Degree Level PSC Flashcards
7 cards from real Academic Degree practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Degree Level PSC flashcards as text
An applicant for a GS-12 position substitutes education for experience. Which is the highest academic level OPM generally allows as a full substitute for specialized experience at GS-12?
Answer: No education substitution is allowed at GS-12
OPM generally does not permit education to substitute for specialized experience at grades above GS-11.
Which accrediting body's recognition is most critical for a U.S. engineering degree to count in a Degree Level PSC qualification?
Answer: ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology)
ABET accreditation is the standard for engineering and technology programs, and OPM engineering qualifications require ABET-accredited degrees.
A candidate has 120 semester hours of college credit but no degree conferred. How does OPM typically treat this for PSC purposes?
Answer: Credit hours may partially substitute for experience depending on the grade level
Completed college credit hours can substitute for experience on a prorated basis (e.g., 30 hours = 1 year of study) even without a conferred degree.
When a PSC announcement requires a 'degree with a major in accounting,' which course minimum must the program typically include per OPM standards?
Answer: 24 semester hours in accounting
OPM accounting qualification standards require at least 24 semester hours of accounting coursework as part of the degree.
Which of the following best describes 'combination of education and experience' as used in Degree Level PSC qualification?
Answer: Prorating partial education and partial experience to together meet 100% of the requirement
Combination qualifying means computing percentages—e.g., 50% of required education plus 50% of required experience equals 100% qualification.
In a PSC exam for a biological science position at GS-9, which of the following substitutions is valid?
Answer: A master's degree in biology
A master's degree or two years of graduate study in a directly related field satisfies the GS-9 one-year specialized experience requirement.
For Degree Level PSC purposes, which institution type is considered regionally accredited and therefore most credible for degree recognition?
Answer: A regionally accredited four-year college or university
Regional accreditation (e.g., HLC, SACSCOC) is the standard OPM uses to determine whether a U.S. degree meets federal qualification requirements.