English Composition 1
Almost every associate degree asks for at least one composition course.
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →OregonHealth careers
Oregon paramedic requirements: the degree behind the licence, and credits you can finish online
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
Oregon paramedic requirements include an associate degree or higher from an accredited institution (OAR 333-265-0025), checked by the Oregon Health Authority EMS Program. A National Registry paramedic without the degree can hold a Transitional Paramedic licence and must show the degree within 48 months. General education credits via a college transcript can shorten that degree.
The rule
Under OAR 333-265-0025 an initial Oregon paramedic applicant needs an associate degree or higher from an accredited institution, and a Transitional Paramedic (OAR 333-265-0027) must submit that degree within 48 months of first licensure, or 60 months with an approved hardship request.
The rule asks for an associate degree (about 60 semester credits) within 48 months. The legal source is OAR 333-265-0025.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Degree for initial Paramedic licence | Associate degree or higher from an accredited institution (OAR 333-265-0025) | [2] |
| No degree yet | Transitional Paramedic licence: current NREMT Paramedic certification, sponsored by a licensed transporting Oregon ambulance service | [1] |
| Deadline for the degree | Within 48 months of first Transitional licensure; hardship can add 12 months, 60 in total (OAR 333-265-0027) | [1] |
| Transitional licence term | 24 months, renewable once; it cannot be reinstated after it expires | [1] |
| Licence fees | Paramedic $290; Transitional $340; Transitional renewal $200 | [2] |
Who decides
Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division, Emergency Medical Services Program decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Which credits count
What counts
- Credits that sit on the transcript of the college that grants your associate degree, including credit it moves in from other sources under its own transfer policy.
- General education: English composition, college algebra or statistics, psychology or sociology, humanities.
- Science and health courses many allied health degrees list: Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Terminology.
What does not count
- A course certificate on its own. The licence asks for a degree, so the credit must end up inside a degree from an accredited institution.
- Your paramedic programme hours, unless the college granting the degree chooses to count them.
- Continuing education hours for NREMT recertification: they keep your certification, they do not build the degree.
Courses that fit
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division, Emergency Medical Services Program.
College Algebra
Covers the math requirement in most general studies and health science degrees.
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Psychology
A common social science requirement and a usual allied health prerequisite.
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Medical Terminology
Listed by many health programmes; useful daily on an ambulance.
Self-paced online Medical Terminology course (Health 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Anatomy and Physiology I
Science credit for health science degrees; NCCRS-recommended.
Self-paced online Anatomy and Physiology I course (Biology 211). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Principles of Statistics
An alternative quantitative course where a degree prefers statistics.
Self-paced online Principles of Statistics course (Statistics 101). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Confirm your licence route and clockCheck in eLicense whether you hold a Transitional Paramedic licence and write down the date it was first issued: the degree is due within 48 months of that date.
- Pick the degree-granting college firstChoose the college whose associate degree you will finish and ask it which of your credits it will review, including ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses.
- Get the answer in writingAsk the college for a written evaluation plan, and ask the OHA EMS Program in writing whether that college's accreditation meets the rule.
- Take the general education coursesWork through the agreed courses online; each finished course is recorded with its ACE or NCCRS recommendation.
- Send the credits via a college transcriptHave the credits sent to the college, which decides what it posts to your transcript toward the degree.
- Submit proof of the degreeWhen the degree is conferred, send proof to the OHA EMS Program before the 48-month deadline and apply for the full Paramedic licence.
Thomas Edison State University (TESU), University of the People and Newlane University are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; check each partner's own transfer pages and ask its admissions office for a written evaluation before you enrol.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
What it costs
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Portland Community College, resident tuition | $143 per credit plus $11.60 per credit in fees | 15 semester credits are about 22.5 PCC quarter credits: about $3,478 before term and lab fees | 15 Nov 2026 |
| StraighterLine | $99 a month plus $79 per course | Five courses in 3-5 months: about $692-$890 | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Sophia Learning | $99 a month | Five courses in 3-5 months: about $297-$495 | 15 Nov 2026 |
The licence fees are separate: the OHA lists $340 for a Transitional Paramedic licence, $200 to renew it once, and $290 for the Paramedic licence. Degree tuition at the college that grants the degree is also separate; ask it for its per-credit and transfer evaluation costs.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited; it cannot grant the associate degree Oregon asks for.
- We cannot tell you that the OHA EMS Program, ARRT or any college will take a given course; the college that grants your degree decides what counts.
- Our courses do not replace NREMT certification, paramedic programme training, or continuing education for recertification.
- We cannot extend your 48-month Transitional deadline; only the OHA can approve a hardship request.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
Confirm in writing first
Ask the college that will grant your associate degree, in writing, which ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses it will count, and ask the OHA EMS Program in writing that the college meets the accreditation rule, before you enrol.
When did Oregon require a degree for paramedic licensure?
Oregon is one of the few states that asks for a college degree on top of National Registry certification. The current text sits in OAR 333-265-0025, and the Oregon Health Authority now uses the Transitional Paramedic licence, set out in OAR 333-265-0027, for National Registry paramedics who do not yet hold the degree.
In practice this means two groups of people need general education credits on a deadline: new paramedics who trained in a certificate programme without a degree, and paramedics moving to Oregon who have NREMT certification but no associate degree and not enough advanced life support experience to qualify by reciprocity.
Oregon paramedic license requirements beyond the degree
The degree is one item on a longer list. The OHA FAQ lists what a Transitional applicant needs, and the same items matter when you later apply for the full Paramedic licence.
- A high school diploma or GED.
- Current NREMT certification as a Paramedic, kept active while the Transitional licence is active.
- BLS Provider CPR with a practical skills check.
- A sponsorship letter from a licensed, transporting Oregon ambulance service and a support letter from its medical director.
- Annual progress reports to the sponsoring service on your degree.
Radiology tech programs in Oregon and the ARRT degree rule
Radiologic technologists face a similar rule from a different body. ARRT asks for an associate degree or higher before the certification exam, in any subject, from an institution accredited by an agency ARRT recognises. The degree can be earned before or after the radiography programme. Students in Oregon rad tech programmes who already hold a certificate can use the same general education route described on this page.
For both groups the work is the same: decide which college grants the degree, get its evaluation in writing, then fill the general education slots. Respiratory therapists and other allied health workers in Oregon should check their own board's rules; this page covers only the paramedic and ARRT rules quoted above.
Questions people ask
What are the requirements to be a paramedic in Oregon?
You need current NREMT Paramedic certification and an associate degree or higher from an accredited institution under OAR 333-265-0025, plus CPR and the OHA application. Without the degree, a sponsored Transitional Paramedic licence lets you work while you finish it within 48 months.
When did Oregon require a degree for paramedic?
The associate degree requirement is in OAR 333-265-0025, the current Oregon rule for EMS provider licences. National Registry paramedics who do not yet have the degree can work on a Transitional Paramedic licence under OAR 333-265-0027 while they finish it within 48 months.
Does the associate degree have to be in EMS?
The rule text asks for an associate degree or higher from an accredited institution and does not name a subject. Ask the OHA EMS Program in writing whether a general studies degree from your chosen college meets the rule before you start.
How long do I have to finish the degree on a Transitional Paramedic licence?
48 months from the date the Transitional licence was first issued. The licence lasts 24 months and can be renewed once. An approved hardship request can add 12 months, for 60 in total, and an expired Transitional licence cannot be reinstated.
Can online courses count toward the degree?
They can if the college granting your degree agrees. UPI Study courses are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended and reach a college via a college transcript. The college reviews them under its own transfer policy, so ask it in writing first.
How much does an Oregon paramedic licence cost?
The OHA EMS Provider Licensing page lists $290 for a Paramedic licence, $340 for a Transitional Paramedic licence and $200 for its one renewal, checked on 15 Nov 2026. Late renewals carry an extra fee.
Read next
- ARRT's degree rule explained for Oregon rad tech students: any subject countsThe ARRT degree requirement is an associate degree or higher, in any subject, from an institution accredited by an agency ARRT recognises. You can...
- From certificate to degree: how Oregon respiratory therapists and paramedics finish a bachelor's onlineIf you hold a paramedic or allied health certificate, the shortest route in Oregon is usually an associate degree that counts your certificate where...
- Medical Terminology for college credit: who asks for itMedical Terminology for college credit is a common prerequisite for allied health programmes such as radiography, and a useful elective inside the...
The same topic in nearby states
Ready when you have it in writing
Every course in one plan; work through the general education courses your college agrees to in writing.
Sources
- Oregon Health Authority: Transitional Paramedic License, Frequently Asked Questions (official)No associate degree: Transitional licence with NREMT Paramedic and ambulance sponsorship, 24 months, renewable once, degree due within 48 months, hardship can add 12 (60 total); cites OAR 333-265-0025 and 0027. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Oregon Health Authority: EMS Provider Licensing (official)Initial paramedic applicants submit an associate degree or higher and current NREMT paramedic certification; fees: Paramedic $290, Transitional $340, Transitional renewal $200. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- ARRT: Education requirements for primary certification (official)ARRT asks for an associate degree or higher in any subject from an institution accredited by an ARRT-recognised agency, earned before or after the programme but before the exam. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Portland Community College: Tuition and fees (official)Resident tuition $143 per credit, plus a $4.25 activity fee and a $7.35 technology fee per credit. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Portland Community College: Tuition and feesPrice for Portland Community College, resident tuition, checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- StraighterLine: PricingPrice for StraighterLine, checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Sophia Learning: Plans and pricingPrice for Sophia Learning, checked on 15 Nov 2026.