Professional Licensure – West Virginia

Licensing Agency

West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission

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

Athletic Training 

State Board

West Virginia Board of Physical Therapy (Athletic Trainer)

Licensure Disclosure

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Science in Athletic Training program does meet educational requirements to qualify for Athletic Trainer licensure in West Virginia. Upon graduation eligible students must take and pass the Board of Certification Examination to obtain licensure in West Virginia.

Accounting

State Board

West Virginia Board of Accountancy

Distance Education Disclosure
Georgia Southern University is authorized to deliver the online Master of Accounting (WebMAcc) program in West Virginia through mutual participation in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

Exam Requirements

Applicants for the uniform CPA exam in West Virginia must complete a bachelor degree or higher at an accredited institution with an accounting concentration that includes 120 semester hours.  Of those, 24 hours must be in upper level (beyond introductory) accounting courses, including 3 hours each of financial, auditing, taxation, and cost or managerial courses and 24 hours must be in business courses.   Completion of a graduate degree in accounting from an accredited institution meets the specified coursework requirements..

Certification Requirements

Applicants for CPA certification in West Virginia must complete at least 150 semester hours of postsecondary education, including completion of a baccalaureate degree or higher with an accounting concentration at a regionally accredited institution. 

Licensure Disclosure

Coupled with an undergraduate accounting degree or an appropriate number of accounting courses, completion of either Georgia Southern University’s Master of Accounting program or Georgia Southern University’s online Master of Accounting (WebMAcc) program does meet educational requirements to apply for the uniform CPA exam and/or apply for a CPA license in West Virginia.

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

Communication Sciences and Disorders 

State Board

West Virginia Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology

Licensure Disclosure

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Science in Communication Sciences Disorders does meet educational requirements for Speech-Language Pathologist in West Virginia.

Education

State Board

West Virginia Department of Education

Distance Education Disclosure

Georgia Southern is authorized to offer the following online programs in West Virginia 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 (Distance Education Programs)

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Elementary Education teaching certification in West Virginia. 

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Arts in Teaching is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet requirements for initial teaching certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Accomplished Teaching is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Curriculum and Instruction teaching certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Education in Educational Leadership is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Tier 1 teacher/leader certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Education in Instructional Technology, Concentration in Instructional Technology is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Instructional Technology teaching certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Education in Instructional Technology, Concentration in School Library Media is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Instructional Technology teaching certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Graduate Certificate in Instructional Technology is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Instructional Technology teaching certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Tier 1 teacher/leader certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Graduate Certificate in School Library Media is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for School Library Media teacher/leader certification in West Virginia.

Licensure Disclosure (On-Campus Programs)

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Health and Physical Education teaching certification in West Virginia. 

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education  is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Middle Grades Education teaching certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Secondary Education teaching certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Special Education is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Special Education teaching certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Education in Counseling Education, Concentration in School Counseling is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for School Counselor certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Master of Education in Counseling Education, Concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for either National Certified Counselor (NCC) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Education Specialist in School Psychology is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for School Psychologist certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Fine Arts, Art Education is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Art Education teaching certification in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Music in Music Education is NOT YET DETERMINED to meet educational requirements for Music Education teaching certification in West Virginia.

Engineering

State Board

West Virginia Board of Registration for Professional Engineers

West Virginia Board of Professional Surveyors

Licensure Disclosure

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 Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering 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.

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 West Virginia 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.

Georgia Southern’s embedded Surveying-Geomatics certificate meets the educational requirements to apply for professional land surveyor license (PLS) in West Virginia.

Geology 

West Virginia does not require Professional Geologist licensure or registration.

Interior Architecture and Design

West Virginia does not require NCIDQ certification to be employed as an Interior Designer. 

Medical Laboratory Science 

Distance Education Disclosure

Georgia Southern is authorized to offer the online Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science, MLT to BSMLS and Fast Track Degree Completion program in West Virginia. through mutual participation in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

Licensure Disclosure 

Licensure is not required to work in a medical laboratory in West Virginia.

Nursing 

State Board

West Virginia RN Board

Distance Education Disclosure

Georgia Southern is authorized to offer the following online programs in West Virginia through mutual participation in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA): RN-BSN, Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Post-BSN-DNP, and Post-MSN APRN Certificates. DNP and Post-MSN APRN Certificates are only authorized for the online didactic portion of the program in West Virginia. All clinical work must occur in Georgia or South Carolina.

Licensure Disclosure

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program does meet the educational requirements for Registered Nurse licensure in West Virginia.

Completion of the DNP, 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 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 West Virginia. Georgia and South Carolina residents with a valid West Virginia RN license can apply for APRN licensure in West Virginia upon graduation. 

Physical Therapy

State Board

West Virginia Board of Physical Therapy

Licensure Disclosure

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program does meet educational requirements for Physical Therapist licensure in West Virginia. Upon completion, eligible students must also pass the National Physical Therapist Examination, which is administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Additional testing, background clearance, and other requirements may also need to be met prior to applying for admission through the West Virginia Board of Physical Therapy

Psychology

State Board

West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists

Licensure Disclosure

West Virginia does not require a state board exam for licensure as a Behavior Analyst.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology does meet education requirements for psychologist licensure in West Virginia. To qualify for licensure, students must take courses in the following specific content areas: Ethical and legal standards, Assessment, Intervention, Biological aspects of behavior, Cognitive and affective aspects of behavior, Psychological measurement per research methodology, Dysfunctional behavior/psychopathology, Professional standards and ethics, Theories and methods of assessment and diagnosis

Radiologic Sciences 

State Board

West Virginia Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board of Examiners

Distance Education Disclosure

Georgia Southern University is authorized to offer the online Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences, RT to BSRS Bridge Degree Completion program in West Virginia through mutual participation in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

Licensure Disclosure

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Science, Concentration in Radiography does meet educational requirements for Radiologic Technologist Registered-Radiography RT (R) in West Virginia.

West Virginia is a non-licensure state for sonography. The American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) is the gold standard for the clinical setting.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Science, Concentration in Nuclear Medicine  does meet educational requirements for Radiologic Technologist Registered – Nuclear Medicine RT(N) licensure in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Science,Concentration in Radiation Therapy does meet educational requirements for Radiologic Technologist Registered – Radiation Therapy RT(T) licensure in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Science, Concentration in Cardiovascular Interventional Science does meet educational requirements for Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) licensure in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Clinical Specialist in Advanced Imaging Certificate, Mammography concentration does meet educational requirements in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Clinical Specialist in Advanced Imaging Certificate, Computed Tomography Concentration does meet educational requirements in West Virginia.

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Clinical Specialist in Advanced Imaging Certificate, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Concentration does meet educational requirements in West Virginia.

Respiratory Therapy

State Board

West Virginia Board of Respiratory Care

Distance Education Disclosure

Georgia Southern University is authorized to offer the online Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy, RRT to BS Career Ladder Degree Completion in West Virginia through mutual participation in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

Licensure Disclosure

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy program does meet educational requirements to qualify for Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) licensure in West Virginia

Completion of Georgia Southern University’s online Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy, RRT to BS Career Ladder Degree Completion  does meet educational requirements to qualify for Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) licensure in West Virginia.