Creighton PA prerequisites: courses, GPA, 250 hours & the 12-hour rule

Quick answer: Creighton’s Omaha and Phoenix PA programs list the same eight prerequisite courses, 25 semester hours in all. PrereqCourses lists a UIU course for each area: BIO 270, BIO 275, BIO 210, CHEM 251, CHEM 330, PSY 360, MATH 220 and EXSS 170. Credit appears on a UIU transcript. PrereqCourses does not guarantee that Creighton will accept any course, and admission decisions rest entirely with Creighton.

If you are looking up Creighton PA prerequisites, you are really looking at two programs. Creighton University runs a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program in Omaha, Nebraska, and a second one in Phoenix, Arizona. Both are 28 months long, both take applications through CASPA, and both ask for the same eight prerequisite courses. They are accredited separately, though, and Creighton says admissions requirements “may vary between the two programs,” so a few details differ.

The good news is that the list is short: 25 semester hours across eight courses. The catch is that it is specific. Creighton wants abnormal psychology (not general psychology), biochemistry, organic chemistry, and medical terminology, and it limits how much coursework can still be in progress when you apply. This guide walks through each requirement, the GPA and patient care floors, the 12-hour rule, and what Creighton does not publish about online courses.

Where self-paced coursework can fill a gap, PrereqCourses offers courses through Upper Iowa University (UIU), which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Credit appears on a UIU transcript. PrereqCourses does not guarantee that Creighton will accept any course, and admission decisions rest entirely with Creighton.

Table of contents

• Creighton PA prerequisites at a glance
• Omaha vs Phoenix: what is the same and what differs
• The course rules that trip applicants up
• The 12-hour rule and the July 15 deadline
• GPA, patient care hours, and the rest of the application
• Creighton PA application timeline
• Online courses and labs: what Creighton does not say
• How to fill missing Creighton PA prerequisites with UIU courses
• How Creighton compares
• FAQ
• Next steps

Creighton PA prerequisites at a glance

The Omaha admissions page and the Phoenix admissions page list the same eight courses and the same hours.

Every prerequisite needs a grade of C (2.0) or higher. Beyond the courses, both campuses require a bachelor’s degree, a 3.0 cumulative GPA as calculated by CASPA, a 3.0 science GPA, at least 250 hours of patient care experience, and three letters of recommendation. The GRE is not required.

Creighton also recommends extra coursework. Omaha recommends immunology and genetics. Phoenix strongly recommends genetics, immunology, and pathophysiology.

Omaha vs Phoenix: what is the same and what differs

The Phoenix program page notes that its accreditation is separate from Omaha’s, and each campus has its own admissions page and contact. If you plan to apply to both, read both pages and check each line against your transcript. The Omaha program page has Omaha’s class profile and outcomes.

The course rules that trip applicants up

The list looks simple, but each line has a rule attached. These are the ones that catch people.

Abnormal psychology, not general psychology

This is the line most likely to send applicants back for another course, because many transcripts show only introductory psychology. Of all the Creighton PA prerequisites, it is the one to check first. Creighton describes the course it wants as an examination of psychological disorders, with emphasis on “terminology, classification, etiology, assessment, and treatment of the major disorders.” Both admissions pages then say they will not accept “General Psychology, Introductory Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Child Psychology, etc.” If your transcript shows only Intro Psych, you still need abnormal psychology.

Anatomy and physiology as separate or combined courses

Omaha lists human anatomy with lab and physiology with lab. Phoenix lists “Human Anatomy & Physiology I or Human Anatomy” and “Human Anatomy & Physiology II or Physiology,” both with labs. Creighton’s pre-PA advising page adds that “a two-semester sequence of combined Human Anatomy and Physiology (with labs) will be accepted in place of individual Anatomy and Physiology courses.” Plan on both semesters of a combined sequence, not one.

Organic chemistry and biochemistry

The admissions pages list three hours each of organic chemistry and biochemistry and do not mention a lab for either. The advising page lists “Organic Chemistry with lab,” so taking an organic course with a lab is the safer choice. That page also points out that general chemistry I and II with labs come before organic chemistry, and general biology I and II with labs come before upper-level biology. Creighton does not list those as PA prerequisites, but you may need them to enroll in the required courses.

No survey courses, Pass/Fail, CLEP, or AP

Phoenix defines survey courses as “introductory courses, science courses for non-majors” and does not accept them. Omaha simply says survey courses will not be accepted. Both programs reject prerequisites taken Pass/Fail, through CLEP, or through AP. There are two exceptions: medical terminology may be Pass/Fail, and so may courses taken during the COVID semesters from Spring 2020 through Spring 2021.

Medical terminology and statistics

Medical terminology is only one semester hour, which makes it easy to overlook. Statistics is three hours. Neither has a lab requirement.

The 12-hour rule and the July 15 deadline

Both programs say: “No more than 12 semester hours of prerequisite coursework may be outstanding (planned or in progress) at the time of application submission.” That counts courses you plan to take, not just courses you are taking now.

In practice, 12 hours is three four-credit lab sciences, or four three-credit courses. If you still need anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and biochemistry, that is 15 hours, so at least one of them has to be finished before you submit.

Everything left must be done, with official transcripts received, by July 15 of the summer before you start. Your degree can also be in progress, but proof of graduation is due by the same July 15 date. Any offer is conditional on finishing the remaining coursework.

GPA, patient care hours, and the rest of the application

GPA. A 3.0 cumulative GPA, as calculated by CASPA, is required at both campuses. Grades for repeated courses are averaged together, not replaced. Both programs also set a 3.0 science GPA. Admitted classes sit well above those floors, as the comparison table shows, so treat 3.0 as the minimum rather than the target.

Patient care. You need at least 250 hours of patient care experience when you submit. Omaha prefers direct, hands-on care of ill, injured, or infirm patients and says observation or shadowing hours do not count. Phoenix accepts both paid and volunteer experience. Examples on both pages include CNA, EMT, medical assistant, medical scribe, paramedic, and phlebotomist.

Shadowing and service. Omaha calls shadowing preferred but not required, and strongly recommends shadowing in several settings. Both programs value non-medical service in the Jesuit tradition.

Letters and residency. Three letters from professional sources are required, not from family or friends. Applicants must be US citizens or US legal permanent residents, and a TOEFL score may be required.

After an offer. You have seven days to accept and pay a $500 deposit. Before you start, expect a background check, a drug screen, immunizations, and health insurance. Phoenix lists COVID-19 vaccination as an immunization requirement.

Creighton PA application timeline

Creighton says the CASPA cycle “opens in April for applicants who wish to enroll in the program in August of the following year.”

Review is rolling, in the order applications are verified and completed, and Creighton encourages applicants to submit to CASPA “as early as possible.” As of October 2026, the Aug. 1, 2026 deadline has passed, so the next cycle opens in April 2027 and, if the pattern holds, leads to an August 2028 start. That leaves this winter and spring to bring your outstanding hours under 12.

Online courses and labs: what Creighton does not say

Creighton’s PA admissions pages, program pages, and advising page do not address online prerequisites or online labs. They neither accept nor reject them in writing. Do not assume either way.

The advising page adds one more line worth knowing: “All prerequisite science courses must be completed at an accredited four-year institution.” That rule does not appear on the admissions pages, but if your science courses come from a community college, ask about it. UIU is a four-year university, which is worth mentioning when you ask about UIU courses.

Before you enroll in any online course, email the program: pa.admissions@creighton.edu for Omaha or pa.admissions.phoenix@creighton.edu for Phoenix. Send the syllabus and get an answer in writing. For a broader look, read can you take PA school prerequisites online.

How to fill missing Creighton PA prerequisites with UIU courses

Here is how PrereqCourses courses through UIU line up with Creighton PA prerequisites. Prices are $675 for three-credit courses and $695 for four-credit courses with a lab.

If you need groundwork first, CHEM 151 and CHEM 152 cover general chemistry, and BIO 135 and BIO 140 cover general biology. PrereqCourses does not offer an immunology course. Note that PSY 190 is general psychology, which Creighton will not accept in place of abnormal psychology.

Courses are self-paced and online, and new sections start on the first of each month, with the next start on Nov. 1, 2026. Here is a sample plan for someone who still needs A&P I, A&P II, abnormal psychology, and medical terminology, which adds up to 14 hours:

Check each UIU course’s own prerequisites on its product page and syllabus before you plan the order. You can browse all biology courses and psychology courses.

How Creighton compares

Creighton’s list is shorter than many. Our guide to prerequisites for PA school covers the common core. For other programs, see Yale PA program prerequisites, Duke PA program prerequisites, Emory PA prerequisites, Wake Forest PA prerequisites, USC PA prerequisites, and Stanford PA prerequisites. If you are weighing online options, start with online PA school prerequisites.

FAQ

Are Creighton PA prerequisites the same for Omaha and Phoenix?

The eight courses and hours are the same. The programs are accredited separately, and a few rules differ, such as Phoenix’s five-year recency preference.

Does Creighton accept general psychology instead of abnormal psychology?

No. Creighton says it will not accept general, introductory, developmental, or child psychology in place of abnormal psychology.

How many prerequisites can be in progress when I apply?

No more than 12 semester hours can be planned or in progress at submission. Everything must be done, with transcripts received, by July 15 before you start.

What GPA do I need for Creighton PA?

You need a 3.0 cumulative CASPA GPA and a 3.0 science GPA. Recent classes averaged well above that.

Does Creighton PA accept online prerequisites or online labs?

Creighton does not publish an online course policy for its PA programs. Email the program with your syllabus before you enroll.

Next steps

1. Compare your transcript against all eight Creighton PA prerequisites, starting with abnormal psychology and medical terminology.
2. Count your outstanding hours and plan to have no more than 12 left when you submit.
3. Build toward 250 hands-on patient care hours.
4. Email the Omaha or Phoenix admissions office with the syllabus for any course you plan to take.
5. Plan to submit CASPA early in the cycle that opens in April 2027, and if you need courses, look at a Nov. 1 start on PrereqCourses.

Admission and acceptance of any course always rest with Creighton, so confirm first and plan your Creighton PA prerequisites with care.