The NAU Physician Assistant (PA) program is the only PA program offered at a public university in Arizona. Parts of the 24-month curriculum are delivered in collaboration with the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix. The program is provisionally accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of Physician Assistants (ARC-PA). Successful graduates will receive a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) from NAU and will be qualified to take the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE) that is required for licensure as a PA.
The NAU PA program offers high-quality clinical experiences, interdisciplinary medical education, value and affordability. The program will equip students with clinical and professional knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide high-quality, compassionate medical care for the people of Arizona. The mission of the program addresses the need to reduce Arizona’s health care workforce shortages.
The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation - Provisional status to the Northern Arizona University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Northern Arizona University.
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 holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.
This program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
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The new Master's of Physician Assistant Studies in the College of Health and Human Services is an exciting program, collaborating with the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, sharing faculty and learning resources. The program is conducted in the new state-of-the-art Health Sciences Education Building at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus in downtown Phoenix. The first year of curriculum consists of courses taught at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, and the second year of curriculum includes supervised clinical rotations located in diverse geographical areas of Arizona as well as regularly scheduled multi-day meetings at the Phoenix campus. The program is 24 continuous months in length and grants a Masters of Physician Assistant Studies.
To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.
You must additionally complete:
Read the full policy here.
In addition to University Requirements:
| Minimum Units for Completion | 103 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required. |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| Additional Fees/Program Fees | Required |
| Progression Plan Link | View Program of Study |
The summarized outcomes are as follows.
The student will:
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Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Individual program admission requirements include:
Take the following 103 units:
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.
Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee of $14,000 per year has been approved for this program. It remains $11,000 for second year students.