1. Definitions
2. Does an engineer have to have a PE to practice?
3. How is private practice different than working in industry?
4. What else does professional certification qualify me for?
5. Why don't all engineers get certified?
6. If the industrial exemption means I may not need certification, what advantage is there to my getting it anyway?
7. What might I expect on a PE exam or an EIT?
8. What are the biggest problems with the certification system?
9. Any other related suggestions?
10. New developments
11. The way the law reads today (LONG)
12. References

• It is standardized nationally.
• It is given in each state on the same day.
• It covers material common to most engineering disciplines:
  • circuits
  • fluid mechanics
  • thermodynamics
  • solid mechanics
  • mechanics/statics
  • materials science
  • mathematics
  • chemistry
• It is eight hours long, in two four-hour segments. You get a lunch break in-between.
• It is multiple choice. For now.
• It is closed-book, although a reference book is included.

This is it -- the exam that gets the PE license.

• It is standardized nationally,
  • but states decide on passing score.
  • and some states have specific disciplinary sections:
    • CA -- seismic design (Civils)
    • FL -- high winds
    • NJ -- environmental
    • WI -- "barrier-free" design
  • and NCEES no longer offers a combined test.
• It covers mini-design problems of the type encountered in upper-level undergraduate design classes.
• It consists of two segments, with applicants choosing to solve a subset of the problems available in each.
• Unlike an exam in which there are "right" and "wrong" answers, in this one you must justify your answers by stating all assumptions and defending your various steps.

The PP Exam requires a long application with details of work experience and (usually five) letters of reference (in most states, at least three of the references must themselves be licensed PEs). The NCEES packet says references should

• reflect the character and diversity of the applicant's experience
• be personally acquainted with the applicant's professional reputation and technical ability.

Those who complete the PP Exam are required to have eight years of experience by the time the state receives the scores. The undergraduate years count for four, and advanced degrees for two -- so even with a PhD you would have to add two years of work experience to qualify.

• Some states do not recognize licenses granted in other states. They may require re-examination, even from licensees in other states. Reciprocity, in which re-examination is waived, generally requires what NCEES considers as a passing score.
• Some states may not recognize individual specializations.
• Some states grant licenses routinely to (say) holders of PhDs.
• Exam fees may vary greatly.

The following people must have a PE license to practice:

• Anyone who offers engineering services to the public.
• Any who formally advertise themselves as "engineers."
• Half of the principals (i.e. owners) of a company that offers engineering services to the public.
• Half of the principals of a company that wants to use the term "engineer" in its name.

The following documents (for example) require the review of a PE:

• Electrical power system designs
• Public utility designs
• Construction documents and related designs
• Environmental containment designs

There is a strong likelihood of PE review needed if the thing being designed has impact on the public, e.g. public safety or utility availability. Such review would be required prior to construction, although the design can be accomplished by unlicensed engineers. Some utilities are required by law to hire PEs in some positions.

• Control systems design (except where safety is involved)
• Design and manufacture of computer chips

• The discipline involved in the licensing process can serve as a reminder to young engineers of the "ethic" involved in working in engineering -- some who are unlicensed (and are thus unaware of the PE's "Canons of Ethics") may at times ignore this.
• Someone with a PE can be sued. This knowledge will at times help the young engineer to scrupulously avoid failures.
• There is little effort to enforce the law here, unless someone without a license tries to advertise the services of an engineer.

• Your understanding of the legal aspect of private practice.
• How liability can affect your client(s).
• What ways you can advertise your services legally.
• Whether your client is liable for payroll taxes, providing an industrial exemption, etc.

• Expert witnesses: a PE can offer expert opinion as to what caused (for instance) a structural failure. This is the same as for a police officer, firefighter, physician, or anyone else (again) who deals with the public safety.

• Expert investigator: in many states, a PE can be called upon to determine the cause of (for instance) arson. This is, once again, in relation to the public safety.

• Some industries are already regulated on a federal level, such as aerospace.
• Some individuals who do not work with PEs have no way of getting the five references required to sit for the PP Exam. In some such cases, an application may be considered individually anyway.
• The application procedure can take longer than the exam itself.

• Demonstrate your proficiency to certain potential employers.
• Refresh your memory on problems not recently solved.
• Give you the "aura" of a professional consultant.

Loaded question. This is the one that brings up the thread in the first place. The system itself has these observed problems:

• Certification as a process would be more popular if the process were streamlined somewhat -- even for the test-makers, there is a lot of work.
• An honorarium of no more than $20/hour for writing questions; travel expenses only for (long) meetings to review scoring standards and new questions, etc. Few working engineers are willing to give up weekends for policy conferences. Of course, your mileage on this point will vary.
• What would be useful (and what isn't there) would be a voluntary certification process conducted by an unpaid volunteer group (with no ax to grind) of working engineers.
• The NSPE must recognize that there are many engineering disciplines out there and that certifications should either address common areas or be specialized.

The use of the title "engineer" has these problems:

• Many people call themselves "engineers" -- this can be a misuse of the term. A blatant example is the "software engineer" that has taken computer science courses and uses the title "engineer."
• No test can measure whether someone will be a competent engineer. This is why the experience and reference requirements are crucial parts of professional certification.

The testing process has these problems:

• A large percentage of test-takers fail. Numbers were not verified in this portion of the discussion, and some thought it was unreasonable that anyone should fail such a "simple" exam. The passing rate on the FE for first time takers from ABET-accredited programs is about 70%. The passing rate for all takers is about 50%. The rate varies slightly with each exam since the selection of questions is different each time.
• The EIT is not required for undergraduates, nor is there a waiver on the PE exam for, say, a PhD with some work experience.
• The EIT is structured more toward Mechanical and Civil than for, say, Geological and Chemical engineering. There is a counter-argument that ME programs place a greater emphasis on the EIT.

• Make sure you have an apprenticeship or cooperative education program you can jump into while an undergrad.

• Alternatively, make sure you have a two-year in ______ Technology, where ______ is some discipline which offers credits that will transfer into a four-year program in engineering.

• Contrary to the opinions of many students, the FE is NOT a test of what you know so much as a test of what you can understand. Mature engineers on the review panel found that if the read the questions carefully, they could find information in the references which let them solve problems for which they were otherwise "clueless." Faculty colleagues have said essentially the same thing after taking the FE. Those who cannot (or will not) read carefully will not do well.

• All registrants would be "professional engineers." Registration as a "civil engineer" or "chemical engineer" (for example) would involve appropriate registration prior to the rewrite, or separate testing.
• EIT waivers would no longer be available.
• Experience required for professional registration would increase from six to eight years.
• Stronger sanctions against PEs who violate provisions of the Act would be implemented.
• Only NCEES exams would be offered. Since NCEES does not offer exams in traffic, corrosion and safety, these would no longer be available, and no new registrations would be given in those areas. New registrations would be available, however, in aeronautical, ceramic, environmental, and mining/materials.

1. May use the titles "registered engineer", "professional engineer", "consulting engineer" or combinations of those titles.
2. May use one of the titles in Section 6732 as appropriate for the branch in which they are registered.
3. May practice civil engineering if registered as a civil engineer and similarly for mechanical or electrical engineering.

1. May NOT use the titles "registered engineer", "professional engineer", "consulting engineer" or combinations of those titles.
2. May NOT use one of the titles in Section 6732.
3. MAY practice engineering in any branch other than civil, mechanical or electrical engineering (so long as they do not use one of the titles in Section 6732)

6734.1. Any person practices electrical engineering when he professes to be an electrical engineer or is in responsible charge of electrical engineering work.