About the program
The Gardner-Webb 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 PA program is to develop knowledgeable and caring physician assistants who practice competent patient-centered primary care with a focus on underserved populations. Our values reflect a commitment to respect, ethical behavior, and integrity in personal and professional service that are established upon the foundation of Christian values and faith, in agreement with the Gardner-Webb University mission."
Facilities located in former hospital, virtual cadaver lab, small class size, Christian University
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: no. DACA status applicants are not considered. Distance learning is not offered. Part-time enrollment is not available. On-campus housing is available.
Prerequisite coursework
Recency: No Requirement · up to 2 outstanding at application
Program overview
Gardner-Webb University offers a 28-month Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree in North Carolina, accredited by ARC-PA with Continued status. The program launches its next cohort in January 2027, accepts applications on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis, and closes applications on September 1, 2026, making early submission a practical priority for serious candidates.
The program's mission centers on developing clinically competent, patient-centered primary care providers with a deliberate emphasis on serving underserved populations. That mission is grounded explicitly in Christian values and faith, consistent with Gardner-Webb University's broader institutional identity, so applicants should expect that ethos to permeate the academic environment. The program does not accept international applicants and offers no distance learning or part-time pathway, meaning all 36 students per cohort move through a fully on-site, full-time curriculum together.
The curriculum blends traditional didactic instruction with case-based, organ- and systems-based, problem-based, and collaborative team learning approaches. The facilities occupy a former hospital building, which provides a clinically oriented physical environment, and the program supplements hands-on anatomy training with a virtual cadaver lab. Small class size is a deliberate feature, supporting close faculty-student interaction.
The admissions bar requires a minimum overall GPA of 3.20 and a minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.00, with no time limit on prerequisite coursework and up to two outstanding prerequisites permitted at the time of application. Required science prerequisites include general chemistry with lab, general biology with lab, human anatomy with lab, human physiology with lab, and microbiology with lab, each at four credits, plus a three-credit statistics course. Applicants must have completed at least 1,000 hours of direct patient care, and that experience must be paid - volunteer or shadowing hours will not satisfy this requirement. Healthcare experience beyond direct care is also required. Three letters of reference are mandatory, and admission includes a required on-site interview that may take any combination of formats, including traditional, panel, group, MMI, and scenario room.
Total tuition runs $112,910 with no differentiation between in-state and out-of-state rates, and out-of-state students are accepted. A seat deposit of $1,500 is required to secure enrollment once an offer is made.
Candidates who are strong fits here will be those drawn to primary care and underserved community medicine, comfortable in a faith-based university environment, and able to demonstrate genuine paid clinical experience before applying. Anyone evaluating this program should weigh whether its Christian mission and primary care focus align authentically with their own professional and personal values before investing in the application.