Physician Assistant Studies, MSPA
The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPA) coursework provides students with the graduate level education necessary to qualify them to sit for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) in order to become certified and eligible to practice as a physician assistant (PA) in the United States. The curriculum is comprised of courses meeting the national standards for PA education as set out by the profession’s accrediting body, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA). Courses include basic sciences, clinical medicine topics, and training in critical thinking and professional development.
The MSPA program is a 2-year professional program divided into a 12-month didactic phase followed by a 12-month clinical phase in the form of on-site supervised clinical practice experiences. This program is an extension of the 3-year Valparaiso University undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Health Science (BSHS) program and will serve as the culminating phase of the 5-Year Physician Assistant Program (3+2). Students entering the MSPA program from the BSHS program are prepared with a prescribed academic sequence consisting of liberal arts, preparatory science courses, and courses related to health care. Students admitted to the MSPA degree program have met or exceed the progression and retention criteria for the BSHS degree and are directly admitted into the professional MSPA segment, the professional accredited component of Physician Assistant (PA) preparation. The MSPA curriculum is delivered sequentially. Students take courses as a cohort in a series as described below.
Intakes
- Jan
- May
- Aug
Application Processing Time in Days: 20
Minimum English Language Requirements
| English Level Description | IELTS (1.0 -9.0) | TOEFL IBT (0-120) | TOEFL CBT (0-300) | PTE (10-90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert | 9 | 120 | 297-300 | 86-90 | |
| Very Good | 8.5 | 115-119 | 280-293 | 83-86 | |
| Very Good | 8 | 110-114 | 270-280 | 79-83 | |
| Good | 7.5 | 102-109 | 253-267 | 73-79 | |
| Good | 7 | 94-101 | 240-253 | 65-73 | |
| Competent | 6.5 | 79-93 | 213-233 | 58-65 | |
| Competent | 6 | 60-78 | 170-210 | 50-58 | |
| Modest | 5.5 | 46-59 | 133-210 | 43-50 | |
| Modest | 5 | 35-45 | 107-133 | 36-43 | |
| Limited | 4 | 32-34 | 97-103 | 30-36 | |
| Extremely Limited | < 4 | < 31 | < 93 | < 30 |
Job Opportunity Potential
Valparaiso University, a community of learning dedicated to excellence and grounded in the Lutheran tradition of scholarship, freedom, and faith, prepares students to lead and serve in both church and society.
The Office of Human Resource Services is committed and dedicated to providing all of its customers, both external and internal, the highest degree of quality services. These services include: Job application process, Hiring process, Benefit administration, Safety administration, HR policies and procedures, Training and development, Performance management. The Office of Human Resource Services works with the colleges, academic departments, and administration of Valparaiso University to ensure that the relationship between Valparaiso University and its employees is respectful, fair, and consistently supportive.
PSW Opportunity
3 Years PSW
Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for admission into one of Valpo’s doctoral, master’s, or post-baccalaureate certificate programs, you must:
Graduate from an accredited college or university
Earn a 3.0 GPA (B average) in all undergraduate and/or graduate coursework
Submit all required documents for domestic or international citizenship (see below)
Applicants for whom English is a non-native language must demonstrate English proficiency. English proficiency may be demonstrated through a standardized test score or certain waiver criteria as listed below:
6.0 minimum IELTS.
At this time, we are also accepting the IELTS Indicator for applicants who cannot sit for the in-person IELTS.
75 minimum TOEFL internet-based
At this time, we are also accepting the TOEFL Special Home Edition for applicants who cannot sit for the in-person TOEFL
TOEFL score must come directly from ETS to be considered valid for admission.
780 minimum TOEIC
110 minimum Duolingo (the TESOL, ESC, MSN and DNP programs at Valpo do not accept Duolingo at this time)
56 minimum PTE
Certain programs require a higher IELTS or TOEFL score. Please see the program pages for details.
Completion of a recognized English language (ESL) program
Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an institution in a recognized English-speaking country
- Course Type: Full Time
- Course Level: Masters/PG Degree
- Duration: 02 Year
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Total Tuition Fee:
48592 USD
Annual Cost of Living: 14000 USD
Application Fee: 50 USD