Name: Physician Associate Studies, MPAS (Hons)
Price: £9,535 per year GBP

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Attendance

Campus

Start

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Duration

4 years

Start

September 2025

UCAS Code

BB96

Delivery

In-person

Foundation year available

Want to become a physician associate (PA), a medical associate profession? Our integrated master’s in Physician Associate Studies combines university study with practical work-based placements.

This four-year degree takes you through a rigorous training programme. You'll exit with a professional qualification and a master’s degree. As a PA you'll interview and examine patients and make decisions about patient diagnosis and management, under supervision.

PAs are trained as medical associate professionals. On this course you'll get the opportunity to work in many specialties. You'll study the fundamentals of medical sciences through group activities, practical sessions and lectures. You'll also apply what you learn to real-life situations through cases and clinical placements. This helps you consolidate and contextualise your knowledge.

In Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2) you'll study two out of three modules in each year alongside MBBS students. You'll have a PA specific module in each year to promote your individual professional identity. This will underpin your knowledge of academic skills, evidence-based medicine, and population health.

In Phase 2 (Years 3 and 4) you'll study alongside our postgraduate entry MSc Physician Associate Practice students. The majority of Phase 1 will be at our Preston Campus whilst Phase 2 may involve both the Preston and Westlakes campuses. Clinical placements in a wide variety of locations will help prepare you for a career as a qualified physician associate.

You'll learn clinical and communication skills from the start of the course using our state-of-the-art facilities. You'll interact with volunteer patients and simulated role players. The course follows a spiral curriculum. This means you will repeatedly revisit and apply your knowledge which helps you become well-prepared for actual clinical practice.

Our PA programmes have been mapped to the appropriate external curricula. Changes may be made as part of our routine quality checks or in response to regulation set by the General Medical Council.

Why study with us

8th
in the UK for academic support
National Student Survey (Medicine (non-specific) (compared with unis in the Guardian University Guide)
2023

This is a unique programme and was the first of its kind in the UK.
Qualified PAs have been highlighted as integral to the multidsicpinary team (NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, 2023).
You’ll learn in state-of-the-art facilities. Our clinical skills laboratories have a vast range of equipment. This will help you develop clinical skills in hospital and GP surgery environments.

Interested?

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What you’ll do

You'll learn from supportive, staff who are highly experienced in academia and the clinical environment. This includes several physician associates.
50% of the final two years of the programme is spent in clinical environments. These clinically based placements will help to illustrate how teams work within the NHS.
Develop a career as a medical associate professional and provide holistic care to patients.

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Student assessing patient

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Our Volunteer Patients

Modules

The aim of this module is to build the attributes and behaviours which are expected of a safe and effective clinician and demonstrate the concept of professional practice within the healthcare team. It will develop your initial skills to communicate effectively with patients, carers and healthcare professionals and guide you to demonstrate initial competence in the practical procedures and clinical skills required of trainees.

Module code: UM1030

This module will provide you with practical experience of working in a variety of clinical settings commensurate with the module content for UM4002; Female Health, Sexual Health, Paediatrics, Mental Health, Surgery (general and orthopaedic) and Front Door/Emergency Medicine, and enable you to implement the skills acquired. You'll also be exposed to collaborative working in a multi-professional ‘specialist’ team environment.

Module code: UM4702

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. As well as to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Anatomage Suites

Paediatrics

Clinical Skills Suite (Harrington Building)

Human Anatomy and Learning Suite

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Personally the best support for me is the individual academic advisor assigned to me as that helps to keep me on track and constantly progress.

Shehr-yar Durrani

MPAS (Hons) Physician Associate Studies
United Kingdom

Future careers

As a physician associate you will have the opportunity to work in many medical specialties. You'll also have opportunities in research and academia. On completion of the course, you’ll be well prepared to take the Physician Associate National Exam. After completing this successfully you’ll be able to become a physician associate. You can apply to join the profession’s voluntary register. The General Medical Council (GMC) will soon be assuming responsibility for this.

As a medical associate professional, jobs are typically based in acute medicine, surgery and GP practices. You might also work in more specialised areas such as paediatrics and elderly health.

Qualified physician associates can undertake further studies such as a DProf (professional doctorate). You could also go on to teach in universities and conduct research.

You'll also be able to study various Continuing Professional Development (CPD) modules with us. When you’re a physician associate you’ll need to complete 50 hours of CPD activity every year.

Entry requirements

We will consider your UCAS application including educational achievements, predicted grades, and work experience. If you don't meet the grades for your chosen course, we will consider you for other programmes.

We know that many factors can influence the grades you achieve in school or college. If your life experience has affected your academic studies, we can take this into account. Use the UCAS Points Calculator below to check whether you are eligible.

Unsure if you meet our entry requirements? Contact our friendly Course Enquiries team to talk through your options.

Please note if your application is deemed unsuccessful subsequent applications submitted within the same UCAS cycle will not be considered.

UCAS: AAB at A2 including Chemistry a further science and an academic subject
Pass Access: Higher Education at 136 points including 15 Level 3 Chemistry at Distinction and 15 Level 3 in second science at Distinction
Students must be able to provide evidence of sustained academic achievement (GCSE or acceptable equivalents to include English Language) with a broad study of Science and Mathematics up to the age of 15-16
Applicants are required to interview for the course and may attend open days or offer holder days for further information
A satisfactory criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland), Occupational Health clearance and satisfactory Fitness to Practice assessment are required for this course.

All offers of a place on this course are subject to satisfactory health screening. It is important to note that should your health screening not be satisfactory your offer of a place on this course may be withdrawn.

If you have already enrolled on the course prior to completion of your health screening, or if your health screening clearance is revoked or changes during the course, you may be required to withdraw from the course even if you have already started.

If you would like to discuss or seek advice in respect of the health screening requirements for this course, please contact the Course Enquiries Team.

This course will involve you working with vulnerable groups of individuals, this may include children. In order to ensure that the University offers places on their programmes to suitable candidates you will be required to obtain a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service clearance (formerly termed CRB).

We will be able to guide you through this process once you have been offered a conditional place of study at the University of Central Lancashire.

It is important to note that should your Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check prove to be unsatisfactory for the purpose of the course you have applied to, your offer of a place for that course may be withdrawn. If you have already enrolled on a course and your DBS check subsequently discloses a criminal conviction, you may be required to withdraw from the course even if you have already started. If you are aware that your DBS check will disclose a previous conviction, please contact the course leader for advice as not all convictions may preclude you from continuing with the course.

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Not got the grades?

Our courses with a foundation year could be exactly what you're looking for. They provide an alternative route to study for this degree.

Find out more about our courses with a foundation year.

Fees and funding

2025/26

Full-time£9,535 per year

International

Full-time£35,000 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

We have a wide range of bursaries, scholarships and funds available to help support you whilst studying with us.

Select your country to see eligibility information and how to apply by selecting more info on the cards below.

Select your country/region

Care Leaver Bursary
Our Care Leaver Bursary is for students who need extra support because they have been in care or are estranged from their parents.
Find out more about Care Leaver Bursary
Estranged student support
Estranged Student Support Bursary is for students who need extra support because they are estranged from their parents.
Find out more about Estranged student support
Dependants Bursary
Students with financially dependent children may be eligible for our Dependants Bursary as part of our financial support package. 
Find out more about Dependants Bursary
Financial support package
If you are from a low income household our Financial Bursary may be able to help.
Find out more about Financial support package

Our MPAS (Hons) Physician Associate Studies is an undergraduate integrated master's and lasts four years. Traditional undergraduate degrees last three years. Also, the final two years are not traditional university semesters. You'll be studying three semesters per academic year and so you'll have holidays that are similar to those in full-time work.

You will learn in a traditional manner, but our teaching and learning strategy goes beyond the conventional methods. You'll use state-of-the-art human anatomy resource centres with a virtual dissection table (Anatomage). You'll also get access to modern clinical skills areas, including:

Simulation
Typical ward environments
Single consultation rooms
Paediatric facilities
Operating department areas

Patient cases are often used in the programme which supports your teamwork and leadership skills, as well clinical thinking.

The assessment strategy for the programme is varied and includes:

Examinations, for example single-best answer multiple-choice questions and short answer questions;
written assignments; and
clinical examinations, for example objective structured clinical exams and direct observed procedural skills.

Our programme teaches the fundamentals of medical sciences in interactive small group practical’s, lectures, and asynchronous sessions. These are supported by case-based learning, particularly in later years of the programme, providing an opportunity for you to consolidate and contextualise your knowledge. From the start of the course clinical and communication skills are taught using our state-of-the-art facilities, volunteer patients and simulated role players.

During the first two years of the programme, you study two out of three modules alongside students who are enrolled onto the MBBS programme. The final two years continues with the spiral curriculum principle to enable continuation of developing confident and competent students to begin their career in the healthcare arena.

Outside of the classroom environment, the provision of clinical placements includes a full spectrum of opportunities: urban and rural, specialised hospital and general practice; single-handed or multi-disciplinary. Please be aware that some placements could be during evening and night shifts. Teamwork is an essential quality of being a PA. As a new member of the healthcare team you will be able to influence teamwork, within the support framework of your clinical supervisor, to support patient outcomes.

The clinically based placements will help to illustrate how teams work within the NHS. The geographical location of the University is ideal to enable this amazing combination of clinical opportunities, of which we are very proud.

Interested?

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This course is delivered by the School of Medicine and Dentistry

For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at the University of Central Lancashire on our student contract page

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Physician Associate Studies

Why study with us

What you’ll do

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Modules

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Year 2

Compulsory modules

Year 3

Compulsory modules

Year 4

Compulsory modules

View the course facilities

Hear from our students

Future careers

Entry requirements

Use our UCAS points calculator

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Fees and funding

Scholarships and bursaries

Care Leaver Bursary

Estranged student support

Dependants Bursary

Financial support package

Physician Associate Studies

Why study with us

What you’ll do

Gallery01 / 03

Learn about our MPAS (Hons) Physician Associate Studies course01 / 02

Modules

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Visit us on campus

View the course facilities

Hear from our students

Future careers

Entry requirements

Use our UCAS points calculator

Not got the grades?

Fees and funding

Additional costs

Scholarships and bursaries

Care Leaver Bursary

Estranged student support

Dependants Bursary

Financial support package

Learning and assessment

Industry links

Further information