Fees not published
Academic Year 2026–27 current rate projected across both program years
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A closer look
Carlow's Pittsburgh PA program lists a 3.30 cumulative GPA and a 3.30 prerequisite GPA, a 500-hour direct-patient-care or human-subject clinical-research route, and a 2026–27 tuition estimate at current rates. The program is on Accreditation-Probation.
Mission & approach
The mission of the Physician Assistant Program at Carlow University is to offer transformational educational opportunities for a diverse community of learners who are prepared as healthcare professionals to contribute to the quality and safety of healthcare for all. Consistent with the heritage and values of the Sisters of Mercy, graduates are expected to excel as compassionate, responsible leaders in the creation of a just and merciful world.
Admissions insights
What this program looks for in applicants
Scored rubric: cum & prereq GPA (min 3.3 each), 3 references (1 PA, 1 academic, 1 choice; no relatives), 500 hrs DPC OR clinical research, mission essay, scored 3-prompt video interview (2 PA faculty), technical-standards attestation. Rolling; program states no preferential treatment. No GRE.
Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.
Program admissions informationAdmissions & prerequisites
Admission requirements
Prerequisite coursework
Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits.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.
- Anatomy and physiology route: Human or Vertebrate Anatomy + Human or Vertebrate Physiology OR Combined Anatomy & Physiology sequence with labs
| Course | Credits | Lab | Min grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human or Vertebrate Anatomy1 course(s) 3 credits for Anatomy plus 1 required Anatomy Lab credit, listed separately. If Anatomy is combined with Physiology in one A&P course, see the separate two-semester route. | 4Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Required | C |
| Human or Vertebrate Physiology1 course(s) 3 credits. No separate Physiology lab is listed. | 3Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Not specified | C |
| Combined Anatomy & Physiology sequence with labs2 course(s) An alternative to separate Anatomy, a required Anatomy lab, and Physiology is two semesters of A&P with lab. Credits for the combined route are not published. | Not publishedCredits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Required | C |
Biochemistry1 course(s)Course notes & alternatives3 credits. | 3Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Not specified | C |
General Biology, two semesters with lab2 course(s)Course notes & alternatives6 lecture/course credits plus 2 lab credits across two semesters. | 8Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Required | C |
Microbiology1 course(s)Course notes & alternatives3 credits; lab requirement is not listed. | 3Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Not specified | C |
Genetics1 course(s)Course notes & alternatives3 credits; lab requirement is not listed. | 3Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Not specified | C |
General/Inorganic Chemistry, two semesters with lab2 course(s)Course notes & alternatives6 lecture/course credits plus 2 lab credits across two semesters. | 8Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Required | C |
Organic Chemistry with lab1 course(s)Course notes & alternatives3 course credits plus 1 lab credit for one semester. | 4Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Required | C |
English Composition/Writing1 course(s)Course notes & alternatives3 credits; no lab. | 3Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Not specified | C |
General Psychology1 course(s)Course notes & alternatives3 credits; no lab. | 3Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Not specified | C |
Statistics1 course(s)Course notes & alternatives3 credits; no lab. | 3Credits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Not specified | C |
Medical Terminology for Clinicians1 course(s)Course notes & alternativesAn online certificate course is accepted but is not used to calculate prerequisite GPA. Credit amount and course grade are not stated. | Not publishedCredits are listed, but the program doesn't say whether they are semester or quarter credits. | Not specified | Not specified |
Policies that can change your plan
- Minimum grade / GPA
- C (2.0) or better for each prerequisite; minimum 3.30 cumulative prerequisite GPA.
- Course age / completion
- All prerequisites within 10 years of application; outstanding coursework complete before May 31 of entry year.
- Anatomy/physiology alternative
- Either separate Anatomy (3 credits), Anatomy lab (1 credit), and Physiology (3 credits), or two semesters of combined A&P with labs. The credit minimum for the combined route isn't stated.
- Advanced placement
- No advanced placement credit is awarded.
- Medical terminology
- An online certificate is accepted but excluded from the prerequisite GPA calculation. Course credit and grade are not stated.
All coursework must be within 10 years of application, and outstanding courses must be completed by May 31 of the year of entry. No advanced placement credit is awarded. Course and lab credits are listed separately; Physiology and Microbiology are not assigned a separate lab.
Dates & application steps
CASPA deadline for 2026–27: submit your application by April 1. Carlow also lists an October 1 priority deadline but gives no year on its program page.
Know what the total includes
Published cost estimate
Academic Year 2026–27 current rate projected across both program yearsAcademic-year-two rate is not locked and may increase
Carlow's 2026–27 projected tuition is $106,284: $61,478 in year one plus $44,806 in year two, at $1,042 per credit for 102 credits. Tuition is not locked, so year-two rates may rise. Required fees, supplies, and potentially substantial clinical-rotation travel and living expenses are additional.
Curriculum & clinical training
Didactic education
Clinical knowledge and skills with interprofessional learning and simulation.
Clinical experience
Supervised patient care in seven core disciplines plus an additional rotation.
Transition to practice
Final preparation for entry into professional practice.
25-month, three-phase program. Sites include southwestern Pennsylvania and other locations around the country. Individual phase lengths are not stated.
The admitted class
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: 64%
No 5-year average yet
- Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: Not available yet
Five-year first-time results are not yet available.
Accreditation history
ProbationSources you can open
Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.
- PA School Finder deadline record
- ARC-PA Carlow accreditation history
- ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory
- Carlow University curriculum program page
- Carlow PA Cost of Attendance
- Carlow international admissions
- Carlow PA admissions policy (historical, superseded)
- Carlow PA Admissions Policy
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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