180.00 maximum)
- Recreation Fee ‐ $75 per Fall or Spring; $37.50 per summer term
- Medical Services Fee ‐ $30 per Fall or Spring; $15 per summer term
- Student Union Fee ‐ $30 per Fall or Spring; $15 per summer term
All resident tuition and mandatory fees shown above remain the same for hours over 20. Add $408 nonresident tuition for each hour over 20.
*Includes nonresident statutory tuition charges set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and subject to annual change.
Total does not include Lab and Supplemental Instruction Fees which vary by course, or Differential Tuition. To view graduate tuition and fees rates, visit UTRGV’s U Central.
Click here to view the program's course requirements from the current catalog.
About O*NET
The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Database was developed under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor. The database contains information about almost 1,000 occupations covering the entire U.S. economy. The database is free and continually updated with detailed information about jobs in each state and industry.
Job Opportunities
For more information, please visit the PA program webpage.
