Feds get more options for specialized education programs 1 day ago Feds will have six new programs to choose from, under the Office of Personnel Management s Federal Academic Alliance. (iStock/Getty Images) Federal employees looking to obtain a bachelors or masters degree to further their government careers will now have six more options to choose from, as part of new academic agreements the Office of Personnel Management announced May 7. The Federal Academic Alliance program, which now partners with 23 colleges and universities, offers federal employees and in some cases their families reduced tuition rates and scholarships for degree programs deemed essential for closing government skills gaps.