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Address & Contact

Our Address

Clarkson University 59 Main Street Potsdam, New York 13699

GPS

44.66395, -74.99573

Telephone

(315) 268-7942

Email

[email protected]

Web

Email PA Program
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PROGRAM PROFILE

Clarkson University Physician Assistant Program

Potsdam, New York · Masters

Continued accreditation ↗On Campus ↗28 months ↗
Save schoolCheck my fitSee where you're competitive — Match AIProgram website
Application deadline Mar 1, 2027CASPA submission deadline: March 1, 2027, 11:59 PM EST.
Tuition $95,795Same for residents and nonresidents
Fees not published
Confirm current cohort
Class size 40 students
Program length 28 monthsFull program
GRE requirement Confirm with programNo GRE requirement is stated on the current PA admissions page. Older Clarkson catalog/search materials mention GRE; current program page does not. Confirm current cycle.
Patient-care minimum 500 hoursAt least 500 documented and verified direct patient-care hours are required at application, and 1,000 by matriculation. A supervisor or HR letter is required. Shadowing and observation do not count as patient-care hours. Separately, 40 in-person observation hours are required for enrollment, including at least 10 with a PA; observation verification is due before your interview.
Overall GPA minimum 3.003.0 overall
Science GPA minimum 3.003.0 overall science GPA and 3.0 prerequisite GPA
PANCE pass rate 100%First-time pass rateFive-year first-time: 100%
U.S. News PA rank #135 (tie)2025 PA edition · Peer-assessed reputation
THE PROGRAM

A closer look

Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program in Potsdam, New York, delivered as a 28-consecutive-month curriculum.

Mission & approach

The mission of the Clarkson University Department of Physician Assistant Studies is to prepare exceptional, highly skilled clinicians who actively demonstrate the University’s core values of teamwork, caring, integrity, diversity, service, growth, and diligence while compassionately providing for the healthcare needs of their communities.

Clarkson Hall in Potsdam, location of the Clarkson University PA program
Clarkson Hall at 59 Main Street, the Clarkson University PA program location.
YOUR PROFILE & THIS PROGRAM

Check my fit with this school

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BEYOND THE NUMBERS

Admissions insights

What this program looks for in applicants

Holistic, rolling, scoring-rubric review; virtual interview. Bonus point (one each) for: honorably-discharged/active-duty military veterans, Clarkson graduates, first-generation college students, residents of St. Lawrence/Jefferson/Lewis/Franklin/Herkimer/Hamilton counties, and applicants from a medically underserved area/HRSA indicators. Compensated direct patient-care hours preferred;…

Summarized from the program’s admissions information. Confirm current selection criteria with the program.

Program admissions information

How this program interviews

Virtual

Clarkson's PA studies page confirms the most qualified candidates are invited for a virtual interview with faculty, staff, and alumni, with an opportunity to meet current students, but it does not clearly describe the interview as individual, panel, or group format.

Source checked Aug 1, 2026. Interview formats and dates can change between cycles.

Program interview information
YOUR STARTING POINT

Admissions & prerequisites

Admission requirements

GREConfirm with programConfirm current cycle.
Patient care500 verified hours at application; 1,000 by matriculationAt least 500 documented and verified direct patient-care hours are required at application, and 1,000 by matriculation. A supervisor or HR letter is required. Shadowing and observation do not count as patient-care hours. Separately, 40 in-person observation hours are required for enrollment, including at least 10 with a PA; observation verification is due before your interview.
Overall GPA3.0 overall
Science GPA3.0 science GPA and 3.0 prerequisite GPA
Recommendations3 letters; one clinician (MD/DO, NP, PA); professor recommended3 letters; one must be from a clinician (MD/DO, NP, PA); a professor is recommended.
International applicantsAcceptedYes, with a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) evaluation. Non-U.S. citizens must submit English scores unless they qualify for a waiver, which applies to applicants from a nation where English is an official language or who studied in the U.S. for at least four years.
English proficiencyConditionalA TOEFL score of 80 is required unless waived. TOEFL and IELTS are waived for applicants from a country where English is an official language or with four years of U.S. study. The PA page names only TOEFL, while the university's graduate admissions page also lists IELTS 6.5, PTE 56, Duolingo 115 and TOEFL Essentials 8.5. Confirm which tests the PA program accepts.

Prerequisite coursework

Semester credits

Review each course, its lab, and the program’s policies. Your links are planning records; the program decides equivalency.

Choose one complete option in each group

Courses shown as alternatives in the table are not all required. Confirm the accepted route with the program.

  • A&P first required slot: Anatomy & Physiology I with lab OR Anatomy with lab
  • A&P second required slot: Anatomy & Physiology II with lab OR Physiology with lab
  • Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry choice: Biochemistry OR Organic Chemistry
CourseCreditsLabMin grade
General Biology I and II with labs2 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

Two courses, 4 credits each.

8Semester creditsRequiredB
General/Inorganic Chemistry I and II with labs2 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

Two courses, 4 credits each.

8Semester creditsRequiredB
Organic Chemistry1 course(s)

One 3-credit choice in the Biochemistry/Organic Chemistry category; lab requirement not specified.

3Semester creditsNot specifiedB
Biochemistry1 course(s)

Alternative to Organic Chemistry in one 3-credit category; lab requirement not specified.

3Semester creditsNot specifiedB
Microbiology1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

Three credits; lab requirement not specified.

3Semester creditsNot specifiedB
Genetics or Eukaryotic Genetics1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One 3-credit course. Other accepted course titles are listed on the program's website.

3Semester creditsNot specifiedB
General Psychology1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One 3-credit course.

3Semester creditsNot specifiedB
Statistics, Psychological Statistics, or Biostatistics1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One 3-credit course. Other accepted course titles are listed on the program's website.

3Semester creditsNot specifiedB
Social Sciences or Humanities1 course(s)
Course notes & alternatives

One 3-credit course. The program does not list acceptable subjects. Check with the program.

3Semester creditsNot specifiedB
Anatomy & Physiology I with lab1 course(s)

One 4-credit option for the first required A&P course; alternative to Anatomy with lab.

4Semester creditsRequiredB
Anatomy with lab1 course(s)

One 4-credit option for the first required A&P course; alternative to Anatomy & Physiology I.

4Semester creditsRequiredB
Anatomy & Physiology II with lab1 course(s)

One 4-credit option for the second required A&P course; required in addition to one first-course choice.

4Semester creditsRequiredB
Physiology with lab1 course(s)

One 4-credit option for the second required A&P course; alternative to Anatomy & Physiology II.

4Semester creditsRequiredB

Policies that can change your plan

AP credit is not accepted. Pass/fail grades are not accepted, except for courses changed to pass/fail for COVID between Spring 2020 and Fall 2021. Outstanding work must be completed before matriculation, and no more than two prerequisite courses may be in progress at application. No lab is specified for Microbiology or the Biochemistry/Organic Chemistry choice. Confirm social science and humanities course equivalency with the program.

Clarkson PA Studies admissions and prerequisite page Checked 2026-09-24
BUILD YOUR TIMELINE

Dates & application steps

Application deadlineMar 1, 2027

Submit your CASPA application by March 1, 2027, 11:59 PM EST, for Spring 2028 entry.

2026–2027
Month-only dates stay month-only.
THE FINANCIAL PICTURE

Know what the total includes

Published cost estimate

Confirm current cohort
Resident tuition$95,795 published full-program tuition
Nonresident tuition$95,795 published full-program tuition

Confirm rates for your entering cohort

Required program feesConfirm with program
Tuition + required feesFull attendance estimate not recorded
Confirm with program

Confirm current costs with the program.

HOW YOU’LL LEARN

Curriculum & clinical training

0113 months

Didactic phase

Preclinical education and foundational medical coursework.

0214 months

Clinical phase

Supervised clinical education includes nine clinical field experiences and a five-week research elective.

031 month

Summative phase

Evaluation and preparation for the transition into PA practice.

28 consecutive months, 82 credits. Clinical sites span St. Lawrence and surrounding counties and more distant locations; students need not solicit sites or preceptors.

Clarkson University curriculum program page Checked 2026-09-26
WHO STUDIES HERE

The admitted class

Recorded average GPANot recorded
Recorded science GPANot recorded

Published class statistics describe the named cohort or population. They are not admission minimums or acceptance probabilities.

OUTCOMES & OVERSIGHT

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: 100%
  • Five-year first-time PANCE pass rate: 100%

Accreditation history

Continued
First accreditedSeptember 10, 2011
Next reviewJanuary 2035
ARC-PA currently accredited programs — sponsoring-institution directory Checked 2026-09-26
CHECK THE EVIDENCE

Sources you can open

Links to the program’s own pages and the official directories we use.

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.”

YOUR NEXT STEP

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