This program includes
- 16 days of live, project-based training from experts
- Retake for free within 1 year
- Verified digital certificate of completion
- Learn at an accredited institution
This certification program is a customized learning path designed in partnership with GSUSA to meet the immediate training needs of HR professionals working under the Federal Merit Hiring Plan, Presidential mandates, and OPM federal guidance. This certification equips HR specialists with the critical skills needed to support federal staffing, job analysis, qualification determinations, and pay setting processes. With practical, applied learning, participants will be prepared to implement knowledge directly into their HR practices. This program builds upon recent classification training to provide a comprehensive foundation in federal HR policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with current government standards and best practices.
Courses in this Certificate Program
This is the recommended order, but some courses may be taken in a different order.
Unit 1 5 Days
Federal Staffing and Placement Course
Federal Staffing and Placement Course
This course equips HR practitioners with the expertise to manage federal staffing and placement processes effectively. Participants will gain a deep understanding of recruitment strategies, hiring procedures, and federal regulations to support their agency's workforce needs.
- The role of HR practitioners in federal staffing and placement.
- Recruitment methods, hiring procedures, and appointment authorities.
- Evaluating candidates' qualifications, knowledge, skills, and competencies.
- Applying merit promotion and in-service placement procedures.
- Understanding time-in-grade and time-after-competitive-appointment restrictions.
- Downsizing approaches, including reduction in force (RIF) principles and outplacement assistance.
- Informing applicants and employees about the civil service employment system.
Unit 2 2 Days
Job Analysis for Federal Hiring Course
Job Analysis for Federal Hiring Course
Gain the skills to create job-related selection practices that comply with federal regulations and result in higher-quality candidates. This course focuses on job analysis techniques, assessment tool development, and documentation to support hiring decisions.
- Conducting job analyses that meet OPM and UGESP regulatory requirements.
- Defining and differentiating knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies.
- Developing effective applicant assessment tools to improve candidate quality.
- Identifying and addressing issues in existing assessment tools.
- Creating documentation to justify rating criteria and support hiring decisions.
Unit 3 3 Days
Qualifications Analysis Course
Qualifications Analysis Course
This course provides HR professionals with the tools to assess applicant qualifications effectively for federal positions. Participants will learn to apply OPM's standards and analyze experience, education, and eligibility to make informed hiring decisions.
- The role of qualifications analysis in the federal staffing process.
- Evaluating general and specialized experience using OPM's Qualifications Standards.
- Crediting education and combining it with experience to determine minimum qualifications.
- Understanding selective placement factors and quality ranking factors.
- Applying legal and regulatory requirements for eligibility determinations.
- Assessing minimum qualifications and eligibility for federal job applicants.
Unit 4 3 Days
Pay Setting: General Schedule Course
Pay Setting: General Schedule Course
This course equips federal HR professionals with the skills to implement and apply complex pay administration rules for General Schedule employees. Participants will learn to handle various personnel actions, including promotions, reassignments, and pay changes, while ensuring compliance with federal policies.
- Overview of the General Schedule system and pay-setting policies.
- Setting pay for new appointments, reinstatements, and transfers.
- Managing reassignments, promotions, and changes to lower grades.
- Applying grade and pay retention rules.
- Handling pay changes, severance pay, and movement between pay systems.
- Administering allowances, hiring incentives, and back pay.
Unit 5 3 Days
Federal Human Resources Management Course
Federal Human Resources Management Course
This course introduces participants to the principles and processes of federal human resources management (HRM) within the unique merit system environment. Through expert instruction, participants will explore key HRM functions and their interrelationships to effectively manage federal employees.
- Principles of federal HRM and their impact on decision-making.
- Compensation processes, including classification, pay, and benefits.
- Federal hiring processes and equal pay for equal work.
- Strategies to improve employee engagement and workforce satisfaction.
- Performance management, including employee development and appraisals.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), employee relations, and labor relations programs.
Certificate Reviews
Our alumni consistently commend the expertise of our instructors and the real-world relevance of our programs. Their feedback highlights how Graduate School USA training has advanced their skills, supported their agencies’ missions, and fostered long-term professional growth.
SSA OIG Federal Merit Hiring Certificate is rated 4.7 stars by 159 students
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Alice A. Sep 29, 2025Federal Staffing and Placement Course
Patti knew her stuff and was thorough and patient when questions were asked.
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Desiree Chapman Sep 29, 2025Federal Staffing and Placement Course
I am thankful for the opportunity to take this training. I learned a lot of the useful information.
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Jeanette Newell Sep 29, 2025Federal Staffing and Placement Course
Great class! Would recommend to all new HR Recruiters for federal employment. Phil provided relevant examples of the topics discussed to show how it can be provided.
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Brandon Claborn Sep 26, 2025Qualifications Analysis Course
Great knowledge base for qualifications analysis!
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Mark G. Sep 26, 2025Qualifications Analysis Course
Shout out to the instructor - GREAT JOB!
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Alexandra H. Sep 26, 2025Qualifications Analysis Course
DeShanta was a great trainer and made the class engaging.
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Marynelis A. Sep 26, 2025Qualifications Analysis Course
Great information and exercises.
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Mynoir O. Sep 26, 2025Qualifications Analysis Course
I really enjoyed this course and learned a lot. Instructor delivered information clearly and accurately.
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Claudia L. Sep 26, 2025Qualifications Analysis Course
Love the Graduate School classes.
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Diana K. Sep 25, 2025Federal Human Resources Management Course
Great instructor, enthusiastic and used a lot of examples from her experiences during class.
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Rita B. Sep 25, 2025Pay Setting: General Schedule Course
Simona was very engaging for the three days. She explained what could have been complex topics in simple terms. She was well prepared and organized. Thanks again, Simona!!
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Timothy K. Sep 25, 2025Pay Setting: General Schedule Course
Content was good - materials were helpful - challenging information, but definitely improved my knowledge of the subject matter. Good experience overall, I am glad that I took the course.
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Careasa Greer Sep 25, 2025Federal Human Resources Management Course
I highly recommend this class as a foundational tool to build upon. I was thoroughly impressed with the amount of information and guidance received from the instructor and the encouragement to speak up and participate in class in order for us to truly understand the course concepts and find ways to apply them.
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Wayne W. Sep 25, 2025Pay Setting: General Schedule Course
Very knowledgeable and engaging.
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Shawna Ratliff Sep 25, 2025Federal Human Resources Management Course
I enjoyed this class very much. Very informative and I think it will be helpful in progressing within USACE. The instructor was very pleasant and informative, and very patient with us.
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Valerie G. Sep 23, 2025Job Analysis for Federal Hiring Course
The materials presented set the foundation for a not so easy HR task- the Job Analysis. I appreciated the step by step, in relevant order of the process being explained and us working through it. Understanding how JA's are formulated and the legal aspects involved puts into perspective the importance and helps with the understanding of a very significant part of the hiring process.
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Cassandra Moore Sep 23, 2025Job Analysis for Federal Hiring Course
Can't wait to complete my program and use all of this information!
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Melvin T. Sep 23, 2025Job Analysis for Federal Hiring Course
Overall, a great experience and amazing Instructor.
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Cynthia T. Sep 23, 2025Job Analysis for Federal Hiring Course
Very informative! Good flow to the class.
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Brian Allen Sep 22, 2025Federal Staffing and Placement Course
I would recommend this class to any HR professional in the federal Government. The lessons learned during this course can be beneficial no matter what area you work in. Gloria was AMAZING...can not stress that enough. Some of the topics can be a bit dull but she made sure to keep it engaging and interesting.
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Williams M. Sep 21, 2025Qualifications Analysis Course
The instructor was very interactive with the class. Also, very knowledgeable of the class material and gave real life examples.
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Cassandra M. Sep 19, 2025Federal Staffing and Placement Course
Instructor was amazing, kept me very interested in the material and didn't just read from the pages. Very knowledgeable and gave lots of examples and personal experience.
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Rachel A. Sep 19, 2025Qualifications Analysis Course
I've attended classes with Patti before and she is phenomenal. Knowledgeable, considerate, the class is managed effectively.
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Keith M. Sep 19, 2025Qualifications Analysis Course
This was a good course and I would recommend it to others. Candace did an outstanding job. She was friendly, courteous, and professional. She did an excellent job sharing her knowledge and actual federal HR work experiences. Her approach assisted me with understanding the materials that were presented. Job well done.
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Kamron R. Sep 19, 2025Qualifications Analysis Course
I think the class was great and the instructor was phenomenal.
Showing 25 of 85 reviews
Tuition
Full Tuition
Price before discounts: $7,045Full tuition: $6,399
Due before the class starts
This program includes
- 16 days of live, project-based training from experts
- Retake for free within 1 year
- Verified digital certificate of completion
- Learn at an accredited institution
Learning Experience Highlights
Training from government‑experienced instructors
Receive instruction from subject‑matter experts who bring proven government experience.

Specialized for government & DoD
Courses that are regularly updated based on feedback and industry developments, ensuring versions are mapped to federal competencies.
The instructor was wonderful and so knowledgeable. The course materials were extremely relevant to what my job is. I feel like I can be better because of this class.
— 2025 student

Real-world solutions
Directly addressing the day-to-day challenges of federal employees.
125+ departments & agencies served
Your trusted training partner, equipping public service professionals with the skills and knowledge to excel in their roles and drive meaningful impact.
Interactive Training
Attend this certificate program Live Online. Engage with expert instructors, ask questions, and get feedback on your exercises and projects.
At Graduate School USA, you’ll learn in small groups and receive personalized attention.
Live Online Remote, from anywhere
Get the same interactivity and access to the instructor as in-person students. There are no extra fees and we’ll work with you to ensure your remote setup is perfect.
- Live, interactive class
- Experienced instructor teaching live online
- Remote setup assistance provided



Free Retake
Missed a session or need a refresher? We have you covered!
Free Retake
We offer a single free retake of any module or the whole program within a year.



