Western University of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program
Pomona, California · Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies
Tuition + fees $123,626
2026–2027 · two-year estimate
A closer look
A 24-month Southern California PA program with extensive clinical training and an interprofessional health-sciences setting.
Mission & approach
Prepare competent, compassionate physician assistants to deliver patient-centered care and serve diverse communities.
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Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Holistic, no formula; committee weighs academic credentials, patient clinical experience, community-service background, curriculum readiness, and interview; no California-residency preference; interview required.
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationHow this program interviews
The program publishes an interview page focused on tone rather than logistics: it describes the day as an exchange of information in a warm and welcoming environment, with faculty and administration presenting on curriculum, the admissions process and student services, plus a faculty Q&A. It states explicitly that interviews are never meant to be threatening or confrontational. Format, delivery and dates are not published.
Source checked Jul 25, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.
Program interview informationAdmissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Prerequisite coursework
Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program.Review each course, its lab, and the program’s policies. Your links are planning records; the program decides equivalency.
Courses shown as alternatives in the table are not all required. Confirm the accepted route with the program.
- Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry: Organic Chemistry OR Biochemistry
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
College English and English Composition2 course(s)Course notes & alternativesA full-year English sequence from the English department, 6 semester credits. ESL courses do not meet this prerequisite. Confirm the current requirement with the program. | 6Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Not required | C |
College Algebra1 course(s)Course notes & alternatives3 semester credits. Pre-calculus, calculus, geometry, or trigonometry may be accepted in place of College Algebra. Confirm the current requirement with the program. | 3Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Not required | C |
General Biology I–III, full-year lecture sequenceCourse notes & alternatives6 semester credits with a grade of C. Biology lectures are required for Fall 2027; labs are optional but highly recommended. Confirm with the program for Fall 2027. | 6Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Not required | C |
Human Anatomy with lab1 course(s)Course notes & alternatives3 semester credits. An on-campus lab is required, with listed COVID-period exceptions. The course must be from the Anatomy, Physiology, A&P, Biology, or Zoology department. Confirm with the program. | 3Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Required | C |
Human Physiology with lab1 course(s)Course notes & alternatives3 semester credits. An on-campus lab is required, with listed COVID-period exceptions. The course must be from the Anatomy, Physiology, A&P, Biology, or Zoology department. Confirm with the program. | 3Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Required | C |
Combined Anatomy and PhysiologyCourse notes & alternativesA combined A&P course with at least 5 semester credits may be accepted, but the Fall 2027 worksheet lists anatomy and physiology separately. Confirm with the program before using a combined course. | 5Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Required | C |
Microbiology with lab1 course(s)Course notes & alternatives3 semester credits. An on-campus lab is required (except COVID-era courses through Spring 2022). Science courses must be completed within seven years. Confirm with the program. | 3Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Required | C |
Genetics1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesNo genetics lab is required for Fall 2027. The 2025–2026 catalog lists 3 semester credits and a grade of C; current credits and grade have not been published, so confirm with the program. | 3Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Not required | C |
General or Inorganic Chemistry I–III with labsCourse notes & alternativesGeneral Chemistry I, II, and III: a full-year sequence with labs, 6 semester credits. The exact number of semester or quarter courses is not stated. On-campus labs are required except for COVID-era exceptions. Confirm current credits with the program. | 6Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Required | C |
| Organic Chemistry1 course(s) Accepted as an alternative to Biochemistry. 3 semester credits (confirm with the program). No lab is listed. | 3Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Not required | C |
| Biochemistry1 course(s) Accepted as an alternative to Organic Chemistry. 3 semester credits (confirm with the program). No lab is listed. | 3Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Not required | C |
Medical Terminology1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesMedical Terminology, 2 semester credits (confirm with the program). Whether a lab is required is not stated. | 2Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Not specified | C |
Psychology (general or introductory only)1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesOnly General or Introductory Psychology was accepted previously; the current worksheet lists Psychology without specifying a type. Credits are not stated — check with the program. | 3Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Not required | C |
Sociology or Cultural Anthropology1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesSociology or Cultural Anthropology. Sociology is 3 semester credits; current credits and the exact cultural anthropology equivalent are not published. Confirm with the program. | 3Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Not required | C |
Humanities I–IIICourse notes & alternativesHumanities I, II, and III, listed as 9 semester credits. Current credits and exact subject equivalents are not confirmed, so check with the program. | 9Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Not required | C |
Introductory Statistics1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesIntroductory Statistics, preferably from a Mathematics or Statistics department. Credits are not stated. | 3Semester credits unless noted. Where credits are not listed, check with the program. | Not required | C |
Policies that can change your plan
- Check credits and units with the program.
- The Fall 2027 worksheet lists the current courses but not credits or minimum grades. The semester credits shown here come from the 2025–26 catalog, so confirm them with the program.
- Course age
- The Fall 2027 worksheet's example accepts courses completed in 2019 or later. Science prerequisites must be completed within seven years.
- Labs
- On-campus labs are required except for certain COVID-era courses through Spring 2022. The General Biology lab rule differs from the earlier catalog, so check with the program.
- Sociology and Humanities
- Confirm Sociology and Humanities course details with the program.
- Card check
- The program requires a 3.00 minimum for overall, science and prerequisite GPA.
Use the Fall 2027 worksheet for course names, how recently courses must have been taken, and lab timing. Credit and minimum-grade figures may be out of date, so confirm them and subject equivalents with the program.
When courses must be complete: All science courses and labs must be completed within seven years. Previously, no more than one science and one non-science prerequisite could remain unfinished after December 31. Confirm the current completion deadline with the program.
Dates & application steps
Apply through CASPA. Confirm the deadline type and any secondary requirements with the program.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
2026–2027 · two-year estimatePublished nonresident full-program tuition
Estimated full tuition for two years at the published annual rate for this private program. Required fees are listed separately; living and personal expenses are additional.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic instruction
Primary-care-focused medical sciences, clinical methods and interprofessional learning.
Clinical training
Nine five-week supervised clinical practice experiences.
Pomona’s full-time program lasts 24 months over six consecutive semesters and totals 100.5 units.
The admitted class
Class entering August 2026
Published class statisticsAverage prerequisite GPA of the entering class: 3.62.
Compare published cohorts
| Class | Published GPA | Published science-related GPA | Published experience hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class entering August 2026 | 3.68Average Overall GPA | 3.70Average Science GPA | Not recordedPatient-care hours: not published. |
Published class statistics describe the named cohort or population. They are not admission minimums or acceptance probabilities.
The program’s track record
Graduate outcomes
PANCE pass rates
See first-time program performance with clearly dated national context.
- First-time PANCE pass rate: 92%
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 86%
Accreditation history
ContinuedSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory
- WesternU MSPA program
- Western University of Health Sciences program page-qualified class profile
- Western University of Health Sciences curriculum
- WesternU MSPA requirements
About the U.S. News rank
The U.S. News PA rank uses the 2025 PA edition, matched to the listed program and campus. It reflects peer-assessed reputation, not admissions odds or a personal fit score. Programs without a separate entry are labeled “Unranked.”
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