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 Academic Policies and Advisement
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Admission Procedures - Education and Health Care Administration
Curriculum and Instruction Program
All applicants should possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. Before an applicant will be evaluated, he or she must submit:
The application form and all supporting documents should be submitted to the dean of graduate programs at least three weeks prior to the date of final registration in the session or semester in which the applicant seeks to enroll. Written notice of the action of the Graduate Admissions Committee will be sent to each applicant. At the applicant's request, an interview can be scheduled to answer any questions he or she may have concerning the graduate programs. Additionally, once accepted, students are encouraged to arrange for an interview to design the program of studies. King's College does not discriminate against any applicant because of race, color, creed, sex, or physical handicap. Admission is based solely upon an applicant's qualifications and ability to meet the established admission requirements. Admissions Standards - Education and Health Care Administration
I. If the applicant has already earned a graduate degree at King's College or another accredited academic institution, the following weight is assigned:
II. As a general rule, an applicant who has not earned a prior graduate degree must meet the following requirements:
Applicants who fall below the minimum grade point average (3.00) may submit other evidence of their ability to complete a graduate program, such as:
Health Care Administration Program
Applicants who fall below the minimum grade point average (2.75) may submit other evidence of their ability to complete a graduate program, such as:
Non-Degree and Non-Matriculated (Visiting) Status
Students matriculating for a degree at another graduate school may be admitted to a non-matriculated status and take individual courses. Visiting students may take up to three graduate courses.
Undergraduate Students Enrolling in Graduate Courses
Academic credit for graduate courses taken by an undergraduate student will normally be counted towards the student's baccalaureate degree program. If, after completing a baccalaureate degree, the student continues on to a graduate program at King's, academic credit for the graduate course cannot be recounted towards the master's degree. Undergraduate students not matriculated at King's College may not register for graduate courses. Transfer of Credits and Waiver
No transfer credits are allowed into the master’s of science degree program in Physician Assistant Studies (M.S.P.A.S.) or into a graduate certificate program in Health Care Administration. For all other graduate programs and certificates, a student may submit a written petition for transfer of credits for appropriate courses successfully pursued on the graduate level at another accredited institution, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a graduate degree at King’s College. Up to nine credits may be transferred into the master’s of education programs in Reading and Curriculum and Instruction, or into the graduate certificate program in English as a Second Language (ESL). Up to twelve credits may be transferred into the master’s of science program in Health Care Administration. Transfer credit is allowed only for courses in which a grade of “B” or better has been received. Transfer credit is not normally granted for courses taken more than five years before admission to the King’s College graduate programs. The dean of graduate programs will review and decide upon the petition for transfer of credits with the recommendations of the relevant graduate program director. Formal notice of rejection or acceptance of the petition will be made shortly after admission to candidacy. A graduate student who desires to take graduate courses at another institution while matriculating at King’s College, with the intention of transferring these to his/her King’s College record, must have written permission from his or her advisor, the graduate program director. In addition to the transfer of credits outlined above, students enrolled in the graduate program in Health Care Administration may challenge all or part of the foundation course work (i.e. Quantitative Business Methods for Health Care, Understanding Organizational Ethics, and Managerial Accounting for Health Care Administration), if they can demonstrate a mastery of the subject matter through training or experience. To challenge a foundation course, a student must make a formal request to the dean of graduate programs. The Graduate Division Office will then schedule an examination with the instructor of the course to be challenged. The student must pay 50% of the normal graduate tuition for each graduate course challenged. The combined number of transfer credits and challenge credits together cannot exceed 50% (half) of the total number of credits in the graduate program. The Test of English as a Foreign Language
Admission Procedures - International Students
Admissions Procedures - Physician Assistant Program Unlike the other King’s College graduate programs, the M.S.P.A.S. program offers classes during the day and is a full-time program. There are two ways to enter the King's College Department of Physician Assistant Studies: (1) as a freshman, into the five-year accelerated B.S./M.S.P.A.S. degree program, or (2) as a graduate student, into the two-year master’s (M.S.P.A.S.) degree program. Admission to the five-year program is done through the undergraduate admissions office at King’s College. Applicants who already have a bachelor's (or higher) degree must apply to the two-year master’s program through the Centralized Application System for Physician Assistants (CASPA). For more information, contact: CASPA P.O. Box 70958 Chevy Chase, MD 20813-0958 (270) 497-1895 The CASPA final deadline for application to King’s College is December 1. Applicants are strongly encouraged, however, to apply as early as possible, since it may take CASPA up to four-six weeks to process an application and forward it to King’s. Seat availability and enrollment for incoming two-year master’s students are determined by the number of undergraduate students who are already matriculated in the five-year bachelor’s/master’s program. Applicants to the two-year master’s program should check with CASPA and/or the King’s PA website (www.kings.edu/paprog) for availability of enrollment. For more information, see the Program’s website (www.kings.edu/paprog) or call the King’s College Physician Assistant Program Office at (570) 208-5853.
Application to the Two-Year Master's Program in Physician Assistant Studies
In order to apply to the 2 year Master’s degree (MSPAS) program, all applicants must submit applications through the Centralized Application System for Physician Assistants (CASPA at www.caspaonline.org) and meet the following minimum requirements:
*Minimum TOEFL Scores needed to apply: Paper-based Test minimum of 610/677 We do not require GRE, MCAT, or USMLE scores.
Our CASPA Application deadline is December 1st. It can take CASPA up to 4-6 weeks to process your application and send it to us, so please be sure to submit your application as early as possible.
Caution: Applications submitted close to our December deadline may delay processing and delivery of your application to us by CASPA, at which point our class may be filled. Applicant Selection Process
Graduate applications are scored based on GPA (cumulative GPA and overall science GPA) the level of degree (Bachelors, Masters), major (science or non-science); and the quality of the direct health care experience hours. Your personal statement, references, and other experiences (work experience, community service, extra- curricular activities, etc.) included on your application are also scored. A personal interview is required for admission. Selected candidates will receive an invitation for an interview in late January/early February. Selected candidates will be scored during their interview and will be required to do an on-site writing sample. The King's College Department of Physician Assistant Studies will make a decision and notify the candidates within 2 weeks of their interview. This interview and selection process will continue until the class is filled or until May 1st, whichever comes first.
The Professional Phase (Years 4 and 5)
The professional phase is full-time only and a total of 24 months in duration, beginning with 10.5 months of didactic instruction in all areas of medicine. Direct patient encounters begin early and are greatly expanded during the final 13.5 months of clinical rotations. The full-time program faculty, along with clinical adjunct faculty, including physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, and other health care professionals, present the curriculum and monitor the students’ clinical experiences. Students in the professional phase (year 4) must earn no less than 80% (2.5 or “C+”) in each didactic module and achieve a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 (87% or “B”) by the end of the spring semester of the didactic year in order to progress. Pre-professional grades are not included in this calculation. Students must maintain this minimum G.P.A. throughout the remainder of the professional program in order to graduate. During the clinical phase, students are required to do a rotation in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, Psychiatry, General Surgery, and Emergency Medicine. Each rotation is six weeks in length. In addition, students have a six week elective rotation. Students may choose to do their elective in any field of medicine. Elective rotations are subject to availability and approval by the clinical faculty. Students finish their clinical year with a 3 ½ month Family Practice Preceptorship. It is not advisable for a student to complete all rotations at one site or in one locale. Therefore, students are generally scheduled to do a minimum of 2 rotations away from the Wilkes-Barre are (>60 mile radius). Students are not required to provide their own clinical sites. Students may arrange some of their rotations and/or preceptorship; however, this must be discussed with the Clinical Faculty BEFORE any arrangements are made and approval is NOT automatically guaranteed. The remainder of the required clinical rotations will be scheduled within a 60 mile radius of the Wilkes-Barre area. Students will have clinical rotations in various settings such as private clinics, community hospitals, rural health centers, and teaching institutions. Students are required to travel to clinical sites during the clinical phase and are responsible for their own individual transportation. Expenses, including travel, meals, and lodging for local and away clinical rotation sites and/or preceptorships are also the responsibility of the student. Degrees Awarded
Upon successful completion of the first four years of the five year program, students receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Studies with a minor in Biology. After successful completion of the two-year Professional Program, students will be awarded a Master of Science Degree in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) and will be eligible to take the National Board examination for certification as a Physician Assistant. Experiential Learning Credits and the Professional Phase of the PA Program
The professional program does not allow for exemption from courses, clinical skills, laboratories, or clinical education regardless of prior experience, degree or credential. Students must matriculate through all aspects of the program and successfully complete all program requirements in order to graduate.
Physician Assistant Background Checks and Child Abuse Security Clearance All PA students are required to have a federal background check prior to starting the program. All students must be fingerprinted for FBI Background Clearance, at the student's expense, prior to the first day of classes. This Federal Criminal History Record Check (FCHR) must be completed annually at an approved Cogent site. Students must also complete and submit, at the student's expense, a Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance Form prior to starting the program. The program will supply the student with this form, which must be filed and cleared with the Childline and Abuse Registry, Department of Public Welfare, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Students are required to have a PA state background check to be completed by the Program. Social Security numbers and the student’s payment for this background check must be submitted to Program Secretary in the main PA Program Office prior to the start of the program. A student who does not have a clear check may be denied access to hospitals and/or clinical rotations. This may affect his/her ability to complete the Program. A check which is not clear may also affect the ability to sit for the PANCE exam and obtain professional licenses or institutional privileges. The Federal Criminal History Record Check (FCHR), PA state background check and The Child Abuse History Clearance Form check must be maintained on an annual basis. Any information found on these checks will be disclosed to clinical facilities and preceptors. Background checks which reveal a felony offense may result in denial of admission and/or dismissal from the Program.
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