18 replies to this topic

[PEPG]

Just passed the 2006 October PE exam, and am throwing myself back into the fire to get the PG (professioanl geologist) exam out of the way (hopefully) while I'm still in the study mode. I was wondering if there's anyone else out there studying for this exam that might like to get together and compare notes, study stratigies, etc. I've found there are not nearly the study materials available specifically for this exam as there are for the PE.

Waiting for my PE results from April. If I pass, I'll go for the PG - Hopefully in the fall. Can't get past the waiting on the PE score though!

[jregieng]

DrFranz --

What would licensure as a Professional Geologist (PG) obtain for you that your Professional Engineering license (PE) with geotechnical engineering experience/expertise afford??

JR

[jregieng]

I heard that I cannot sign/seal GPR and such reports... not sure if that's true... I wanted to check with my board (FL) but they said they didn't know.

Dr. Franz --

I am a licensed FL PE and I work for a regulatory agency that oversees work of geological investigations

I will see if I can get any added information for this - I have wondered what, if any, benefit could arise from a professional engineer obtaining a license as a professional geologist. Now .. if you are interested in telling me what geologic period that unconsolidated surficial sand came from ... and all of the characteristics of that geologic period .. maybe you need a P.G. license. However, if it is related to the 'engineering' properties, I don't see any reason why an engineer with training/competency in geotechnical engineering couldn't provide those certifications.

Anyways, I will do a check

JR

[Dleg]

I agree with JR. I am also an environmental regulator, and I don't see anything that would require a PG/RG certification that a qualified PE couldn't do. Even when there have been PGs on a job, say logging wells, they usually don't do it to any more detailed degree than I would, as an engineer. I never see them out there with a microscope, for instance, trying to identify the exact limestone facies they're in.

On the other hand, I've heard it's not a hard test, and most PGs I know say that an experienced enviro (or geotech) PE could easily pass the exam with some study. If they will let you, and you are willing to put in the time and money, I think the additional certification might be a plus.

[Tark62]

I am licensed in California as both a PG and a Civil PE, and can comment on the relative utility of both degrees. Note that California, unlike most states, has discipline-specific PE licensing, so I mean Civil PEs specifically (PEs in other disciplines have little or no authority to address environmental or geotechnical issues in California).

In California, PGs routinely conduct environmental and geotechnical assessments. In the vast majority of cases, Civil PEs are also allowed to conduct such assessments. Civil PEs can also prepare environmental designs (e.g. remediation systems) or geotechnical designs (e.g foundations), which PGs generally cannot do.

There are a few issues in California where a PG stamp might be required (or strongly preferred) over a Civil PE stamp. Some possible examples:

- Mapping the location, and determining the history of movement, of earthquake faults or landslides;
- Evaluating natural background concentrations of metals (at sites affected by metals contamination);
- Disposal of wastes by deep-well injection (typically down old oil production wells);
- Modeling the effects of proposed water-supply wells on aquifers;
- Evaluating naturally-occurring asbestos in serpentine bedrock (an issue in parts of California).

Of course, it's quite possible that these points don't apply in Florida (probably you aren't too concerned about active faults, for example). My guess is that if you are already a PE, then it's likely that the PG will give you little, if any, additional stamping authority. But the PG and PE together will look good on your resume.

I can't comment on the relative difficulty of current PG vs. PE exams. I've had 16 hours of geology licensing exams (the old 8-hour California state RG exam, plus the 4-hour California state certification exams in hydrogeology and engineering geology). Cumulatively, the geology exams that I've taken were comparable in difficulty to the NCEES FE/PE exams (not including California's supplemental seismic exam, which was more difficult than any of the others). However, most or all states (including California) now use the 4-hour ASBOG FG/PG exams for PGs, and these are supposed to be easier.

Edited by Tark62, 06 July 2007 - 01:23 AM.

[Dleg]

^^Thank you for that. Excellent summary and advice.

[jregieng]

A very nice discussion and summary Tark62 - very much appreciated.

Dr. Franz --

I did some checking today and found, "Division of Waste Management Policy on Professional Certification of Technical Documents," dated March 31, 2000 - signed by the Division Director. This memorandum includes a table of documents submitted to the Division of Waste Management and the necessary corresponding PE and/or PG certification. In that table, a PE may certify documents or aspects of documents that pertain to the practice of geology if the PE is qualified to do so based on training and/or experience in accordance with Chapter 492, F.S. with the exception of documents containing interpretive geology. I also spoke to two of the P.G.s in my section and they confirm that would be the sole exception based on thier experience.

So it sounds like surveys that require interpretations like GPR and EM data would require P.G. certifications solely, otherwise it seems that you don't get much added benefit from P.E. license - at least for Florida. I agree with Tark62 that in states where there is more 'active' geology that the 'practice' of geology likely provides more specification that will in turn lead to greater authority to conduct/certify work product.

I appreciate the open discussion and exchange of ideas - like I said, it is something I have put some thought into but never really came to any conclusions.

JR

[Samaz]

I used the ASBOG exam study guide from www.georev.com/services. It is a very good guide.I had failed the exam twice but passed both the FG and the PG after studying this guide.I have the regreview guide, the groundwater and wells book, I took the Regreview courses and have other Hydrogeology like Fetter but this guide I read is by far the best.

[Pelambre]

Guys,

Do you know which is the least strict (paperwork-wise) state in order to take the PG exam??, specially for me, I got a non US BS but a US MS (Abet).

Please let me know.

Thanks

[Pelambre]

Just passed the 2006 October PE exam, and am throwing myself back into the fire to get the PG (professioanl geologist) exam out of the way (hopefully) while I'm still in the study mode. I was wondering if there's anyone else out there studying for this exam that might like to get together and compare notes, study stratigies, etc. I've found there are not nearly the study materials available specifically for this exam as there are for the PE.

Guest_djbaker77_*,

How did you dealt with that paper work between being a civil PE and sitting for the PG exam.

I have read all the California board requierements for sitting for the PG exam, and they insist that I need to have a geologic degree and a bunch of 100% geologic semester hours, which since I am civil engineer I don´t have any degree and have few geologic semester hours.

Please let me know.

Thanks

[envirotex]

I'm not exactly sure how you would get a PG without meeting the education requirements. Most of the upper division course work in geology has some practical field or lab component involved that is simply not found in engineering classes (even ones with labs)...

I would call your state board and ask them specifically about your coursework. Maybe you are not counting some classes that would be valid. Otherwise, I would say if it's something you really want to pursue, then you should look into graduate studies.

Also, I have been considering taking the exam for a while and I am still undecided. See the thread below for additional discussions on this topic.

http://engineerboard...ional geologist