Professional Engineering

Practice
ECE 4064

Lecture 15
Professional Licensing
But first,
what is a professional engineer?
■ A professional engineer ( P.E.) is a person
who is licensed to practice engineering in
a US state or jurisdiction after meeting all
requirements of the law. To practice in
multiple jurisdictions, the P.E. must be
licensed in each jurisdiction in which he or
she wishes to practice.
OVERVIEW
■ Legal Requirements for Engineering Practice
■ Professional Licensure Process
■ Fundamentals of Engineering Examination
(FE Examination) Specifications
■ Strategies for Passing the FE Exam
■ Study Materials
■ PE Exam
■ Answers to Common Questions
■ Why Become a Licensed Professional Engineer?
■ What’s Coming??
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

■ All States and Jurisdictions have Licensure Laws

Governing the Practice of Engineering
■ Most States prohibit persons who are not licensed
PE’s from:
❑ Advertising or otherwise indicating to the public that
they are an engineer
❑ practicing, offering to practice or holding themselves out
as qualified to practice as an engineer
■ Exemptions for Industrial Practice
What are the requirements to
become licensed as a P.E.?
■ Education (EAC/ABET)
❑ Some states still allow other degrees
such as related science degrees

■ FE Exam (FE)

■ Experience (4 years)

■ PE Exam (P&PE)
First Step – College Education
What is an “accredited” degree?
■ Engineering programs at most colleges or
universities award engineering degrees
from programs that are accredited by the
Engineering Accreditation Commission of
ABET, Inc.
If you do not have a degree from an
accredited program you may not be able
to get a license in some states.
Second Step – FE Exam
FE Examination Format
Electronic as of 2014
• 110 multiple-choice questions.
• Closed book with electronic reference

• Appointment time is 6 hours long,

 a nondisclosure agreement, tutorial (8
minutes),
 the exam (5 hours and 20 minutes),
 a scheduled break (25 minutes),
 brief survey.
FE EXAM STRATEGIES

■ Watch the time

■ THINK before you start
■ Eliminate incorrect choices
■ Answer all questions
■ Prepare for the test
FE Pass Rates (J/F & A/M 2014)
STUDY MATERIALS
■FE Sample Questions Book
■FE Exam Supplied Reference Book
National Council of Examiners for Engineering
and Surveying (NCEES)
280 Seneca Creek Road
Seneca, SC 29678
Phone: (800) 250-3196
Fax: (803) 654-6033
Internet: www.ncees.org
FREQUENT QUESTIONS
■ Can I transfer my Engineer Intern (EI)
Registration?
■ Will graduate school count for the 4 years
experience requirement?
■ What score is required to pass the test?
■ If I fail, can I take the test again?
■ How can I contact the licensure board in my
state when I’m ready for the PE exam?
PE LICENSE
■ The next step is to gain work experience.
■ Four years of “progressive engineering
experience”
■ Three years with an MS degree (most states)
■ Two years with a Ph.D. degree (many states)
■ The Principles and Practice exam (PE)
Next Step – PE Exam
When Can I Take the PE Exam?
■ STATE California STATUTE 6753
■ California allows graduates of accredited engineering programs to take the
PE exam after gaining two years of experience.
■ Equivalents for experience; education; teaching
■ With respect to applicants for licensure as professional engineers, the
board:
■ (a) Shall give credit as qualifying experience of four years, for graduation
with an engineering degree from a college or university the curriculum of
which has been approved by the board.
■ (b) May at its discretion give credit as qualifying experience up to a
maximum of two years, for graduation with an engineering degree from a
nonapproved engineering curriculum or graduation with an engineering
technology degree in an approved engineering technology curriculum.
PE Exams
Group 1 – Offered twice per year
❑ Group 1 Exams offering multiple afternoon depth modules
■ Civil
❑ Construction
❑ Geotechnical
❑ Structural
❑ Transportation
❑ Water Resources and Environmental
■ Mechanical
❑ HVAC and Refrigeration
❑ Mechanical Systems and Materials
❑ Thermal and Fluids Systems
❑ Group 1 Exams without multiple afternoon depth modules
■ Chemical
■ Electrical and Computer – Computer Engineering
■ Electrical and Computer – Electrical and Electronics
■ Electrical and Computer – Power
■ Environmental
■ Structural (16-hour)
PE Exams
Group 2 Exams – Offered once per year
■ Agricultural
■ Architectural
■ Control Systems
■ Fire Protection
■ Industrial
■ Metallurgical and Materials
■ Mining and Mineral Processing
■ Naval Architecture and Marine
■ Nuclear
■ Petroleum

APPROVED CALCULATORS
NCEES 2012 Approved Calculator List
■ Casio: All fx-115 models
■ Hewlett-Packard: HP 33s and HP 35s only
■ Texas Instruments: All TI-30X and TI-36X models
PE Exam

■ Open Book Exam, bound materials.

■ 8-10 weeks after exam Boards get score
■ Test results vary by state board
■ Pass / Fail exam with diagnostic
PE Diagnostic Report
PE Pass Rates (April 2014)
After qualifying, am I licensed as a
P.E. in my engineering discipline?
■ In a few states, yes.
■ In most states, you are licensed as a P.E.
without any other designation, however,
you can practice only in your field of
expertise gained by education and/or
experience.
Can I become licensed nationally?

■ No. Just as with other professions, the

requirements for licensure are left to the
states. However, most state laws are
similar to the NCEES model law so usually
you do not have to pass exams again and
you can be licensed by “comity”.
“Expedited Comity”

If you obtain and maintain a “Council Record”

with NCEES, and you are determined to be
qualified as a “Model Law Engineer”, many
states will grant you a PE license quickly–
within a week or two.
What are the 10 reasons for
becoming licensed as a P.E.?
■ There are really more than 10 reasons but
most will fall in four categories . . .
❑1. A legal necessity.
❑2. Improved employment security.
❑3. Better opportunities for advancement.
❑4. Personal satisfaction.
Legal Necessity
■ 1. If you ever want or need to practice as a
consulting engineer, you must be licensed as
a P.E.

■ 2. Only a P.E. can practice as a professional

engineer and sign and seal engineering
documents that are submitted to a public
authority or for public and private clients.
Improved Employment Security
■ 3. Restructuring, downsizing and outsourcing
ARE REAL! A P.E. license may make the
difference in finding new employment.

■ 4. Industry and utility exemptions are being

considered for elimination by some states.

■ 5. Continuing education is required for a

professional engineer-- in many states by law
but in all states in practice.
Opportunities for Advancement
■ 6. Many companies encourage licensure
and some even pay a bonus for becoming a
P.E.

■ 7. In education, there is movement towards

requiring a P.E. license for engineering
faculty or for holding certain titles.

■ 8. In many industry, utility, and government

positions, a P.E. is required for specified jobs
or levels.
Opportunities for Advancement –
(Con’t.)
■9. With the engineering profession now
operating in an international environment,
licensing may be advantageous in the
future to work in other countries. You will
be better prepared in the event your career
moves in this direction.
Personal Satisfaction
■ 10. Licensure is the mark of a professional.
Ethical standards, continuing education,
and professional competency are
expected. P.E. after your name indicates
you have met the standards and can be
respected as a professional.
... And One More Reason
Me dian Inc ome of Engine e rs

$90,000
$80,000
$70,000
$60,000
$50,000
$40,000
$30,000
$20,000
$10,000
$0
EIT

PE
Lic e ns e d

F ore ns ic
Environ.
Not

P E,

P E,
OK …. What’s Coming??
Additional Engineering Education
as a
Prerequisite for Licensure

Implementation of Master’s or Equivalent (MOE)

-
The Future of Engineering Education
ASCE NSPE
WHY??

■ College education is not what it used to be.

Less credits required (154 to 120).

■ Engineering is becoming more complex.

 “It is evident that the exploding
body of science and engineering
knowledge can not be
accommodated within the context
of the traditional four year
baccalaureate degree.”

National Academy of Engineering, 2005

Knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary
to become a licensed professional engineer.
 How Does Additional Engineering
Education Fit into the Process?

Practice of Engineering at the

Body of Specialized Knowledge Professional Level

More Experience
Add’l and
Baccalaureate Licensure Lifelong Learning
Education and Possibly
Specialty
Certification

FE Exam PE Exam
The future . . . Are you ready?
Having a P.E. license is the best insurance policy
and could affect your career. The time to start is
now. Contact your state licensing board for
requirements and examination dates. Licensing
board addresses and phone numbers can be
obtained from the Internet --
http://www.ncees.org/boards.html
P.E.
NSPE encourages you to get it.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AND STUDY MATERIALS
National Council of Examiners for Engineering
and Surveying
280 Seneca Creek Road
Seneca, SC 29678
Phone: (800) 250-3196
Fax: (803) 654-6033
Internet: www.ncees.org
NSPE Web site: www.nspe.org