About the program
The Charleston Southern University PA program is described in PAEA's published program data; full curriculum details, faculty, and admissions cycle specifics are maintained on the program's own website.
From the program's mission statement: "The mission of the Charleston Southern University Master of Medical Science in physician assistant studies program is to educate compassionate and highly motivated individuals in a Christian environment who excel in providing patient-centered care, practicing as an interprofessional team, serving as leaders in their communities and advancing the PA profession."
The Charleston Southern University PA Program prioritizes a faith-centered approach to delivering evidence-based medical education, integrating compassion care, and service into clinical practice. This 24-month program emphasizes hands-on training, high-fidelity simulation, problem-based learning, and personalized faculty interaction. Through strong local healthcare partnerships, CSU offers clinical rotations that prepare students for compassionate, evidence-based, and patient-centered care.
Matriculant data
Actual stats for students who enrolled in the most recently reported cohort, sourced from PAEA's published program data.
Admission policies
Out-of-state applicants are accepted. International applicants: yes, with exceptions. please visit the program's website. DACA status applicants are considered. Distance learning is not offered. Part-time enrollment is not available.
Prerequisite coursework
Recency: No Requirement · up to 2 outstanding at application
Program overview
Charleston Southern University offers a 24-month Master of Medical Science in physician assistant studies, housed within a Christian university in South Carolina and holding Continued ARC-PA accreditation. The program accepts out-of-state and, with certain exceptions, international applicants, with a January 2027 start date and a rolling admissions process - meaning applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis with a final deadline of September 1, 2026. Given rolling review, early submission is a practical advantage.
The program's mission centers on educating students in a Christian environment with an emphasis on compassionate, patient-centered care, interprofessional practice, community leadership, and advancement of the PA profession. That faith-centered orientation is woven throughout the curriculum and clinical training, so applicants who are comfortable in or actively drawn to that environment will find the strongest alignment here. The curriculum blends traditional, case-based, organ-systems, and problem-based learning, supported by high-fidelity simulation and close faculty interaction. Clinical rotations are built through local healthcare partnerships in the region.
Academically, this program attracts well-prepared applicants: matriculants carry an average overall GPA of 3.90 and a science GPA of 3.89, well above the stated minimums of 3.00 in both categories. Competitive applicants should realistically aim toward the higher end. The patient-care bar is 1,000 hours of direct patient care, and paid experience is specifically required - volunteer-only hours will not satisfy this criterion. General healthcare experience is also required beyond those hours.
Prerequisite coursework includes general chemistry (8 credits), general biology (3 credits), human anatomy with lab (4 credits), human physiology with lab (4 credits), microbiology with lab (3 credits), and statistics (3 credits). There is no time limit on how old prerequisites can be, and applicants may enter with up to two outstanding prerequisites at the time of application. Interviews are conducted in a Multiple Mini Interview format and are not required to be completed on-site.
The incoming class is capped at approximately 35 students, making this a small, cohort-driven environment. Total tuition is $96,000 with a $1,000 seat deposit required upon acceptance. At least two letters of reference are needed to complete the application.
Applicants should weigh this program primarily on two factors: whether a faith-integrated academic environment genuinely fits their professional values, and whether their paid patient-care hours meet the required threshold before applying.