Accredited professional development programs built for government employees at every career stage. Choose in-person courses in Washington, DC or live online training led by experienced instructors.
We’re committed to empowering federal HR professionals. Our courses enhance knowledge, boost performance, and drive positive change in the federal workforce.
Gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities classifiers need to do their work successfully. The focus of this course is on helping participants develop competence in applying various classification standards. It also provides participants with exposure to other topics important to federal classification programs, such as writing position descriptions and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
This course provides HR practitioners with the knowledge and tools to navigate federal staffing procedures, covering recruitment, hiring, qualifications, merit promotion, and in-service placement actions.
Learn to accurately prepare, process, and approve federal personnel actions using the Guide to Processing Personnel Actions, including SF-52 and SF-50 forms.
This course teaches HR practitioners how to evaluate federal job applicants by applying OPM's Qualifications Standards, including eligibility, minimum qualifications, and specialized experience requirements.
This course provides HR practitioners with the knowledge to advise employees on federal benefits, including health insurance, retirement systems, and the Thrift Savings Plan.
This course provides federal personnel with the knowledge to set and administer pay for General Schedule (GS) employees, covering a wide range of pay-setting rules and scenarios.
We develop government leaders. Our programs are custom-designed for federal and state government leadership. Join our alumni community of thousands.
The New Leader Program (NLP) is a six-month program designed to prepare employees at the GS 7-11 levels for management and leadership positions. The program theme is "Leading Self." The program objectives are to give motivated individuals the confidence and training they need to set and meet personal and professional goals, expand their network, and broaden their experience.
The Executive Potential Program (EPP) is a 12-month competency-based leadership development program that provides training and developmental experiences for high-potential executives at the GS 13-15 levels or equivalent.
The Executive Leadership Program (ELP) is a nine-month competency-based leadership development program that provides training and developmental experiences for mid-level employees at the GS-11 to GS-13 levels or equivalent. The program theme is "Leading People." The program objectives are to help participants strengthen their knowledge, expand their experience, and increase their impact through a curated selection of competency-based developmental activities.
Develop essential leadership skills to handle diverse personalities, resolve conflicts, and build stronger, more effective teams.
Build foundational supervisory skills aligned with OPM’s Federal Supervisory Training Framework, focusing on leadership, communication, and conflict management.
Prepare to lead teams through change by understanding reactions, navigating resistance, and using a structured six-step approach to support adaptation and growth.
Build leadership skills to guide teams through change, foster collaboration, and drive results. Best suited for federal professionals stepping into leadership roles.
Develop leadership skills in change management, team communication, and strategic decision-making.
Receive instruction from subject‑matter experts who bring proven government experience.
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
Directly addressing the day-to-day challenges of federal employees.
Your trusted training partner, equipping public service professionals with the skills and knowledge to excel in their roles and drive meaningful impact.
We have been the premier provider of government audit training since 1978. Our program covers competencies needed at all career levels by government auditors and analysts.
This course introduces new government auditors to the fundamentals of performance auditing, including standards, evidence collection, and reporting.
Enhance your audit effectiveness by mastering proven interviewing techniques through hands-on exercises and role-playing scenarios.
Build a strong foundation in performance auditing by mastering the principles, methodologies, and techniques outlined in Government Auditing Standards.
Develop the skills to write professional, clear, and compliant audit documents that align with Government Auditing Standards.
Master the skills to develop and present audit findings that effectively communicate results and support audit objectives.
Enhance your skills in managing and executing complex performance audits through hands-on case studies and advanced techniques.
Our curriculum provides comprehensive training solutions that help you develop the broad range of knowledge and skills you need to make sound decisions.
Master the principles of federal appropriations law to ensure the proper use of appropriated funds and compliance with legal requirements.
Gain a foundational understanding of the federal budget process, including budget preparation, appropriation types, and performance measurement.
Build a strong foundation in federal accounting by mastering key concepts, financial management practices, and reporting standards.
Master the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) for temporary duty (TDY) travel, including allowances, reimbursements, and compliance for Department of Defense personnel.
Gain a comprehensive understanding of financial management principles, federal budgeting, and performance measurement.
Students will review current budget execution policy and guidance published in OMB’s Circular A-11; learn about the principles of purpose, time, and amount that govern how federal agencies can properly use appropriated funds, ensuring compliance with legal and budgetary constraints; and the relationship between performance plans/goals and operating budgets.
Our curriculum helps individuals develop the skills necessary to minimize risks, maximize competition, maintain integrity, and assure delivery of products and services according to contract terms and conditions.
Develop the knowledge and skills required to effectively perform the responsibilities of a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).
Enhance your skills as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) by mastering acquisition planning, contract management, and performance evaluation.
Gain a foundational understanding of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and its application in federal procurement processes.
Learn how to execute streamlined procurement actions within federal simplified acquisition thresholds, including micro‑purchases and GSA schedules.
Gain foundational project and program management abilities aligned with PMI and FAC P/PM Level I competencies.
Master the essentials of managing contracts post‑award, including monitoring performance, resolving issues, and ensuring compliance.
Having a full complement of analytical skills is essential for career and mission success in the ever-changing federal environment.
Explore the role of management analysts and gain foundational skills in data analysis, problem-solving, and presenting findings effectively.
Learn practical techniques to collect reliable primary data through observations, interviews, and surveys.
Expand your analytical toolkit with structured methods for problem-solving, decision-making, and performance measurement.
Learn to transform data into compelling narratives and visuals that enhance understanding and drive decision-making.
Learn how to design structured, decision-informed research studies that guide effective program and policy analysis.
Gain foundational statistical skills using measures such as averages, proportions, and variability to interpret data effectively.
Master data analytics with hands-on training in Power BI, Excel, and SQL. You'll work on real-world projects to create dashboards, analyze data, and gain insights, preparing you for roles in business intelligence. No prior experience is required.
Become proficient in Microsoft Excel and go from beginner to pro with this hands-on bootcamp. Learn functions, Pivot Tables, macros, and time-saving techniques to conquer all the key skills needed to excel in Excel.
Unlock the power of Python for data-driven decision-making as you master Python programming fundamentals and dive into data analysis. Acquire essential skills to clean and manipulate data, create insightful visualizations, and perform statistical analysis, all through hands-on projects with real-world datasets.
Since 1921, Graduate School USA has partnered with over 125 federal agencies and trained more than one million federal employees. Led by instructors with deep, real-world knowledge of federal regulations, policies, and practices, our private group programs are practical, mission-driven, and tailored to your agency’s objectives. We offer expertise across key federal domains—including human resources, financial management, acquisition and contracting, leadership, and more—to deliver training where and how your team needs it.
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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.
Dr. Frazier was interactive and entertaining on a challenging subject. He encouraged questions, discussion, and role play to help the class address real-life situations. He used real life examples from his experiences to illustrate many of the topics and went beyond the materials when it will help address a question posed by the class.
Amanda F.
I enjoyed the course. It was a lot of material, but overall, I feel more prepared for the upcoming days. Ms. Gloria is EXCELLENT! She's lively and able to relate the course material to real-life events, past or present.
Kimberly M.
The content was very well done. Gloria was extremely knowledgeable, kind, and fun. She was patient with non-staffers as well as junior staffers.
Roger G.
Content and exercise were on point with the subject content. Gloria was very knowledgeable in the subject content and thorough.
Cassandra J.
Excellent class, the instructor provided details needed.
Shellyann T.
Excellent class, the instructor provided details needed.
Shellyann T.
Worth the time to learn from this class.
Casey S.
Worth the time to learn from this class.
Casey S.
Excellent materials. Patti is very thorough and easy to understand. I can tell she loved teaching which kept me engaged.
Steven W.
The instructor (Patti Mulvey Moore) was great! I will definitely take her course again.
Harold Logan
Taking this class was such a great experience! Even though there were only two of us, the small group setting made the lessons feel personal and engaging. Our instructor made every session fun with their sense of humor and down-to-earth approach, making the material easier to understand and really enjoyable to learn. They were relatable, approachable, and lightened the class atmosphere while ensuring we walked away with fundamental knowledge and skills. The in-person experience was absolutely worth it, and I’d highly recommend this instructor to anyone looking for both learning and laughter.
Ines Hungria
Taking this class was such a great experience! Even though there were only two of us, the small group setting made the lessons feel personal and engaging. Our instructor made every session fun with their sense of humor and down-to-earth approach, making the material easier to understand and really enjoyable to learn. They were relatable, approachable, and lightened the class atmosphere while ensuring we walked away with fundamental knowledge and skills. The in-person experience was absolutely worth it, and I’d highly recommend this instructor to anyone looking for both learning and laughter.
Ines Hungria
Graduate School is where you rise and where your resilience deepens, and your potential expands beyond limits. It's not just a place to learn, it's where you become the most powerful, intellectual version of yourself!
Tina Cooper
Dr. Frazier was interactive and entertaining on a challenging subject. He encouraged questions, discussion, and role play to help the class address real-life situations. He used real life examples from his experiences to illustrate many of the topics and went beyond the materials when it will help address a question posed by the class.
Amanda F.
Great instruction, specific and updated processes.
Linde Pusateri
Excellent content - easy to ready modules and addressing important, including new information; exercises and knowledge checks very well structured. Excellent description of the roles of the CO, COR, Contractors.
Rosaly C.
Material was relevant to the work I perform daily. Can use over and over again to review and refresh.
Nicole R.
I have taken 3 previous HR classes, and this was by far the best yet. I love the small class size. Breaking out into groups to complete exercises was so fun and educational. Meeting people from other entities and walks of life made it feel less like a class and more like a team building exercise. This course covers a huge portion of HR. We touched on every subject. The instructor was amazing. He allowed for discussions and opinions. He made the course fun and informative. I hope to have him in future courses.
Nancy B.
My overall experience was very positive as I feel I gained a lot of insight regarding Pay Setting. The class content and examples are really helpful as they relate to our daily work lives. It is also helpful that we can always go back and reference the material. The instructor was very knowledgeable, organized, and provided clarity for our Pay Setting Class. She made all objectives clear and was very approachable. She made sure all of our questions were answered and made us comfortable in the classroom setting.
Brittney B.
Both instructors Frank and Judy did a great job to help me better understand everything. Especially CLG and Windfall, something that had me confused in the past.
Robert O.
Instructors were very thorough and had great examples. Very personable, I loved both instructors.
Christina D.
Gloria created a very welcome and encouraging training environment.
Ranisha D.
Gloria quickly assessed and learned the attendees level of knowledge and experience with the subject matter. She was able to keep the class engaged and presented the material in a professional manner and it was clear she was a SME in staffing and placement.
Leah M.
Mrs. Patty was good, especially since she had so much ground to cover in a week. I learned some things I didn't know and probably should have known as a staffer.
NaKeisha M.
Martin was a very interesting and engaging instructor who had a lot of great stories about his time as a performance and financial auditor for the federal government. Additionally, he did well teaching the course, particularly since he was replacing the scheduled instructor last-minute. Overall, the course was informative and practical for those performance auditors who have around 1 year or less of experience in our field, (like myself) and I would recommend that anyone with comparable experience take the course around this time in their career.
Nicholas K.
Great class discussions! Everyone participated, whether they had the correct answer or not. Gloria was very professional. She was very excited about the course material. Her examples were very useful!
Brandie P.
Gloria was terrific. She clearly has a wealth of knowledge on the concepts she teaches and is easily able to simplify complicated concepts. Gloria is kind and engaging, and made it easy to learn something new.
Matthew A.
Good course to reinforce key learning points during my first 2 years as an auditor with my agency. I really like the new platform for managing and administering class content. It's easy to share documents from the instructor to the student and vice versa. Michelle is highly proficient, knowledgeable, and motivated to help students.
Stephen D.
I really enjoyed this class and learned a lot of valuable things to help me in my current position and to help advance my career. Cassandra Jordon did an amazing job juggling an in-person class and two people virtually. I was taking the class virtually from Kuwait. She stopped when I had any questions. Sometimes she allowed me to stay on a little afterwards to get any material when I internet skipped out. She is very knowledge with this subject. I really enjoyed her as an instructor.
Danielle S.
Knowledgeable instructor.
Dana-Lynn J.
Ms. Cassandra is beyond knowledgeable and an excellent subject matter expert in this area. Overall, I was pleased and would take a course with this instructor again.
Pharren C.
Trina is a great instructor for this course. This class was well structured, and material was aligned with resources from OPM. I learned a lot about classification from this class.
Milica Mitchell
The instructor was very knowledgeable and I appreciated how she adjusted the instruction to mirror the class needs.
Cynthia G.
Betsy was very knowledgeable and provide great insight on audit findings. I recommend this class and Betsy as the instructor.
Allen Ellerbe, III
I enjoyed the class, the team activities and the interactions with the instructor and the rest of the participants. The class helped me remember foundation concepts.
Brenda R.
The class was very easy to follow and instructor was very communicative.
Ryan B.
Ms. Scully was very engaging and concise in the presentation of the content and kept an open mind to the needs of the student's style of learning. Used visual and demonstration with exercises and prompts to garner learning which enhanced the concepts and gave applicability. Great experience will recommend to peers.
Danish A.
Overall, I learned a lot from this course.
Alicia C.
Perfect course! Alan did a great job instructing. Great course with lots of information!
Josephine J.
Instructor was personable and very knowledgeable on the subject matter.
Hillary D.
This 3-day course was great! Very helpful. Content was informational and will be useful when applying to a specific job. My instructor, Melanie, was very thorough and informative.
Julia N.
I truly found this course to be informative and the instructor was amazing. I enjoyed the experience and look forward to another course with Graduate School.
Veronica Bustamante
Excellent learning experience. It will help me do a better job at my agency. Excellent and experienced instructor!
Mayra R.
Instructor has an excellent understanding of principles for verifying student understanding and reinforcing concepts learned.
Michael R.
Great class- great energy. Really enjoyed Charles Byrd as an instructor. He was full of great information and examples. "Filled in all the gaps!"
Caron H.
This class was EXTREMELY helpful! I would surely look for other classes she is teaching! She made the information fun and exciting.
Maurice T.
Mrs. Coachman is so knowledgeable and I really enjoyed her instruction.
Emerald G.
I really like this class. It helped me to understand the basics of governmental auditing. Now, I do feel like it should be less then 8 hours but I truly enjoyed every last bit of it!
Kamryn Watkins
Chris did a great job running the class, was extremely knowledgeable and was very personable and approachable.
Elisha H.
I had a great overall experience with this course. I not only learned useful concepts but also gained practical insights that I can apply while in HR rotations. The instructor’s expertise and engagement made the learning process enjoyable and impactful.
Ebone' H.
Highly recommend GSUSA courses for all Federal Government employees for both knowledge enhancement and career growth. Instructors are duty experts and believe in their role.
Lucas koch
Instructor taught well. She is punctual, compassionate, and easy to follow the content. She possesses LOTS of knowledge that I do appreciate listening to her.
Johnny Z.
Graduate school has transformed how I approach federal employee development, equipping me with strategic insight, analytical depth, and the leadership tools needed to drive mission success. It’s not just education; it’s empowerment!
Gregory Piotrowski
Barbara was very clear and knowledgeable. It was beneficial and pertained to my current duties. I enjoyed the class and look forward to future courses.
John T.
My overall experience was very positive as I feel I gained a lot of insight regarding Pay Setting. The class content and examples are really helpful as they relate to our daily work lives. It is also helpful that we can always go back and reference the material. The instructor was very knowledgeable, organized, and provided clarity for our Pay Setting Class. She made all objectives clear and was very approachable. She made sure all of our questions were answered and made us comfortable in the classroom setting.
Both instructors Frank and Judy did a great job to help me better understand everything. Especially CLG and Windfall, something that had me confused in the past.
Instructors were very thorough and had great examples. Very personable, I loved both instructors.
Gloria created a very welcome and encouraging training environment.
Gloria quickly assessed and learned the attendees level of knowledge and experience with the subject matter. She was able to keep the class engaged and presented the material in a professional manner and it was clear she was a SME in staffing and placement.
Mrs. Patty was good, especially since she had so much ground to cover in a week. I learned some things I didn't know and probably should have known as a staffer.
Martin was a very interesting and engaging instructor who had a lot of great stories about his time as a performance and financial auditor for the federal government. Additionally, he did well teaching the course, particularly since he was replacing the scheduled instructor last-minute. Overall, the course was informative and practical for those performance auditors who have around 1 year or less of experience in our field, (like myself) and I would recommend that anyone with comparable experience take the course around this time in their career.
Great class discussions! Everyone participated, whether they had the correct answer or not. Gloria was very professional. She was very excited about the course material. Her examples were very useful!
Gloria was terrific. She clearly has a wealth of knowledge on the concepts she teaches and is easily able to simplify complicated concepts. Gloria is kind and engaging, and made it easy to learn something new.
Excellent class, the instructor provided details needed.
Worth the time to learn from this class.
Excellent materials. Patti is very thorough and easy to understand. I can tell she loved teaching which kept me engaged.
The instructor (Patti Mulvey Moore) was great! I will definitely take her course again.
Great instruction, specific and updated processes.
I enjoyed the course. It was a lot of material, but overall, I feel more prepared for the upcoming days. Ms. Gloria is EXCELLENT! She's lively and able to relate the course material to real-life events, past or present.
The content was very well done. Gloria was extremely knowledgeable, kind, and fun. She was patient with non-staffers as well as junior staffers.
Content and exercise were on point with the subject content. Gloria was very knowledgeable in the subject content and thorough.
Taking this class was such a great experience! Even though there were only two of us, the small group setting made the lessons feel personal and engaging. Our instructor made every session fun with their sense of humor and down-to-earth approach, making the material easier to understand and really enjoyable to learn. They were relatable, approachable, and lightened the class atmosphere while ensuring we walked away with fundamental knowledge and skills. The in-person experience was absolutely worth it, and I’d highly recommend this instructor to anyone looking for both learning and laughter.
Dr. Frazier was interactive and entertaining on a challenging subject. He encouraged questions, discussion, and role play to help the class address real-life situations. He used real life examples from his experiences to illustrate many of the topics and went beyond the materials when it will help address a question posed by the class.
Graduate School is where you rise and where your resilience deepens, and your potential expands beyond limits. It's not just a place to learn, it's where you become the most powerful, intellectual version of yourself!
Excellent content - easy to ready modules and addressing important, including new information; exercises and knowledge checks very well structured. Excellent description of the roles of the CO, COR, Contractors.
Material was relevant to the work I perform daily. Can use over and over again to review and refresh.
I have taken 3 previous HR classes, and this was by far the best yet. I love the small class size. Breaking out into groups to complete exercises was so fun and educational. Meeting people from other entities and walks of life made it feel less like a class and more like a team building exercise. This course covers a huge portion of HR. We touched on every subject. The instructor was amazing. He allowed for discussions and opinions. He made the course fun and informative. I hope to have him in future courses.
This 3-day course was great! Very helpful. Content was informational and will be useful when applying to a specific job. My instructor, Melanie, was very thorough and informative.
I truly found this course to be informative and the instructor was amazing. I enjoyed the experience and look forward to another course with Graduate School.
Showing 25 of 265 reviews
Attend courses in-person in Washington, DC or 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.
Get face-to-face interaction with an instructor and other students when you learn at our DC campus. Courses are hands-on with a computer and software provided.
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.
All times are listed in Eastern Time unless otherwise specified.
| September 2025 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
September 18–19
Weekdays
10–5pm
|
$1,399
18 Hours
|
Master data analytics with hands-on training in Power BI, Excel, and SQL. You'll work on real-world projects to create dashboards, analyze data, and gain insights, preparing you for roles in business intelligence. No prior experience is required. |
|
|
September 22–October 3
Monday to Friday
9–4:30pm
|
$2,999
10 Days
|
Gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities classifiers need to do their work successfully. The focus of this course is on helping participants develop competence in applying various classification standards. It also provides participants with exposure to other topics important to federal classification programs, such as writing position descriptions and the Fair Labor Standards Act. |
|
|
September 22–26
Monday to Friday
9–4:30pm
|
$1,849
5 Days
|
This course provides HR practitioners with the knowledge and tools to navigate federal staffing procedures, covering recruitment, hiring, qualifications, merit promotion, and in-service placement actions. |
|
|
September 22–26
Monday to Friday
9–4:30pm
|
$1,999
5 Days
|
This course provides HR practitioners with the knowledge to advise employees on federal benefits, including health insurance, retirement systems, and the Thrift Savings Plan. |
|
|
September 22–26
Monday to Friday
9–5pm
|
$1,849
5 Days
|
This course introduces new government auditors to the fundamentals of performance auditing, including standards, evidence collection, and reporting. |
|
Showing 5 of 196 courses
