Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)
- Ranked #79 among 300+ national universities by Washington Monthly in 2018
- 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
Due to COVID-19, the M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies is temporarily suspending the GRE exam requirement for Fall 2021 applicants.
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.
STEP 2
- Online application to the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA)
- 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:
o Official transcripts from each institution attended.
o Submission of a personal statement through CASPA
o Submission of three letters of recommendation through CASPA
o Documentation of a minimum of 50 hours of shadowing.
o 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).
- Completion of the following prerequisite coursework (with a GPA of 3.0 or better):
O General Biology I and General Biology II
O Genetics
O Anatomy & Physiology I, and Anatomy & Physiology II
O Microbiology
O General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II
O Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry
O General Psychology or Abnormal Psychology
O Statistics
- Applicants must submit both a CASPA application and UTRGV application for consideration.
- Cleared Criminal Background Check (For more information on this requirement, contact the College of Health Professions Dean's Office.)
Additional requirements for domestic applicants who attended foreign universities:
- TOEFL or IELTS Language Proficiency Test with minimum scores: 550 on paper-based, 213 on computer based, or 79 on Internet-based for the TOEFL; 6.5 for the IELTS. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for 2 years. For additional information, visit the Additional Documents for Domestic Applicants who Attend Foreign Universities section of our website.
- Certified English translation of educational records.
Additional requirements for international applicants:
- TOEFL or IELTS Language Proficiency Test with minimum scores: 550 on paper-based, 213 on computer based, or 79 on Internet-based for the TOEFL; 6.5 for the IELTS. For additional information, visit the English Proficiency Exam section of our website.
- Certified English translation of educational records.
- Financial Documentation showing sufficient funds to cover all expenses (living and academic) for the first year of study. For additional information, visit the Financial Documentation section of our website.
- Immigration documents, including a current copy of your valid passport. For additional information, visit the Immigration Documents section of our website.
UPDATE ON INTERNATIONAL ADMISSIONS FROM U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT:
-
SEVP regulations prohibit the issuance of a Form I-20 based on conditional admission, effective July 13, 2016. University officials can only issue a Form I-20 when students have met all standards for admission for the program of study listed on the Form I-20. These standards for admission include any English proficiency requirements.
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.
| Residency | Per 3-Credit Hour Course | Semester (9-Credit Hours) | Total Estimated Cost |
| Texas Resident | $1,481.39 | $3,894.17 | $49,379.67 |
| Non-Resident/International | $2,708.39 | $7,575.17 | $90,279.67 |
*We estimate that tuition and fees will closely approximate the rates shown above; however, rates are subject to change. Please note that the rates above are estimated for on-campus students and those enrolled in 16-week online programs. The rate is different for Accelerated Online Programs (AOP). Visit the tuition and fees page for detailed information.
Click here to view the program's course requirements from the current catalog.
For more information, please visit the PA program webpage.
