nau essay requirements

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Northern Arizona University Requirements for Admission

Choose your test.

What are Northern Arizona University's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

• GPA requirements
• Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
• Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into Northern Arizona University and build a strong application.

School location: Flagstaff, AZ

This school is also known as: NAU

Admissions Rate: 80%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at Northern Arizona University is 80% . For every 100 applicants, 80 are admitted.

This means the school is lightly selective . The school will have their expected requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores. If you meet their requirements, you're almost certain to get an offer of admission. But if you don't meet Northern Arizona University's requirements, you'll be one of the unlucky few people who gets rejected.

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Northern Arizona University GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 3.7

The average GPA at Northern Arizona University is 3.7 .

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 3.7, Northern Arizona University requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need at least a mix of A's and B's, with more A's than B's. You can compensate for a lower GPA with harder classes, like AP or IB classes. This will show that you're able to handle more difficult academics than the average high school student.

SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

Northern Arizona University hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."

Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to Northern Arizona University will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.

Northern Arizona University SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 1162

The average SAT score composite at Northern Arizona University is a 1162 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes Northern Arizona University Competitive for SAT test scores.

Northern Arizona University SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1060, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1260. In other words, a 1060 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1260 will move you up to above average .

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.

Northern Arizona University has the Score Choice policy of "Highest Section."

This is also known as "superscoring." This means that you can choose which SAT tests you want to send to the school. Of all the scores they receive, your application readers will consider your highest section scores across all SAT test dates you submit .

Click below to learn more about how superscoring critically affects your test strategy.

For example, say you submit the following 3 test scores:

Even though the highest total you scored on any one test date was 1000, Northern Arizona University will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. You can raise your composite score from 1000 to 1400 in this example.

This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and Northern Arizona University forms your Superscore, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Your application readers will only see that one score.

Therefore, if your SAT superscore is currently below a 1060, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it . You have a very good chance of raising your score, which will significantly boost your chances of getting in.

Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the SAT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on. This will give you the highest Superscore possible.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

Northern Arizona University ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, Northern Arizona University likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 22

The average ACT score at Northern Arizona University is 22. This score makes Northern Arizona University Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.

The 25th percentile ACT score is 19, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 25.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 19 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to Northern Arizona University, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 19.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

Northern Arizona University considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require it.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is lightly selective, you have a great shot at getting in, as long as you don't fall well below average . Aim for a 1060 SAT or a 19 ACT or higher, and you'll almost certainly get an offer of admission. As long as you meet the rest of the application requirements below, you'll be a shoo-in.

But if you score below our recommended target score, you may be one of the very few unlucky people to get rejected.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

• 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
• 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
• 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
• 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
• 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program . We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.

Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:

• PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses . You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
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• Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts . PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers . You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
• We've gotten tremendous results with thousands of students across the country. Read about our score results and reviews from our happy customers .

There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program. Click to learn more about our program , or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:

Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of Northern Arizona University here.

Application Requirements Overview

• Common Application Not accepted
• Electronic Application Available
• Essay or Personal Statement
• Letters of Recommendation
• Interview Not required
• Application Fee $25
• Fee Waiver Available? Available
• Other Notes 16

Testing Requirements

• SAT or ACT Considered if submitted
• SAT Essay or ACT Writing Optional
• SAT Subject Tests Optional
• Scores Due in Office August 1

Coursework Requirements

• Subject Required Years
• Foreign Language 2
• Social Studies 1

Deadlines and Early Admissions

• Offered? Deadline Notification
• Yes August 1 July 1

Admissions Office Information

• Address: South San Francisco Flagstaff, AZ 86011
• Phone: (928) 523-9011 x9011
• Fax: (928) 523-0226
• Email: [email protected]

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in Northern Arizona University, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Northern Arizona University.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Northern Arizona University. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for Northern Arizona University, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for Northern Arizona University, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Northern Arizona University is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.

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Northern Arizona University Admissions

Northern Arizona University has an acceptance rate of 80%. Half the applicants admitted to Northern Arizona University who submitted test scores have an SAT score between 1050 and 1270 or an ACT score of 19 and 25. However, one quarter of admitted applicants achieved scores above these ranges and one quarter scored below these ranges. The application deadline at Northern Arizona University is Aug. 1.

Admissions officials at Northern Arizona University consider a student's GPA a very important academic factor. An applicant's high school class rank, when available, is considered but letters of recommendation are not considered by admissions officials at Northern Arizona University. To see additional academic factors along with other school data, learn more about College Compass .

Northern Arizona University Admissions Stats

Will you get into northern arizona university , college admissions calculator.

Data provided by U.S. News College Compass Users.

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Northern Arizona University Admissions Requirements

Admission interview

Neither required/recommended

Required Standardized Tests

Neither SAT nor ACT

SAT/ACT Scores Must Be Received By

UNLOCK WITH COMPASS

Northern Arizona University Applications

Application Deadline

Early Decision Deadline

Common Application Accepted

Deadline for housing deposit

September 1

Entering Class Stats

Selectivity

Acceptance rate

Early Decision Acceptance Rate

SATs on 1600 scale

Transfer Students

Accepting applications

Fall, Spring, Summer

Minimum credits to apply

Minimum required college GPA

Guaranteed admission agreement URL

International Students

Fall - Rolling

beginning March 1

Spring - Rolling

beginning Sept. 15

Summer - Rolling

Separate Application Form Required

Conditional admission offered

Early decision or early action options available

Neither early decision nor early action

TOEFL (paper)

Required of some

TOEFL (internet-based)

Michigan Test

Advance deposit required

TOEFL accepted instead of SAT or ACT

More from This School

• Online Programs
• Graduate Schools
• Global Universities

Colleges Advice

Finding the Right School

Apply to College

Paying For College

Studying in the U.S.

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• FLAGSTAFF, AZ
• grade  B Overall Grade
• Rating 3.75 out of 5   5,830 reviews

How to Apply to Northern Arizona University

Start your application, application requirements.

• High School GPA Required
• High School Rank Neither required nor recommended
• High School Transcript Required
• College Prep Courses Neither required nor recommended
• SAT/ACT Neither required nor recommended
• Recommendations Neither required nor recommended

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Northern Arizona University (NAU) Admission Requirements 2022

As of last year's fall semester, 31,066 students were enrolled, in which 27,072 were undergraduate students at the Flagstaff campus. NAU also participates in the Western Undergraduate Exchange Program, which offers lower tuition rates for students from the Western United States. Northern Arizona University offers Flagstaff undergraduate students the Pledge Program, which guarantees the same tuition rate for four years.

The university is recognized and is nationally

Acceptance Rate

1040 - 1220

Northern Arizona University (NAU) Admissions

Northern Arizona University is somewhat selective in nature with an acceptance rate of 83% . The regular admissions application deadline for NAU is rolling , which means you are not required to wait for a long time before knowing the status of your admission application.

Northern Arizona University Application Process

This limited access program requires a special application in addition to the main Northern Arizona University application. Students may attend as full-time or part-time. Follow the steps below.

Click step for the Culinary Management application details - 

Step 1:  Check Deadlines & Contact Program Advisor

Step 2:  Apply for General Admission to Northern Arizona University

Step 3:  Verify General Admissions Requirements

Step 4:  Complete the Degree of Online Application

Step 5:  Testing Requirement

Step 6:  Submit Reference Letters and Essay

Northern Arizona University Admissions Office

For any further details, an applicant can contact the admissions department in the university

• Address -  S. San Francisco Street Flagstaff, AZ 86011
• Phone -  (888) 628-2968
• Email -  [email protected]

SAT Scores you need to get in

SAT Range The composite score range which the Institution consistently takes, below which admission should be considered a reach.

Applicants Submitting SAT Percentage of Students submitting SAT Scores.

SAT Reading 25th

SAT Math 25th

SAT Composite 25th

SAT Reading 75th

SAT Math 75th

SAT Composite 75th

Average SAT Score

SAT scores help colleges interpret the students' overall academic performance. However, it should be noted that the SAT scores are not one of the mandatory requirements to get admission to the Northern Arizona University.

ACT Scores you need to get in

ACT Range The composite score range which the Institution consistently takes, below which admission should be considered a reach.

Applicants Submitting ACT Percentage of Students submitting ACT Scores.

ACT Math 25th

ACT English 25th

ACT Composite 25th

ACT Math 75th

ACT English 75th

ACT Composite 75th

Average ACT Score

ACT scores are an important component of a college application and can make a candidate's profile stand out. Applicants can submit their ACT scores for securing admission to Northern Arizona University. However, it should be pointed out that the university doesn't put much emphasis on the same.

Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Grade Points Average (GPA) The average high school GPA of the admitted students

GPA is an important criterion in getting selected at Northern Arizona University. The average GPA that applicants who get selected at NAU score is 3.4 and above.

Admission Requirements

What Really Matters When Applying

High School GPA

High School Rank

Neither required nor recommended

High School Transcript

College Prep Courses

Recommended

Recommendations

Freshman applicants must satisfactorily complete the subsequent Arizona Board of Regents coursework competencies:

Meet one of the following:

• 4 Years of high school English (composition/literacy-based)
• ACT: 21+ English score
• SAT: 580+ Critical Reading score (530+ if taken before March 2016)
• One transferable three-credit college English Composition course

Mathematics

• 4 years of high school math courses, including one year each of Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II, and a complicated class that Algebra II may be a prerequisite
• ACT: 24+ math score
• SAT: 570+ math score (540+ if taken before March 2016)
• One transferable three-credit college math course that a minimum of intermediate algebra may be a prerequisite

Laboratory Science

• 3 years of high school laboratory science: one year each of biology, chemistry, natural science, or physics. An integrated science class could also be substituted for one required course.
• Two years highschool laboratory science (biology, chemistry, natural science or physics) plus one among the subsequent test scores (test score could also be wont to satisfy one lab science unit other than high school credits earned)
• ACT: 20+ science score
• SAT: 600+ chemistry score, 590+ biology score, or 620+ physics score
• Three transferable four-credit college lab sciences courses (One semester each of biology, chemistry, natural science, and physics). An integrated science or advanced level science class could also be substituted for one required course.

Social Science

Meet one of the following from each section:

• History/Social Studies - One-year high school American History
• SAT II: 560+ American History/Social Studies score
• One transferable three-credit college American History course
• Social Science - One-year highschool science (such as European history, world history, economics, sociology, geography, government, psychology or anthropology)
• SAT II: 580+ world history score
• One transferable three-credit college social science course

Second Language

• 2 years of an equivalent highschool second language (foreign, Native American or sign language)
• Attain a minimum score on national standardized second/foreign language test (AP 3+, CLEP 50+, IB 4+)
• One year of transferable college study in the same second language.
• 1 year or a two-semester combination of highschool fine arts or Career and Technical Education (CTE)
• One transferable three-credit college fine arts course.
• Semesters of art and career and technical education can't be combined.

You may be exempt from the course requirements if you meet one among the following:

• You are 22 years of age or older
• We will evaluate using overall high school GPA or a mixture of high school and college work
• You’ve earned a GED (submit a politician score report from the applicable state’s department of education)
• Pre-2002: 50+ score
• 2002-2014: 500+ score
• Post-2014: 680+ score with minimum 170 in each content area
• You’ve completed an associate’s or higher-level degree:
• Minimum 2.0 GPA from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution for Arizona residents, 2.5 GPA for nonresidents.
• You’ve completed the Arizona General Education Curriculum (minimum 2.5 GPA required)
• You were home-schooled
• Provide a high school transcript coursework. Submit ACT/SAT scores for scholarship consideration

Admission Deadlines

Application Deadline Deadline for application submissions. Please contact the school for more details.

Application Fee Application fees may vary by program and may be waived for certain students. Please check with the school.

Early Decision Deadline

Early Action Deadline

Offer Action Deadline

Offers Early Decision

Application Website

https://nau.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/

Accepts Common App

Accepts Coalition App

As the university follows a rolling admissions policy, there are no fixed deadline for the general courses at NAU.

Acceptance Rate and Admission Statistics

Admission statistics.

Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield)

Credits Accepted

Dual Credit

Credit for Life Experiences

The majority of the universities in the US incentivize students by helping them score university credit through certain courses offered in high school. There are many such programs that are at disposal for the students. Some of the famous ones include AP Credit, CLEP (Credit for Life Experiences), and Dual Enrollment (also known as Dual Credit). However, there is no common policy and instead, colleges follow their own, separate policy regarding these credits. There are multiple perks for the usage of these courses such as higher GPA, shorter time to finish a degree, and increased chances of completing a degree. To pursue AP and CLEP credits, students are instructed to visit collegeboard.org and request to submit the scores to the university of their choice.

Other Colleges In Arizona

Various academic affiliation of this university are -

URA: Universities Research Association.

APLU: Association of Public and Land grant Universities.

ABOR: Arizona Board of Regents

Tempe, Arizona 4 years Public

The university continues to improvise in providing quality and affordable education.

With constantly updated amenities, top-tier infrastructures, and state-of-the-art athletic facilities, the university is expanding rapidly.

Phoenix, Arizona 4 years Private For-Profit

Mesa, Arizona 2 years Public

Other Colleges In Flagstaff

Flagstaff, Arizona 2 years Public

Other Public Colleges

Online Education at GPTC

The goal of distance education and online studies at Georgia Piedmont Technical College is to provide our students with the opportunity to access quality instruction anytime, anywhere. Such access facilitates a barrier-free delivery of ins

Clarkston, Georgia 2 years Public

Online Education at GCCAZ

Distance education provides opportunities for remote area students as well as international students to attain lifelong education without facing any problems. The college has 100% online education for international students and hybrid system which is th

Glendale, Arizona 2 years Public

Kennesaw, Georgia 4 years Public

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Confused about grade point averages? This article explains everything you need to know, including

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Wondering what could be the highest ACT Score that one could get? Learn more about the highest

Wondering what is a good SAT score? Learn about average SAT scores, good SAT scores, and the best

Northern Arizona University | NAU

Cost & scholarships.

• Essay prompt

Your chances

Acceptance rate, acceptance rate breakdown, applicant breakdown, average net cost after aid.

Published costs and averages can be misleading: they don’t fully account for your family’s finances (for financial aid) or your academic profile (for scholarships).

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• Planning & Enrollment

Academic Planning

NAU has a variety of tools to support your academic planning and help ensure your pathway to a timely graduation. 

• Jacks Planner : Personalized degree planning tool found in your LOUIE homepage . 
• Progression Plans : Fixed degree planning tool found on NAU’s website.
• Advisement Report : Detailed list of your degree requirements and what you still need to complete to graduate from NAU, accessible from your LOUIE homepage.

NAU Degree Requirements

• Academic Catalog: Comprehensive collection of degree requirements and academic policies.
• View the breakdown of the Degree Requirements needed to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree from NAU.
• Liberal Studies
• Honors Curriculum

Enrollment Help

• Facilitate your enrollment through your LOUIE homepage.  
• NAU Advising YouTube Channel : tutorials on how to search for and enroll in classes

Talk to an advisor about how to use these tools to understand your degree requirements, build a plan, enroll, and track your progress to graduation. We are here to support your journey!

University Advising

Mailing address, social media.

Locating Dissertations and Theses

• Dissertations and Theses - Home
• International Dissertations & Theses
• Dissertation Sources by Topic
• Video Tutorial for Finding Dissertations

Library Student Employment Coordinator

Dissertation or Thesis - what is the difference?

A  dissertation  is a book-length work prepared by a graduate student as a requirement for a doctoral degree (usually a Ph.D.)

A  thesis  is an in-depth essay prepared by a student as part of the requirements for a master's degree (usually M.A.) or for an undergraduate degree.  Students are often not required to make their dissertations or theses openly available to the public.  Some choose to not have their works added to databases, or be printed, then added to a library.  Those that are printed, bound, and added to a library are frequently added to non-circulating collections.  This makes it sometimes challenging to obtain print copies through Interlibrary Loan.  Cline's Document Delivery  service will attempt to obtain print copies of dissertations from any library that owns a copy; just be aware it will take time and the request might be canceled.  

International dissertations are often more challenging to obtain in print through Interlibrary Loan. Many libraries have their dissertations in a non-circulating collection, others are reluctant to mail internationally.  Cline Library's Document Delivery service can attempt to order international titles, just be aware that the success rate is low.  Whenever possible, try to locate a digitally-born copy through an online source like those within this guide. 

This guide is designed to help users locate digitally-born dissertations.  

NAU Dissertations and Theses

Tips for Finding Dissertations from the United States

Start out by searching for dissertations using the  proquest dissertations & theses database . .

Within the database be aware of full text options. For newer materials (after 2007), digital might be the only option for obtaining a free copy. Dissertations produced after 2007 frequently are only available in electronic format, with very few printed or added to libraries.

Be aware of the university where it was produced.  Many universities have digital repositories where dissertations are placed.  It is worth Googling the "school name AND digital repository".  Once on the repository page, search by the dissertation title or author.    

Dissertations from many U.S. and Canadian universities can be purchased online through  ProQuest UMI Dissertation Express .  NAU does not purchase dissertations. 

Open Access Sources

Open Access Sources for Dissertations

Open Access sources are completely free, digital, and easy to obtain.  Most are instant access.

Digital Commons Network

Free, full-text scholarly articles from hundreds of universities and colleges worldwide. Curated by university librarians and their supporting institutions, the Network includes a growing collection of peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, dissertations, working papers, conference proceedings, and other original scholarly work.

Open Dissertations is a collaboration between Ebsco and BiblioLabs.

This collection has the full text of many older theses and dissertations. There is no way to search just dissertations and theses, but if you have the author and title information, you may be able to find the full text.

The Institute of Historical Research has been collecting information about history PhDs and research Masters since the 1930s. You can browse or search the directory of theses completed from 1970s onward, as well as current research in progress, here.

Created by Virginia Tech, NDLTD is an international organization dedicated to promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination, and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). NDLTD is the biggest consortium worldwide for online dissertations.

OATD.org aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata comes from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions. OATD currently indexes over 4 million theses and dissertations.

OAIster is a union catalog of millions of records that represent open access resources. This catalog was built through harvesting from open access collections worldwide using the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH). Today, OAIster includes more than 50 million records that represent digital resources from more than 2,000 contributors.

OpenDOAR OpenDOAR is a global Directory of Open Access Repositories that often include dissertations and theses.  

A listing of open access repositories for electronic theses and dissertations. May be further limited by country and software type.

Thesis Commons An open archive of theses from OSF Preprints.  Includes the following subjects: Architecture, Business, Engineering, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Mathematics, Arts & Humanities, Education, Law, Medicine & Health Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences.

U.S. University Digital Repositories

Digitally Born Dissertations (typically 2007 to present):  Many universities have digital repositories where authors can add their dissertations, articles, or chapters.  These repositories often allow free downloads. Before submitting an Interlibrary Loan request for dissertations after 2007, it is often a good idea to Google the title to see if a full text option is available or attempt to locate the university's digital repository.    

A sample of digital repositories that provide public access to theses and dissertations:

Arizona State University Digital Repository 

ASU has created a LibGuide to assist in locating ASU dissertations.  It can be found here. 

University of Arizona Digital Repository

Several UA departments maintain their own archives of dissertations, masters theses, and other reports (including materials not submitted to the library). Check with individual departments or browse these online archives:

• Geosciences  (paper copies available in their  Antevs  Library)
• Honors College  (UA Campus Repository, paper copies from 1960s-2005 located in  Special Collections )  

Boston College Dissertations and Theses in eScholarship

University of California System: eScholarship

Duke University: Duke Space, Theses and Dissertations

Harvard University: Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) .

Johns Hopkins University: DSpace Repository  

Michigan State University

Northeastern University: Digital Reposity Service: Theses and Dissertations

OhioLINK Electronic Theses & Dissertations  

University of Washington: ResearchWorks

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• Last Updated: Jun 3, 2022 11:53 AM
• URL: https://libraryguides.nau.edu/finding_dissertations

Physician Assistant Studies, Master of Physician Assistant Studies

Department of Physician Assistant Studies

College of Health and Human Services

The NAU Physician Assistant (PA) program is the only PA program offered at a public university in Arizona. Parts of the 24-month curriculum are delivered in collaboration with the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix. Successful graduates will receive a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) from NAU and will be qualified to take the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE) that is required for licensure as a PA. The NAU PA program offers high-quality clinical experiences, interdisciplinary medical education, value and affordability. The program will equip students with clinical and professional knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide high-quality, compassionate medical care for the people of Arizona. The mission of the program addresses the need to reduce Arizona’s health care workforce shortages.

This program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)

University Requirements

To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units. You must additionally complete:

• All requirements for your specific academic plan(s). This may include a thesis.
• All graduate work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.
• All work toward the master's degree must be completed within six consecutive years. The six years begins with the semester and year of admission to the program.

Read the full policy here .

In addition to University Requirements:

• Physician Assistant Content Coursework: 57 units
• Capstone Course Requirement: 2 units
• Physician Assistant Seminar: 1 unit
• Required Clinical Rotations: 44 units

Purpose Statement Physician Assistants are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine in a healthcare team. PAs are educated in the medical model designed to complement physician training, and are trained in intensive education programs accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Upon graduation, physician assistants take a national certification examination developed by the National Commission on Certification of PAs (NCCPA).   As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery, and in virtually all states can write prescriptions.  Within the physician-PA relationship, physician assistants exercise autonomy in medical decision making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services.  A PA’s practice may also include education, research, and administrative services.   NAU has a long history of quality Health Science education with up-to-date technology, simulation center and inter-professional learning environment, and in supervised clinical experiences throughout Arizona   Our program is based on the philosophy that PAs can make a difference providing healthcare in underserved and rural areas of Arizona. During the clinical year, students will be educated in community health clinics, Indian health service facilities, and other community-based institutions. Students are encouraged to apply to become National Health Service Corps scholars. The program will work with the state’s 5 Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) and the Arizona Alliance of Community Health Centers (AACHC) to identify rural healthcare sites for additional learning experiences. Student Learning Outcomes  

• Obtain and record a complete and accurate medical history from any patient in any setting.
• Perform a complete or problem-focused physical examination on any patient in any setting.
• Interpret and synthesize the information derived from the history, physical examination and other patient related data to guide the formulation of a thorough differential diagnosis
• Order, perform and interpret appropriate diagnostic procedures and laboratory tests based upon the findings from the medical history and physical examination.
• Identify, discuss, perform, and order appropriate therapy and treatment modalities for the management of commonly occurring primary care entities.
• Recognize life threatening conditions.
• Clearly and effectively communicate with patients, their families, and other medical personnel in a professional manner
• Demonstrate the impact that health problems have on the individual and family members and will develop an attitude of professional concern for each patient.
• Utilize critical thinking skills through the use of evidence-based medicine.
• Articulate the unique role of the physician assistant in the medical team.
• Possess a working knowledge of the American health care delivery system.
• Exhibit ethical behavior and professional conduct.

Graduate Admission Information

The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College. Admission requirements include the following:

• Transcripts.
• Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.

Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies. Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy .

Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• A minimum of an earned bachelor’s or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution OR equivalent.* Bachelor’s degree does not need to be complete upon application to the program, but pre-requisite courses (see below) must be completed upon application to the program.
• Submit official transcripts in the language of instruction and an official English translation evaluated by either WES or ECE to the NAU Graduate College and to CASPA no later than September 1.  WES or ECE evaluation fees are the responsibility of the applicant.
• Complete pre-requisite courses from a U.S. regionally accredited institution.
• Minimum TOEFL scores of 100 on the IBT and 26 on the speaking component.
• U.S. Citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.
• Completed CASPA application
• 3 letters of recommendation (CASPA submission only)
• 500 hours of health care experience, paid or volunteer
• In-person Interview
• Overall and Science Course Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A"), or equivalent (CASPA calculation)
• Nine units of science coursework (any discipline) must be completed in the last 5 years. These courses may be the same as the prerequisite courses noted below.
• Prerequisite courses from a U.S. regionally accredited institution (completed at the time of application)
• Anatomy and physiology I with lab or anatomy with lab (3 semester credit hours)
• Anatomy and physiology II with lab or physiology with lab (3 semester credit hours)
• General biology I (3 semester credit hours) 
• General biology II (3 semester credit hours) 
• General chemistry I with lab (3 semester credit hours) 
• General chemistry II with lab (3 semester credit hours)
• Microbiology with lab (3 semester credit hours) 
• Organic or biochemistry (3 semester credit hours) 
• Statistics (3 semester credit hours, any discipline) 
• Additional science coursework (12 semester credit hours)
• Personal statement or essay

Master's Requirements

This Master’s degree requires 104 units distributed as follows:

• Physician Assistant Content Coursework: 57 units
• Capstone Course Requirement:  2 units
• Required Clinical Rotations: 44 units

Physician Assistant Content Coursework (57 units)

• Prerequisite: Admittance into the Physician Assistant Studies plan">PHA 500 , Prerequisite: Admittance into the Physician Assistant Studies plan">PHA 511 , Prerequisite: Admittance into the Physician Assistant Studies plan">PHA 512 , Prerequisite: Admittance into the Physician Assistant Studies plan">PHA 520 , Prerequisite: PHA 520">PHA 521 , Prerequisite: PHA 521">PHA 522 , Prerequisite: Admittance into the Physician Assistant Studies plan">PHA 530 , Prerequisite: Admittance into the Physician Assistant Studies plan">PHA 540 , Prerequisite: PHA 500 and PHA 520">PHA 550 , Prerequisite: PHA 550">PHA 551 , Prerequisite: PHA 520">PHA 560 , Prerequisite: PHA 560">PHA 561 , Prerequisite: PHA 520">PHA 570 , Prerequisite: PHA 520">PHA 580 , Prerequisite: PHA 580">PHA 581 , Prerequisite: PHA 500, PHA 511, PHA 512, PHA 520, PHA 521, PHA 530, PHA 540, PHA 550, PHA 560, PHA 570, and PHA 580">PHA 590 , (57 units)

Capstone Course Requirement (2 units)

• Prerequisite: PHA 500, PHA 511, PHA 512, PHA 520, PHA 521, PHA 522, PHA 530, PHA 540, PHA 550, PHA 551, PHA 560, PHA 561, PHA 570, PH...">PHA 689 (2 units)

Physician Assistant Seminar (1 units)

• Prerequisite: PHA 500, PHA 511, PHA 512, PHA 520, PHA 521, PHA 522, PHA 530, PHA 540, PHA 550, PHA 551, PHA 560, PHA 561, PHA 570, PH...">PHA 698 (1 units)

Required Clinical Rotations (44 units) Five 4-week rotations. Three 8-week rotations.

• Prerequisite: Successful completion of didactic year plus PHA 590 with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better">PHA 613 , Prerequisite: Successful completion of didactic year plus PHA 590 with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better">PHA 615 , Prerequisite: Successful completion of didactic year plus PHA 590 with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better">PHA 616 , Prerequisite: Successful completion of didactic year plus PHA 590 with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better">PHA 617 , Prerequisite: Successful completion of didactic year plus PHA 590 with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better">PHA 620 , Prerequisite: PHA 522">PHA 631 , Prerequisite: PHA 522">PHA 632 , Prerequisite: PHA 522">PHA 634 (44 units)

Additional Information

Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

• Program Fee Information

Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee of $20,000 per year divided across three semesters has been approved for this program. 

Campus Availability

• Phoenix Biosciences Core