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Courses

The CSU PA Program is a full-time, residential, 24-month, year-round graduate program that comprises 102 semester credit hours, completed over six semesters. The curriculum is separated into didactic and clinical academic work. The curriculum structure is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to care for patients in various settings.

Students are assigned a faculty advisor as soon as they begin the program. Time dedicated to meeting with an advisor or faculty member is included in the weekly academic schedule. Formal advising is scheduled in each unit throughout the didactic year and during Callback Days in the clinical year.  

Curriculum Delivery Methods

We recognize that not all students learn in the same way, and we have developed a curriculum structure that incorporates traditional in-person lectures, occasional flipped classroom learning, small-group problem-based learning, high-fidelity simulations, and practical, hands-on training. Some courses are delivered in a hybrid format, which combines in-person and virtual (synchronous or asynchronous) sessions, and are denoted by a (*).  

Inclement Weather Curriculum Delivery: When inclement weather necessitates the closure of campus or poses a concern for travel to campus, the university and PA program will transition to virtual learning for a specified period, typically utilizing the Zoom platform.  

The CSU PA Program delivers the didactic academic curriculum as a residential PA program, meaning in-person attendance is a requirement. 

UnitCourse Code Course NameCredit Hours
1MPAS 500Human Anatomy and Lab4
1MPAS 590Diagnostic Sciences1
2MPAS 510The Path to Becoming a PA I*1
2MPAS 520Clinical Medicine I*6
2MPAS 530Basic Sciences I*3
2MPAS 540Patient Assessment and Diagnostic Methods I   2
2MPAS 550Pharmacology I*2
2MPAS 560Problem-Based Learning I1

Total Semester Hours: 20

Unit Course Code Course NameCredit Hours
3MPAS 511The Path to Becoming a PA II*1
3MPAS 521Clinical Medicine II*6
3MPAS 531Basic Sciences II*3
3MPAS 541Patient Assessment and Diagnostic Methods II  2
3MPAS 551Pharmacology II*2
3MPAS 56IProblem-Based Learning II1

Total Semester Hours: 15

UnitCourse Code Course NameCredit Hours
4MPAS 512The Path to Becoming a PA III*1
4MPAS 522Clinical Medicine III*6
4MPAS 532Basic Sciences III*3
4MPAS 542Patient Assessment and Diagnostic Methods III  2
4MPAS 552Pharmacology III2
4MPAS 562Problem-Based Learning III1
4MPAS 570Fundamental of Pediatrics1
5MPAS 580Clinical Year Prep*4
5MPAS 600Graduate Year Project I1

Total Semester Hours: 21

The clinical year curriculum is primarily delivered through supervised clinical practice experiences, also known as clinical rotations. Students will be required to complete 9 five-week clinical rotations as outlined below. 

The CSU PA Program aims to maintain most clinical sites within a 60-mile radius of the Charleston area. However, students may be required to attend rotations at a site outside of this area and will be responsible for all expenses related to such assignments. If a student wishes to voluntarily submit information to establish a new clinical site for the program, they can request up to two new clinical sites. However, the student is not guaranteed to be placed at the requested sites, and no student is required to provide or solicit preceptors or clinical sites for the program-mandated SCPE component of the curriculum. 

The last two days of each assigned clinical rotation culminate in Callback Days.  Attendance by all CSU Clinical PA students is mandatory, requiring the return to the CSU PA Program for examinations, skills assessments, and the delivery of PANCE-preparation or professional topics. 

Course Code Course NameCredit Hours
MPAS 610Family Medicine Rotation5
MPAS 620Internal Medicine Rotation5
MPAS 630Emergency Medicine Rotation5
MPAS 640Surgery Rotation5
MPAS 650Pediatrics Rotation5
MPAS 660Psychiatry Rotation5
MPAS 670Women’s Health Rotation5
MPAS 680Elective I Rotation5
MPAS 690Elective II Rotation5
MPAS 601Graduate Year Project II1

Total Clinical Year Hours: 46

To successfully graduate and be awarded a Master of Medical Science in PA studies, students must complete all coursework, achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, and pass all components of the Summative Evaluation, demonstrating that they have achieved all Program Learning Competencies (PLCs). Additionally, students must maintain good professional standing with the program and fulfill all university requirements.

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