1. Top Ten Reasons to Become a Professional Engineer
March 2005

2. But first, what is a professional engineer?
A professional engineer ( P.E.) is a person who is licensed to practice engineering in a particular state or US territory after meeting all requirements of the law. To practice in multiple states or territories, the P.E. must be licensed in each state in which he or she wishes to practice.
Before getting into the details of professional licensing, let’s answer the question “What is a professional engineer? Like other professions such as medicine, law, or accounting, engineering is a profession regulated by certain laws. Thus ...

3. OVERVIEW Legal Requirements for Engineering Practice
Professional Registration Process
FE and PE Examination Specifications
Strategies for Passing the Exams
Study Materials
Answers to Common Questions
Why Become a Licensed Professional Engineer?
Let me give you a quick overview of some of the topics I intend to discuss with you today, so we will all share the same concept of where we are going in this discussion. And please, feel free to ask questions at any time. We will discuss...

4. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
All States have Registration Laws Governing the Practice of Engineering
Most States prohibit persons who are not registered PE’s from:
advertising, using a business card, or otherwise indicating that they are an engineer
practicing, offering to practice or by any implication holding themselves out as qualified to practice as an engineer
Exemptions for Industrial Practice
In 1907, Wyoming became the first state to require professional registration for those persons who wanted to practice engineering and land surveying. Now all states and jurisdictions of the United States have registration laws governing the practice of engineering, as do many foreign countries. These laws are often both “title acts” and “practice acts”, i.e....
Despite these legal provisions, the majority of engineers in the U.S. are not licensed. Why? ...Because in most states there are certain exemptions for industrial practice.

5. What are the requirements to become licensed as a P.E.?
Education (ABET/EAC)
FE Exam (EIT)
Experience (4 years)
PE Exam (P&PE)
What are the requirements to become licensed as a P.E.? While there are minor differences from state to state, generally licensing for engineers, just as in other professions, is based on education, experience, and examinations....

6. MORNING SECTION Chemistry 9 % Computers 5 % Dynamics 8 %
Electrical Circuits 10 %
Engineering Economics 4 %
Engineering Ethics 4 %
Fluid Mechanics 7 %
Materials Science 7 %
Mathematics 20 %
Mechanics of Materials 7 %
Statics 10 %
Thermodynamics %
Total 100 %
The first four hours of the FE exam covers topics that form the basis for all disciplines of engineering....
Note that engineering ethics is included in this exam, so if you are not already familiar with one of the Codes of Ethics for Engineers, you should study the ethics section furnished by NCEES.

7. AFTERNOON SECTION Civil Engineering Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Industrial Engineering
Environmental Engineering
General
The afternoon section of the exam provides questions in each of the five largest engineering disciplines of engineering ....
The “General” afternoon exam is provided for those individuals whose major is not one of these traditional disciplines, such as systems engineering, biomedical engineering, and the like. However, if your major is not one of the major five, I suggest that you look carefully at the specifications before selecting your afternoon exam. For example, aeronautical engineers might want to select mechanical and petroleum majors may want to work the chemical exam.

8. Electrical Engineering PE Exam
Morning Section
ECE Breadth Examination
Afternoon Section
Power Engineering
Computer Engineering
Electronics, Communications and Control Engineering
See ieeeusa.org or ncees.org
The PE exam for electrical and computer engineering was recently changed to a breadth and depth format. All candidates work the problems in the morning four hour examination. Candidates choose to work one of the three afternoon examination modules: Power Engineering, Computer Engineering or Electronics, Communications, and Control Systems Engineering. Details about the topics in each exam can be found at the IEEE-USA web site under the L&R Committee or on the NCEES web site.

9. PE Exam Format
Each of the four modules contains forty (40) multiple-choice (ABCD) questions.
All examinees must work all questions on the breadth module.
All examinees must work all questions on one depth module of their choice.
Thus, all examinees must work a total of eighty (80) multiple-choice (ABCD) questions.
The PE exam is now entirely multiple choice format. There are a total of 40 questions in the morning and 40 questions in each of the afternoon modules.

10. FE and PE EXAM STRATEGIES
Watch the time
THINK before you start
Eliminate incorrect choices
Answer all questions
Prepare for the test
Since the FE is a multiple choice exam, there are certain test-taking strategies that you should employ to help you pass the test....

11. STUDY MATERIALS FE Sample Examination Book (EE)
FE Exam Supplied Reference Book
PE Sample Examination Book
NCEES
P.O. Box 1686
Clemson, SC
Phone: (800)
Fax: (803)
Internet:
There are many different study guides and review manuals available to help you prepare for the FE and PE exams. Since the NCEES is the organization that prepares the tests for all jurisdictions to use, I particularly suggest that you get...

12. FREQUENT QUESTIONS Can I transfer my EIT 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 registration board in my state when I’m ready for the PE exam?
Let me answer a few of the questions that I am frequently asked about professional engineering registration. I’ll begin with some o the simplest ones....

13. What is an “accredited” degree?
Most colleges or universities that award an engineering degree are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. If you do not have a degree accredited by EAC/ABET additional experience requirements may apply.
If you have never heard of EAC/ABET, you might first wonder if your school is accredited. You can usually find out by consulting the school’s catalogue or asking a faculty person. If your school is accredited you can typically become licensed with an engineering BS degree, four years of qualifying experience after graduation and passing the FE and P&PE examinations. If your school is not accredited, it may take additional experience or, in some states, you cannot become licensed as a P.E.
(Note: It is recommended that the presenter be prepared to answer the question about which schools are EAC/ABET accredited within the territory of interest to the audience).

14. After qualifying, am I licensed as a P.E. in Electrical Engineering?
In some states, yes.
In other 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 or experience.
About a dozen of the states license engineers by their discipline. Most of the states provide a license as simple a Professional Engineer, or P.E. Even in some of these states that license as simply a professional engineer, the Board may publish a roster of registrants which lists your primary discipline.

15. 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”.
Licensing professional practitioners is not mentioned in the US Constitution, so it is among those powers “reserved to the states”. However, since engineering has adopted quite uniform licensing requirements and national examinations, it is usually very easy to obtain your license in additional states through a process called comity.

16. 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.
Well, finally we are ready to address those top ten reasons for becoming licensed as a Professional Engineer.....

17. Legal Necessity
1. If you ever want or need to become a consulting engineer, you must be licensed as a P.E.
2. Only a P.E. can sign and seal engineering documents that are submitted to a public authority or for public and private clients.
Some engineering graduates may initially be employed by a Consulting Engineering firm. They cannot sign and seal documents until they are licensed.
Increasingly, engineers who change careers or are required to leave employment of a company, turn to consulting if they are licensed.

18. 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 eliminated in some jurisdictions.
5. Continuing education is required for a professional engineer-- in some states by law but in all states in practice.
Current trends are for some companies to downsize by reducing employees on their payroll, but hiring them back through a consulting engineering firm. In this case, the engineer must be licensed or must work under the direct supervision of a P.E. employed at the consulting firm.
Some states have already eliminated industry and utility exemptions as not in the public interest. Others are considering the same step.
The PE licensure will assure potential employers that you are maintaining professional competency.

19. Opportunities for Advancement
6. Many companies encourage licensure and some even pay a bonus for becoming a P. E.
7. In education, more colleges are 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.
Look at advertisements for engineering positions. You will find that many employers encourage their engineers to become a P.E.
Some of you will decide to become faculty members, and some colleges require the faculty to be licensed P.E.’s.
Many senior engineering positions require the P.E.

20. Opportunities for Advancement - Continued
9. With the engineering profession now operating in an international environment, licensing may be required to work in or for other countries. You will be prepared in the event your career moves in this direction.
Don’t forget that most foreign countries recognize the P.E. license!

21. Personal Satisfaction
10. Licensure is the mark of a professional. Ethical standards, continuing education, and professional competency are expected. P.E. after you name indicates you have met the standards and can be respected as a professional.
Perhaps the most important reason to become a P.E. is the personal satisfaction that it brings to you. It is a credential that belongs to you, not your employer or your position. It brings the respect of your peers and goes with you wherever you career interests may take you.

22. ... And One More Reason
Oh....and there is one other reason for becoming a PE that may interest you. While there are many things that will affect your salary, the results of this survey of several thousand engineers a few years ago illustrates that ....

23. 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 --
So, I hope this has given you some perspective on professional licensing of engineers and convinced you that your future would be well served by deciding now that you will become a P.E. There is no question that it will never be easier to start the process than right now. As you graduate from your engineering school, your command of the basic areas of engineering is the best it can be....

24. IEEE encourages you to get it.
P.E.
IEEE encourages you to get it.