PA · Indianapolis, Indiana · private
Butler University Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What Butler asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 10 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
The two-semester sequence with lab. Around a fifth of programs want only one semester or skip general chemistry entirely and start at organic or biochemistry.
- Organic chemistry with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Organic with lab (1 course)." One semester of organic chemistry with its laboratory, which most PA programs do not ask for at all.
- Biochemistrynot required here
Not required by name. Butler asks instead for one additional chemistry course at or above the 300 level, which biochemistry satisfies but does not monopolize; that requirement is recorded on the additional science credits line.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
No English or composition credit appears on Butler's prerequisite list.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
Statistics, not calculus. The exception is regional: several Oklahoma and Texas programs require college algebra instead and do not count statistics, so check those individually.
- Psychologyrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
Part of a two course social science block: "any combination of psychology or sociology courses (2 courses)." Psychology is not required on its own; two sociology courses would satisfy the whole block.
- Sociologyrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
Butler asks for "any combination of psychology or sociology courses (2 courses)," so this line and the psychology line are one shared two course block: two psychology courses, two sociology courses, or one of each will all satisfy it.
- Advanced biologyrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 6 credits
"Any biology related course at or above 200-level (2 courses)," and Butler reads biology related broadly: its own examples are "genetics, immunology, zoology, pathophysiology, physics, biomedical science, neuroscience, bioengineering, exercise science, kinesiology, and nutrition." No lab is required on these two, and the 200 level floor rules out introductory survey courses.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Anatomy & Physiology with lab at or above 200-level (2 courses)," satisfied by "one Anatomy and one Physiology course OR two semesters of a combined Anatomy & Physiology course." Both must carry the laboratory and sit at or above the 200 level.
- Microbiologyrequired
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"Microbiology with lab at or above 200-level (1 course)." The lab is required here, unlike at most Illinois and Indiana programs.
- Medical terminologynot required here
Not on Butler's prerequisite list.
- Additional science creditsrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
"Additional chemistry course at or above 300 level (1 course)." Butler does not name the topic, only the department and the level, so biochemistry, analytical, instrumental or a second organic all answer it. This sits on top of the two general chemistry courses and the organic course.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.
No minimum and no requirement at all: "The Butler University PA Program does not require healthcare experience for consideration of admission. However, the program looks to admit individuals with a wide range of backgrounds that may include healthcare experience. While previous healthcare experience or shadowing is not required, it may be useful to the student to help discern his or her interest in and aptitude for this career." Butler does not split patient care from healthcare experience because it requires neither.
- Healthcare experiencerecommended
500+ hours
Not required. Butler speaks of "healthcare experience" as one background among many rather than drawing the usual line between patient care and healthcare experience hours.
- PA shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
"While previous healthcare experience or shadowing is not required, it may be useful to the student to help discern his or her interest in and aptitude for this career." No hour figure is published.
Letters
- Science faculty letterrecommended
No published minimum
Only a handful of programs require a science faculty letter by name. An academic letter is welcome nearly everywhere and mandatory almost nowhere.
- PA letternot required here
No PA letter is named. The only letters the admission page requires are the three CASPA evaluations on the Selective Internal Admission Pathway, with no writer specified.
- Supervisor letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
The admission page states a letter requirement only for the Selective Internal Admission Pathway, which asks applicants to "submit three evaluations (letters of recommendation) to CASPA," and names no writer. No letter requirement is published for the Standard Pathway, and with healthcare experience itself optional a work supervisor letter cannot be assumed.
Also on the school’s page
Butler's prerequisite list is the most chemistry heavy on this path and the most forgiving on experience. Counted in courses rather than credits: four chemistry courses (two general, inorganic or analytical with lab, one organic with lab, and one additional chemistry course at or above the 300 level), five biology courses (two anatomy and physiology with lab at or above the 200 level, one microbiology with lab at or above the 200 level, and two more biology related courses at or above the 200 level), one statistics or biostatistics course, and two social science courses in any combination of psychology or sociology. "The minimum eligible overall GPA for all postsecondary coursework must be a 3.2 at the time of application and matriculation into the program," no grade of C minus or lower is accepted on a prerequisite, and "further review of an application may include the Biology, Chemistry, and Physics (BCP) GPA as calculated by CASPA" with no published BCP floor. On experience, "the Butler University PA Program does not require healthcare experience for consideration of admission," which is unusual enough to be the headline for anyone applying here. "Butler University PA Program does not require preadmission testing (e.g. GRE, PA-CAT, MCAT)." A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution is required before the program starts, from Butler itself on the Selective Internal Admission Pathway. The page states no recency window on prerequisite coursework.
Check your transcript against this list
Cyclios keeps this list beside your coursework and tells you what Butler still needs from you.
See it for PA schoolAlso in Indiana
- Franklin College Physician Assistant ProgramFranklin
- Indiana State University Physician Assistant ProgramTerre Haute
- Indiana University Physician Assistant ProgramIndianapolis
- Taylor University Physician Assistant ProgramUpland
- Trine University Physician Assistant ProgramFort Wayne
- University of Evansville Physician Assistant ProgramEvansville
- University of Saint Francis Physician Assistant ProgramFort Wayne
- Valparaiso University Physician Assistant ProgramValparaiso