Professional Licensure – Pennsylvania

Licensing Agency

Board of Regents, State of Pennsylvania

Georgia Southern University is authorized to operate in Pennsylvania through mutual participation in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). 

Athletic Training (on-campus)

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Board of Medicine

National

Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer

Licensure Disclosure

Pennsylvania requires graduation from an athletic training program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training (CAATE), and then passing the Board of Certification (BOC) Examination.  Completion of Georgia Southern’s MS in Athletic Training program meets the educational requirement for certification as an athletic trainer.

Accounting (on-campus or distance education)

Pennsylvania

State Board of Accountancy

National

National Association of State Boards of Accountancy

Distance Education Program

Georgia Southern University is authorized to deliver the WebMAcc program in Pennsylvania through mutual participation in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). 

Licensure Disclosures

Applicants must have 150 total semester hours of education to apply. Coupled with an undergraduate accounting degree or an appropriate number of accounting courses, completion of Georgia Southern’s Master of Accounting (WebMAcc/MAcc) program meets the educational requirements to sit for the uniform CPA exam which is the first step towards CPA licensure in Pennsylvania. 

Pennsylvania does not require an ethics exam to obtain a CPA license. 

Communication Sciences and Disorders (on-campus)

National

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Pennsylvania

State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Licensure Disclosure

Applicants for a license as a Speech Language Pathologist must hold a master’s degree from an ASHA-accredited educational program and must hold a current ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP). Applicants must have 1,260 hours of post-graduate professional employment experience. Pennsylvania requires a continuing education course on child abuse and reporting for initial licensure. Pennsylvania issues a provisional license to graduates to allow for completion of the employment hours, provided that you pass the Praxis exam. The Master of Science (M.S.) in speech-language pathology at Georgia Southern University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and prepares students to sit for the Praxis exam and become ASHA certified, thus the program meets educational requirements for the state of Pennsylvania.

Education (on-campus or distance education)

Pennsylvania Department of Education

Distance Education Disclosure

Georgia Southern is authorized to offer the following online programs in Georgia through mutual participation in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA): Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education in Curriculum Instruction – Accomplished Teaching, Master of Education in Educational Leadership, Master of Education in Instructional Technology, Graduate Certificate in Instructional Technology, Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership, Graduate Certificate in School Library Media

Licensure Disclosure

Generally, students must get their GA teacher certification before applying for a Pennsylvania certification. Pennsylvania is a member of the National Association Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) interstate agreement. Students need: official transcripts

(both bachelors and beyond), a completed Education Preparation Program Verification Form, PDE338A (PDF) as proof of completion of an educator preparation program approved for certification in the state in which the program was completed and test scores (reported to PDE directly from the test administrator).

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education MEETS educational requirements for an Elementary Education (PK-4) teaching certification in Pennsylvania. 

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education MEETS educational requirements for Health and Physical Education teaching certification in Pennsylvania. 

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education MEETS educational requirements for Middle Grades Education (4-8)  teaching certification in Pennsylvania. 

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education MEETS educational requirements for Secondary Education (7-12) teaching certification in Pennsylvania

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Special Education MEETS educational requirements for Special Education (PK-12) teaching certification in Pennsylvania.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Fine Arts, in Art Education MEETS educational requirements for certification in Pennsylvania.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Music in Music Education MEETS the educational requirements for certification in Pennsylvania.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Arts in Teaching MEETS educational requirements for initial teaching certification in Pennsylvania

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Accomplished Teaching does NOT meet educational requirements for Curriculum and Instruction teaching certification in Pennsylvania as the certification does not exist in PA.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Education in Educational Leadership MEETSeducational requirements for School Admin- PK-12 certification in Pennsylvania. 

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership MEETS educational requirements for School Admin- PK-12 certification in Pennsylvania. 

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Education in Instructional Technology MEETS educational requirements for Instructional Technology PK-12 or Library Science teaching certification in Pennsylvania.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Graduate Certificate in Instructional Technology does NOT meet educational requirements for Instructional Technology PK-12 teaching certification in Pennsylvania.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Graduate Certificate in School Library Media MEETS educational requirements for Library Science (PK-12) certification in Pennsylvania.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Education in Counseling Education, Concentration in School Counseling MEETS requirements for Elementary and Secondary School Counselor PK-12 certification in Pennsylvania. 

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Education in Counseling Education, with a Concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MEETS requirements for Elementary and Secondary School Counselor PK-12 certification in Pennsylvania. 

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Education Specialist in School Psychology MEETS educational requirements for School Psychologist (PK-12) certification in Pennsylvania as that certification does not exist in Pennsylvania. 

Geology (on-campus or distance education)

National

Association of State Boards of Geology

Pennsylvania

State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists

Pennsylvania licenses professional geoscientists.  You must pass the ASBOG PG exam and have 5 years of work experience.  

Pennsylvania provides certification as a Geoscientist-in-Training (GIT). Graduates who pass the ASBOG FG exam may apply for this certification as Georgia Southern’s Geosciences Degree, Geology track, meets the educational requirement for a GIT and to take the ASBOG FG exam.

Engineering and Land Surveying (on-campus)

National

National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying (NCEES)

Pennsylvania

State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists

State licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) is not required to work in the field of engineering. However, many employment opportunities require a PE license. 

Georgia Southern’s BS in Civil Engineering, BS in Computer Engineering, BS in Construction Engineering, BS in Electrical Engineering, BS in Manufacturing Engineering, BS in Mechanical Engineering, and BS in Software Engineering programs are EAC-ABET-accredited. 

The minimum requirements for a PE license include completion of a BS degree in Engineering from an EAC-ABET accredited engineering program; successful completion of the Fundamental of Engineering (FE) Exam; successful completion of the Professional Engineer (PE) Exam; and 4-years of work experience as specified by the state’s licensing board

Licensure Disclosure

Completion of Georgia Southern’s Bachelor of Science Programs in Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Manufacturing Engineering meet the educational requirements to begin the licensure process in Pennsylvania, by providing the coursework necessary to sit for the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination. Software Engineering does not have a specific PE examination. It is typically recommended that candidates sit for their FE exam toward the end of their senior year, or soon after graduation.

Surveying-Geomatics

Licensure Disclosure

To apply for a professional land surveyor license (PLS) in Pennsylvania you must:

Have a degree from an accredited four-year surveying program or a board-approved equivalent, pass the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam, the Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam, and have four years of verifiable work experience under the supervision of a licensed land surveyor.

Georgia Southern’s embedded Surveying-Geomatics certificate meets the educational requirement to sit for the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) examination to become a land surveyor intern or land surveyor in training (LSIT) which is the first step in becoming a PLS in Pennsylvania.

Interior Architecture and Design (on-campus)

National

National Council for Interior Design Qualification

Pennsylvania does not license Interior Designers

Medical Laboratory Science (on-campus or distance education)

National

ASCP Board of Certification (BOC)

Online Program Disclosure
Georgia Southern University offers the online Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) degree program to students located in New Hampshire. The Medical Laboratory Science program at Georgia Southern offers an online track consisting of a Post-Baccalaureate option and a Career Track option. The Post-Baccalaureate option is for students with a BS in biology, chemistry, or related science. The Career Track option is for a certified MLT wishing to pursue a BS in MLS degree in addition to the traditional track, Georgia Southern offers online degree completion options for students currently working in the medical laboratory science field.

The MLS program will qualify a graduate of this program to sit for the exam for MLS ASCP Certification in all 50 United States through Route 1 (BS degree from a NAACLS-accredited MLS program)

Licensure Disclosure

Pennsylvania does not license medical laboratory scientists

Nursing (on-campus or distance education)

National

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Board of Nursing

Distance Education Disclosure

Georgia Southern is authorized to offer the following online programs in Pennsylvania:  RN-BSN and Master of Science in Nursing.

Georgia Southern is not authorized to deliver the online Doctor of Nursing Practice, BSN to DNP, or Post-MSN APRN Certificate (Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, or Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) programs in Pennsylvania. Students must be physically located in South Carolina or Georgia to enroll in any DNP or Post-MSN APRN Certificate program at Georgia Southern. 

Licensure Disclosure

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s on-campus Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program does meet the educational requirements for Registered Nurse licensure in Pennsylvania.

Completion of the online DNP, BSN to DNP, or Post-MSN APRN Certificate (Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, or Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) programs meets educational requirements to sit for national specialty certifications in the chosen advanced practice specialty track and to apply for an APRN license (Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) in Pennsylvania. Georgia and South Carolina residents with a valid PA RN license or eNLC license can apply for APRN licensure in Pennsylvania upon graduation, but students cannot live in Pennsylvania while taking online DNP or Post-MSN APRN Certificate classes. 

Physical Therapy (on-campus)

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State Board of Physical Therapy

Licensure Disclosure

Pennsylvania requires that applicants graduate from a doctoral program in physical therapy that is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).  Applicants must also pass the National Physical Therapist Examination (CAPTE). Georgia Southern’s doctoral program in physical therapy meets the educational requirement for licensure in Pennsylvania as the program is accredited by CAPTE and prepares students to take the NPTE.

Psychology (on-campus)

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State Board of Examiners of Psychologists

National

Behavioral Analyst Certification Board

Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB)

Licensure Disclosure

Pennsylvania does not have a state board for behavioral analysts. To apply for board certification as an applied behavioral analyst earn a Master’s degree from an Association of Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) verified program, obtain 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork, and pass the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) BCBA Certification Exam. The MS – Psychology (Behavior Analysis Concentration) degree provides the Association of Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) verified coursework and thus meets the educational requirement leading to certification as an applied behavioral analyst. Through some elective course options, students could begin accruing supervised fieldwork hours, however, it is not guaranteed that 2,000 may be earned during enrollment. The BACB BCBA Certification Exam is taken after students complete the MS – Psychology (Behavior Analysis Concentration) degree. 

To apply for a license as a clinical psychologist, Pennsylvania requires that you graduate from an accredited doctoral program in psychology, pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP, Parts 1 and 2), and obtain 2,000 hours of post-doctoral experience. Georgia Southern’s APA-accredited doctoral program in clinical psychology meets the educational requirement for licensure.

Radiologic Science (on-campus or distance education)

National

American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)

American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS)

Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)

Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB)

Online Program Disclosure
The Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences: Bridge program offers a degree completion program for radiographers, radiation therapists, sonographers, and nuclear medicine technologists. If you are certified by the ARRT, NMTCB, or RDMS, then you may qualify to complete this B.S. degree in Radiologic Sciences Bridge program.

Licensure Disclosures

Pennsylvania is a non-licensure state for all radiology technologists. National certifications are required for most employment.

Respiratory Therapy (on-campus)

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Board of Medicine

National

National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC)

Licensure Disclosure

Pennsylvania requires proof of completion of an educational program as a practitioner of respiratory care that is approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or its successor organization or the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CARC). Applicants must achieve a passing score on the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Exam. Georgia Southern’s Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CARC) and prepares students to take the NBRC; therefore the program meets the licensure/certification requirements as a Licensed Respiratory Therapist (LRT) in Pennsylvania.