OPM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

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Operating Manual 

Qualification Standards for General 

Schedule Positions 

Group Coverage Qualifications Standards for 

Professional and Scientific Positions 

The text below is extracted verbatim from Section IV-A (pp.19-24) of the Operating 

Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions [MANUAL], but 

contains minor edits to conform to web-page requirements.

This qualification standard covers positions in the General Schedule that involve the 

performance of two-grade interval professional and scientific work. The specific 

requirements for entry into each occupation covered by this standard are described in 

individual occupational requirements in Section IV-B of the [MANUAL]. This same 

information is available through the index of this Web page. Subsection E.4.(g) of the 

"General Policies and Instructions" (Section II of this Manual) provides guidance on 

interpreting minimum educational requirements. 

A list of the occupational series covered by this standard is provided below. 

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL GRADES

Applicants who meet the basic requirements described in the individual occupational 

requirements are fully qualified for the specified entry grade (generally grade GS-5). 

Applicants who wish to qualify for positions at higher grade levels (generally grade GS-7 

and above) must also meet the requirements shown in the table on page IV-A-22, in 

addition to meeting the basic requirements. 

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OPM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

The individual occupational requirements typically provide at least two methods for 

applicants to meet the basic requirements of the occupations covered by this standard: 

A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or 

university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study 

or specific course requirements generally as stated in paragraph A in the individual 

occupational requirements. 

Where specific course requirements are not indicated in paragraph A, the number of 

semester hours required to constitute a major field of study is the amount specified by 

the college or university attended. If this number cannot be obtained, 24 semester 

hours will be considered as equivalent to a major field of study. The nature and 

quality of this required course work must have been such that it would serve as a 

prerequisite for more advanced study in the field or subject-matter area. Related 

course work generally refers to courses that may be accepted as part of the program 

major. 

OR 

B. Appropriate combination of education and experience that is typically specified in 

paragraph B of the individual occupational requirements. The "paragraph B" method 

generally requires that an applicant possess a core of educational credit, such as 

described in paragraph A above, plus additional education and/or experience. The 

method of determining the number of semester hours required to constitute a major 

field of study is the same as described in paragraph A. 

The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to 

demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required 

to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired 

through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the 

appropriate field. In addition to courses in the major and related fields, a typical 

college degree would have included courses that involved analysis, writing, critical 

thinking, research, etc. These courses would have provided an applicant with skills 

and abilities sufficient to perform progressively more responsible work in the 

occupation. Therefore, creditable experience should have demonstrated similarly 

appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the work of the occupation. 

The individual occupational requirements for some series make no provision for 

combining experience and education. Therefore, they do not include paragraph B 

provisions. 

For a small number of occupations or positions covered by this standard, applicants may 

possess certain kinds of experience in lieu of education. In such cases, applicants may 

meet minimum qualification requirements through experience equivalent to a 4-year 

degree. These situations are generally described in paragraph C of the individual 

occupational requirements. 

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OPM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

Applicants whose experience is used to meet the basic requirements through a paragraph 

B or C provision may qualify for grades above the entry level if that experience includes 

1 year of specialized experience. In such cases, the specialized experience would have to 

be evaluated to determine if it is at the appropriate grade level in the normal line of 

progression. 

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-7 

AND ABOVE

In addition to meeting the basic entry qualification requirements, applicants must have 

specialized experience and/or directly related education in the amounts shown in the table 

below. 

 

GRADE/POSITIONS EDUCATION 

SPECIALIZED 

EXPERIENCE 

GS-7 1 year of graduate-level education or

superior academic achievement 

1 year equivalent to at 

least GS-5 

GS-9

2 years of progressively higher level 

graduate education leading to a master's 

degree or master's or equivalent 

graduate degree 

1 year equivalent to at 

least GS-7 

GS-11

3 years of progressively higher level 

graduate education leading to a Ph.D. 

degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral 

degree 

1 year equivalent to at 

least GS-9 

GS-12 

and 

above

 

1 year equivalent to at 

least next lower grade 

level 

Research Positions

GS-11

research positions Master's or equivalent graduate degree 1 year equivalent to at least GS-9 

GS-12

research positions Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree 1 year equivalent to at least GS-11 

GS-13 and above

research positions 

1 year equivalent to at 

least next lower grade 

level 

NOTE: Education and experience may be combined for all grade levels for which both 

education and experience are acceptable. 

While the levels of experience shown for most positions covered by this standard follow 

the grade level progression pattern outlined in the table, users of the standard should refer 

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OPM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

to E.3.(p) in the "General Policies andInstructions" (Section II of this Manual) for 

guidance on crediting experience for positions with different lines of progression. 

Combining Education and Experience: When combining education with experience, first 

determine the applicant's total qualifying education as a percentage of the education 

required for the grade level; then determine the applicant's experience as a percentage of 

the experience required for the grade level; finally, add the two percentages. The total 

percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. For 

example, an applicant for a GS-184, Sociology, position has successfully completed 60 

undergraduate semester hours, including 24 semester hours in sociology, and, in addition, 

has 2 full-time years of appropriate experience that demonstrates that the applicant 

possesses the necessary analytical and communication skills. The applicant would qualify 

for GS-5, since the 60 semester hours (the equivalent of 2 years of undergraduate 

education, or 50 percent of the total requirement) were supplemented by 2 additional 

years of appropriate experience that provided the remaining 50 percent of the total 

required education and experience. 

Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular 

knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that 

is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, 

specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in 

the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. 

Superior Academic Achievement: The superior academic achievement provision is 

applicable to all occupations covered by this standard. See the "General Policies and 

Instructions" for specific guidance on applying the superior academic achievement 

provision. 

Graduate Education: Completion of graduate level education in the amounts shown in 

the table, in addition to meeting the basic requirements, is qualifying for positions at 

grades GS-7 through GS-11, and GS-12 research positions if it provided the knowledge, 

skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. One year of full-time graduate education is 

considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to 

represent 1 year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 

semester hours should be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time 

graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time 

study at the school attended. 

Research Positions: Positions that primarily involve scientific inquiry or investigation, or 

research-type exploratory development of a creative or advanced scientific nature, where 

the knowledge required to perform the work successfully is typically and primarily 

acquired through graduate study (master's or equivalent degree for GS-11, Ph.D. or 

equivalent for GS-12). The work is such that the academic preparation will equip the 

applicant to perform the full range of professional work of the position after a short 

orientation period. 

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OPM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

1. Qualification on the basis of education--Applicants for such research positions 

can be considered qualified for GS-11 if they possess an appropriate master's or 

equivalent graduate degree, and qualified for GS-12 if they possess a Ph.D. or 

equivalent doctoral degree. 

2. Qualification on the basis of experience--Applicants who furnish positive 

evidence that they have performed highly creative or outstanding research that has 

led or can lead to major advances in a specific area of research, to a major 

advance in the discipline or field of science involved, or to major advances in 

science in general, can be rated under this provision for highly demanding 

research positions requiring similar abilities. Under these circumstances, 

applicants can be rated eligible for the next higher grade level above that for 

which they would normally be rated, provided they have not been rated eligible at 

this higher grade on the basis of meeting the graduate study requirements 

described in paragraph 1 above. To receive this rating, the work must have been 

creative in the sense that it developed a basic principle, product, concept, method, 

approach, or technique, or provided a body of basic information that opened the 

way for a major advance in the discipline or field of science involved, or to 

advances in science in general, by providing a method of solving other problems, 

opening areas of research, or providing the means of exploiting the application of 

science in a major area. 

Applicants cannot receive an "extra" grade for education, and an additional 

"extra" grade for appropriate experience. 

Combination of Graduate Education and Professional Experience: Combinations of 

successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used 

to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of the 

amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience. For 

example, an applicant with 6 months of appropriate experience equivalent to GS-7 (50 

percent of the experience requirement for GS-9) and 27 semester hours of appropriate 

graduate education (50 percent of the education requirement for GS-9, in excess of that 

required for GS-7) would be qualified for a GS-9 position (assuming that there is no 

evidence that the attended college or university requires more than 18 semester hours as 

equivalent to a year of graduate study). 

USING SELECTIVE FACTORS FOR POSITIONS COVERED BY THIS 

STANDARD

There are a variety of situations where agencies would be warranted in limiting 

consideration to applicants who possess the particular qualifications required to perform 

the work of positions covered by this standard. For example, an agency may require 

specific kinds of training appropriate for filling positions concerned with scientific 

research and development activities, or may require specific educational courses or 

combinations of courses (where the individual occupational requirements permit 

applicants to qualify based on several combinations of educational course work) to meet 

other specialized agency requirements. An agency filling an international economist 

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position may require knowledge of international economics. In this case, since applicants 

can qualify on the basis of education, the agency may require certain types of educational 

courses. Similarly, in some cases, consideration may be limited only to those applicants 

who possess an appropriate license, registration, or certification, if possession of such is 

determined to be necessary for carrying out the responsibilities of a position and/or 

required by statute. 

OCCUPATIONAL COVERAGE 

A list of the occupational series covered by this qualification standard is provided below. 

All occupational series covered by this standard have individual occupational 

requirements in Section IV-B of the Operating Manual for Qualification Standards 

for General Schedule Positions. Refer to the Index for links.

GS-020 Community Planning 

GS-101 Social Science 

GS-110 Economist 

GS-130 Foreign Affairs 

GS-131 International Relations 

GS-140 Workforce Research and Analysis 

GS-150 Geography 

GS-170 History 

GS-180 Psychology 

GS-184 Sociology 

GS-185 Social Work 

GS-190 General Anthropology 

GS-193 Archeology 

GS-401 General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences 

Series 

GS-403 Microbiology 

GS-405 Pharmacology 

GS-408 Ecology 

GS-410 Zoology 

GS-413 Physiology 

GS-414 Entomology 

GS-415 Toxicology 

GS-430 Botany 

GS-434 Plant Pathology 

GS-435 Plant Physiology 

GS-437 Horticulture 

GS-440 Genetics 

GS-454 Rangeland Management 

GS-457 Soil Conservation 

GS-460 Forestry 

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OPM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

GS-470 Soil Science 

GS-471 Agronomy 

GS-480 Fish and Wildlife Administration 

GS-482 Fish Biology 

GS-485 Wildlife Refuge Management 

GS-486 Wildlife Biology 

GS-487 Animal Science 

GS-510 Accounting 

GS-511 Auditing 

GS-512 Internal Revenue Agent 

GS-601 General Health Science 

GS-630 Dietitian and Nutritionist 

GS-631 Occupational Therapist 

GS-633 Physical Therapist 

GS-635 Kinesiotherapy 

GS-637 Manual Arts Therapist 

GS-638 Recreation/Creative Arts Therapist 

GS-639 Educational Therapist 

GS-644 Medical Technologist 

GS-665 Speech Pathology and Audiology 

GS-690 Industrial Hygiene 

GS-696 Consumer Safety 

GS-801 General Engineering 

GS-803 Safety Engineering 

GS-804 Fire Protection Engineering 

GS-806 Materials Engineering 

GS-807 Landscape Architecture 

GS-808 Architecture 

GS-810 Civil Engineering 

GS-819 Environmental Engineering 

GS-830 Mechanical Engineering 

GS-840 Nuclear Engineering 

GS-850 Electrical Engineering 

GS-854 Computer Engineering 

GS-855 Electronics Engineering 

GS-858 Biomedical Engineering 

GS-861 Aerospace Engineering 

GS-871 Naval Architecture 

GS-880 Mining Engineering 

GS-881 Petroleum Engineering 

GS-890 Agricultural Engineering 

GS-892 Ceramic Engineering 

GS-893 Chemical Engineering 

GS-894 Welding Engineering 

GS-896 Industrial Engineering 

GS-1015 Museum Curator 

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OPM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

4-15 September, 2008 

GS-1221 Patent Adviser 

GS-1223 Patent Classifying 

GS-1224 Patent Examining 

GS-1226 Design Patent Examining 

GS-1301 General Physical Science 

GS-1306 Health Physics 

GS-1310 Physics 

GS-1313 Geophysics 

GS-1315 Hydrology 

GS-1320 Chemistry 

GS-1321 Metallurgy 

GS-1330 Astronomy and Space Science 

GS-1340 Meteorology 

GS-1350 Geology 

GS-1360 Oceanography 

GS-1370 Cartography 

GS-1372 Geodesy 

GS-1373 Land Surveying 

GS-1380 Forest Products Technology 

GS-1382 Food Technology 

GS-1384 Textile Technology 

GS-1386 Photographic Technology 

GS-1420 Archivist 

GS-1501 General Mathematics and Statistics 

GS-1510 Actuarial Science 

GS-1515 Operations Research 

GS-1520 Mathematics 

GS-1529 Mathematical Statistics 

GS-1530 Statistics 

GS-1550 Computer Science 

GS-1701 General Education and Training 

GS-1710 Education and Vocational Training 

GS-1720 Education Program 

GS-1725 Public Health Educator 

GS-1730 Education Research 

GS-1740 Education Services 

GS-1750 Instructional Systems 

 

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