PA · Nutley, New Jersey · private
Seton Hall University Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What Seton Hall 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
- Biology with labrequiredextra here
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Biology: Two semesters (typically 7-8 credits) with a laboratory component are required." Preferred: General Biology I and II with lab. If those are not offered, general biology with lab plus cell biology with lab or genetics, or cell biology with lab plus genetics. Unacceptable: non-science-major coursework, "Botany, Ecology, Environmental Science, Zoology."
- General chemistry with labrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Chemistry: Two semesters (typically 7-8 credits) with a laboratory component are required." Preferred: General Chemistry I and II with lab. Only if those are not offered: one semester of general chemistry with lab plus one of organic or biochemistry with lab, or organic plus biochemistry, each with lab.
- Biochemistrynot required here
Not required on its own. Biochemistry with lab appears only as a substitute within the chemistry block, acceptable if General Chemistry I and II are not offered at the applicant's university.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
Not on Seton Hall's prerequisite form.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Mathematics: One semester (3 credits) is required." Preferred: Statistics, Introduction to Statistics or Biostatistics; Precalculus or Calculus I or II acceptable only if the preferred courses are not offered. "Accounting/Finance/Business courses, Algebra, Geometry" are unacceptable.
- Psychologyrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Psychology: One semester (3 credits) is required." Preferred: General or Introduction to Psychology; Abnormal, Behavioral or Developmental Psychology acceptable only if the preferred course is not offered. "All other psychology courses" are unacceptable, with a possible exception for a psychology major or minor.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequired
2 semesters · 8 credits · lab
"Two semesters (typically 7-8 credits) with a laboratory component are required." Preferred: A&P I and II with lab, or Human Anatomy with lab plus Human Physiology with lab. Mammalian A&P with labs is acceptable only if the preferred courses are not offered. Unacceptable: courses limited in scope such as "Anatomy of the Lower Extremity, Musculoskeletal Anatomy, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, Exercise Physiology." Ten year window.
- Microbiologyrequired
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"One semester (typically 4 credits) with a laboratory component is required." General, medical or introductory microbiology with lab; "Courses limited in scope (i.e., Virology, Mycology, Marine Microbiology)" are unacceptable.
- Medical terminologynot required here
Not on Seton Hall's prerequisite form.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.
Seton Hall publishes no separate patient care minimum; its one number is 100 hours of healthcare experience, recorded on the healthcare experience line. Direct patient care is what is favoured within it: "Priority consideration is given to experiences where the applicant has assumed direct patient care responsibility."
- Healthcare experiencerequireddiffers
100+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as recommended.
"A minimum of 100 hours of healthcare experience is required. A variety of healthcare experiences are considered toward the minimum requirement. The healthcare experience can be a paid or volunteer experience." The program does not split patient care from other healthcare experience in its published minimum.
- PA shadowingrecommended
20+ hours
Under a fifth of programs set a shadowing minimum; among those that do the median is 20 hours and a handful ask for 100 or more. Several count shadowing inside their experience total rather than separately, and a few have dropped it from scoring entirely.
Letters
- Science faculty letternot required here
Seton Hall recommends letters from "course instructors" without naming science; recorded on the any-discipline faculty line.
- Faculty letter (any discipline)recommendedextra here
1 letter
Three letters are required "from sources able to attest to the applicant's academic ability and character. It is recommended that letters be obtained from course instructors and clinical supervisors." Course instructors in any discipline; no science restriction. "Letters from family members and acquaintances are not acceptable."
- PA letternot required here
No PA letter is named. "One letter of reference from a healthcare professional is preferred," and any healthcare professional answers that.
- Supervisor letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
Recommended rather than required: "It is recommended that letters be obtained from course instructors and clinical supervisors. One letter of reference from a healthcare professional is preferred."
Also on the school’s page
Seton Hall's admission requirements page carries the GPA, experience, letter and GRE rules and links a Prerequisite Coursework Form (https://www.shu.edu/documents/PA-Prerequisite-Form.pdf, updated 02/25/2026) that names the courses: two semesters of biology with lab, two of chemistry with lab, two of anatomy and physiology with lab, one of microbiology with lab, one of statistics and one of psychology. Each science block lists preferred courses plus alternatives that are "Acceptable if preferred courses are not offered" and count only in that case: "Acceptable courses will be considered only if the preferred courses received AP credits or are not available at the applicant's university." Rules that apply across the list: "All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of 'C' or better. Multiple 'C' grades may make your application non-competitive." "All prerequisite courses must have been completed within ten (10) years before matriculation. Older coursework is not acceptable and must be repeated." Only courses "designated for science or allied health majors" count, "Courses must be taken at a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in the United States," AP credits cannot substitute, "Online courses are often acceptable, but it must be taken at a US accredited institution," and "Applicants must complete all prerequisite courses and baccalaureate degree by May 31st." GPA floors: "Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 (based on a 4.00 scale)" and "Minimum prerequisite courses GPA of 3.2." The GRE is "Required of all applicants and must be taken within the past five years"; "most competitive applicants will have scores at or above the 50th percentile in each test area. The GRE is not waived for any candidate." No PA-CAT is mentioned. Application deadline is December 1, and all required documents including healthcare experience hours must be in by then.
Check your transcript against this list
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