FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Bethany, OK] – Southern Nazarene University (SNU) is proud to announce that it has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) for its Master of Science in Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program. SNU hopes to receive Accreditation-Provisional status at the October 2026 ARC-PA meeting and anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2027 upon receiving this accreditation.
Developed in response to healthcare workforce needs in Oklahoma and the surrounding region, the program is designed to prepare graduates for professional clinical practice. The 24-month curriculum includes one year of classroom instruction followed by one year of clinical training. Through partnerships with regional healthcare systems and community-based clinical sites, students will gain hands-on experience across a variety of healthcare settings.
“Our mission is to graduate physician assistants who are clinically prepared and ready to serve the patients entrusted to their care,” said Jennifer Boyett, PA-C, Program Director of the SNU PA program. “We have intentionally built a program that emphasizes mentorship, professional growth, and student well-being so that our graduates enter practice equipped to provide compassionate, patient-centered care in their communities.”
“I am excited about this program and its close alignment with the mission of SNU,” said Dr. Melissa Lewis, SNU Vice President of Academic Affairs, Professional and Graduate Studies. “Each component has been designed to prepare future healthcare providers who serve their communities with excellence.”
The program will accept applications for the inaugural January 2027 cohort beginning on April 1, 2026. The application deadline is September 1, 2026, and all applicants must complete their applications and submit all supplemental materials by this deadline to be considered. The application portal will open on April 1, 2026, and a link will be available on the SNU PA program webpage.
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Additional information about the application process, academic requirements, and supplemental documents is also available on the SNU PA program webpage. For admissions questions, please contact pgsadmissions@snu.edu.
SNU has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). SNU anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2027, pending receiving Accreditation-Provisional status at the October 2026 ARC-PA meeting.
Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
SNU is making every effort to meet all ARC-PA accreditation standards for the purposes of achieving Accreditation Provisional status. In the event that ARC-PA does not award Accreditation Provisional status to the program, SNU will not matriculate students. All applicants will be notified, and SNU will refund money received directly from the student: specifically, university application fees, seat deposit fees, and tuition. SNU will not refund costs associated with onsite interviewing with the program.
Pending accreditation provisional approval, SNU PA program graduates will be eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) and subsequently qualify for application for licensure in all U.S. states and territories. Some states may have additional requirements for licensure separate from the PA education. Individual graduates are responsible for achieving state-specific requirements not specific to PA training.
About Southern Nazarene University
Southern Nazarene University, located in Bethany, Oklahoma, is a private Christian institution committed to shaping servant leaders since 1899. With more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs offered on campus and online, SNU emphasizes accessibility, purpose-driven education, and holistic student support.