Professional Engineering Requirements

[Debbie Campbell <dcamp -at- CS -dot- RICE -dot- EDU>]

>From:    Charles Fisher <decrsc!charles -at- UUNET -dot- UU -dot- NET>
>Subject: Re: Do you equate engineers and programmers?

>I remember reading something recently about professional
>engineering societies lobbying for the exclusive use of
>the term "engineer"

>Can anyone else add more details?


Hi gang,

Here's my understanding of the process required to become an engineer. The
National Society(?) of Professional Engineers (NSPE) would probably be able
to provide an official response.

In Texas, to call yourself an engineer, you have to

  (1) graduate from an accredited four-year engineering program.
     (At this point, you may say that you have a degree in
     engineering, but you may not call yourself an engineer.)

  (2) pass an eight-hour exam called the Fundamentals of
      Engineering/Engineer in Training (FE/EIT) exam. (This exam,
      which is equivalent to "state boards," covers electrical,
      chemical, mechanical, and industrial engineering, as well
      as engineering math. At this stage, you may introduce
      yourself as an engineer in training, or an EIT.)

  (3) work for four years in a full-time engineering position
      under the training of a professional engineer (PE).
      (During this time, you may say that you work "in engineering"
      and that you "have an engineering degree," but you still
      may not call yourself an engineer.)

  (4) having completed steps 1 through 3, apply for registration
      as a PE and pass another exam specific to your discipline,
      e.g., _electrical_ engineering. (You may then introduce
      yourself as an (electrical, chemical, whatever) engineer in
      the state where you applied for registration. To call yourself
      an engineer in any other state, you may have to pass another
      exam; however, some states offer reciprocity.)

In Texas, people who introduce themselves as engineers without having
completed this process are considered either uninformed or unethical. Note,
however, that the rules are a little different if you have an advanced
degree or if you have many years of experience.

Debbie's opinion: A piece of paper doesn't make you a good anything. There
are brilliant housewives and stupid engineers, and so on.

Hope it illuminates without lighting torches (Gee, I've never been _flamed_
before!)

Debbie Campbell, BSEE, EIT
(dcamp -at- cs -dot- rice -dot- edu)