My previous articles started a discussion about the varied, yet complimentary roles of the different disciplines within civil engineering. The education and experience components of licensing was discussed. This article will discuss the necessary examination to get a professional engineering license and the role that advanced credentials play in qualifications.
Examination
Every licensed professional engineer must take two examinations following their bachelor’s degree education. The Fundamentals of Engineering examination tests the basic knowledge core provided by the formal education. It is an 8 hour examination typically taken within the last year of the bachelor’s degree program. The pass rate is typically around 65-70%. This second examination is taken typically after four years or practical experience. The Principles and Practice of Engineering examination tests the application of the knowledge to real life scenarios. This National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) 8-hour exam consists of 80 multiple choice questions. The 40 questions in the morning cover the breadth of civil engineering across all sub-disciplines. The 40 questions in the afternoon cover the specialty discipline chosen by the examinee. These disciplines are structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, water resources engineering, construction engineering, and transportation engineering. Each question is allowed an average of 6 minutes for completion, so the questions cannot be in great depth. The pass rate for the civil engineering PE exam is between 55% and 70% depending on the sub-discipline.
Two states, Illinois and Hawaii, require that structural engineers take an additional 16-hour examination covering only structural engineering. In these states, all structures must be designed by a licensed structural engineer who has passed this examination. There are eight other states, that require licensed structural engineers who have passed this examination to design only significant structures. These significant structures include power plants, hospitals, schools, and other high risk or high occupancy buildings.
The next article will discuss advanced credentials that demonstrate deeper qualifications. It will also describe in greater depth the 16-hour structural engineering examination.
Portions of this blog were from an article authored by Mr. Randall P. Bernhardt and published in the June 8, 2016 Practice Points.
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