About the program
The West Coast University – California 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 West Coast University Physician Assistant Program - California provides an intentionally immersive learning environment focused on clinical and cultural competence, personal wellness and insight, and ethical responsibility. Through our unique approach to transformational education and student support, we prepare medical professionals to demonstrate competent compassionate person-centric care with respect and equity to all communities served."
Hybrid delivery with on-campus immersive experiences
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 considered. Distance learning is available. Part-time enrollment is not available.
Prerequisite coursework
Recency: 10 Years · up to 10 outstanding at application
Program overview
West Coast University's California PA program awards a Master of Physician Assistant degree and runs 24 months, with the next cohort starting January 2027. The program holds provisional ARC-PA accreditation, which applicants should weigh carefully - provisional status means the program is newly established and has not yet completed a full accreditation review cycle. The incoming class is capped at 50 students, and the application deadline is November 1, 2026, with rolling, first-come, first-served review, making early submission a practical priority.
The mission centers on clinical and cultural competence, personal wellness, and ethical responsibility, with an explicit emphasis on equitable, person-centric care across diverse communities. The curriculum blends asynchronous, case-based, problem-based, organ-systems, and team-based learning within a hybrid delivery model that incorporates on-campus immersive experiences. Students should be comfortable with self-directed, technology-mediated learning formats rather than a fully traditional classroom structure. Distance learning is available, though no part-time option exists.
On the academic bar, the program requires a minimum 3.0 across overall, science, and prerequisite GPA, and matriculants have arrived with a 3.65 overall and 3.57 science GPA - meaning competitive applicants sit meaningfully above the floor. Prerequisite coursework must have been completed within the past ten years, and the program permits up to ten outstanding prerequisites at the time of application, which offers some flexibility for applicants still finishing coursework. Required prerequisites include two semesters of general chemistry with lab, human anatomy with lab, human physiology with lab, microbiology with lab, and statistics. Paid direct patient care and general healthcare experience are both recommended but not required, making this program more accessible to applicants who have not yet accumulated extensive hands-on hours.
Tuition is listed at $110,052 total, with a $250 seat deposit required upon acceptance. Three letters of reference are required. Interviews are conducted in a Multiple Mini Interview format and are not required to be completed onsite. Out-of-state applicants are accepted with some exceptions noted on the program's website, and international applicants are not eligible. No separate tuition rates are listed for in-state versus out-of-state students.
An applicant should judge fit here based on their comfort with hybrid and asynchronous learning, their timeline relative to the January 2027 start, and their honest assessment of how provisional accreditation may affect credentialing or licensure in their intended practice state.