# PE Exam for PhD’s?



## LM_JAZ (Feb 12, 2010)

I have a PhD in Civil Engineering and about 15 years of work experience. Does anyone know of any state that does not require a PE exam?


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## Dexman PE (Feb 12, 2010)

here are the regs for Colorado:

http://www.dora.state.co.us/aes/licensing/...ments-pepls.htm

It looks like you need 20 years of progressive engineering experience inwhich education may be a part. I know the bachelor's degree is worth 4 years, a masters degree is worth 1 additional year, but I am unsure what the PhD is worth. But if you have 15 years AFTER school (they don't allow overlapping education &amp; work experience time), you're probably right at the edge of the limits.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Feb 12, 2010)

If I'm not mistaken, any sort of graduate experience is lumped together as one year of experience.


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## Chucktown PE (Feb 12, 2010)

Just curious, but why don't you just take the PE Exam?


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## Dexman PE (Feb 12, 2010)

Chucktown PE said:


> Just curious, but why don't you just take the PE Exam?


He's a party pooper and doesn't want to partake in all the fun we rave about.


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## mr_man (Feb 12, 2010)

Real engineers have PE's.

I eat PhD's for breakfast.


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## benbo (Feb 13, 2010)

^^^

mr man is introducing a bill to make the PE mandatory, but only for PhDs.


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## kevo_55 (Feb 13, 2010)

Calm down mr_man. PhD's are people too!


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## mr_man (Feb 15, 2010)

That's a pretty lame answer kevo............


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## wilheldp_PE (Feb 15, 2010)

LM_JAZ said:


> I have a PhD in Civil Engineering and about 15 years of work experience. Does anyone know of any state that does not require a PE exam?


My advice to you is to sit tight for a few years. There is a proposal in front of NCEES right now to waive PE requirements for PhDs. If it gets passed, it will become part of the NCEES model law that will likely be accepted by several state licensure boards.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Feb 15, 2010)

mr_man said:


> Real engineers have PE's.
> I eat PhD's for breakfast.


I'm married to a PhD. I should be so lucky at breakfast time.


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## kevo_55 (Feb 15, 2010)

^^ Winner!


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## TranspoVA (Feb 15, 2010)

I think in VA a PHD gets you out of the FE exam...only one of professor in the civil dept where I went to school had a PE (also had a PHD)...but he used to claim he was the only real engineer there...


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## ALBin517 (Feb 15, 2010)

TranspoVA said:


> I think in VA a PHD gets you out of the FE exam...only one of professor in the civil dept where I went to school had a PE (also had a PHD)...but he used to claim he was the only real engineer there...


It seemed like the only licensed profs I had were those who did work on the side.

That has since changed, however. Lots of profs from my college have got their licenses in the past five years.


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## Chucktown PE (Feb 15, 2010)

The Clemson civil engineering department requires that the profs obtain a license within one year of hiring and I don't think they're eligible for tenure without it.


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## Dexman PE (Feb 15, 2010)

ALBin517 said:


> TranspoVA said:
> 
> 
> > I think in VA a PHD gets you out of the FE exam...only one of professor in the civil dept where I went to school had a PE (also had a PHD)...but he used to claim he was the only real engineer there...
> ...


Thats because, ironically enough, they don't want to go back and get hit with the BS +30 rule.

lol professor, you have to go back to school to be an engineer...


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## TranspoVA (Feb 15, 2010)

I always figured you went to teaching to avoid any acutal work....so by not getting a PE maybe they are solidifying that concept


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## solomonb (Feb 20, 2010)

I have been through this hoop drill. I have an earned PhD-- have had for 25 years. When I received it, in Texas, you could petition the state board to become a PE without taking either the FE

or PE examination. I did that and became a PE in Texas.

Subsequently, I moved to Montana and petitioned for comity per having the Texas PE. In fact, I appeared before the State Board after filling out 9 reams of paperwork. Even though I was licensed and still maintain licensure in Texas, because I had not taken the national examination for a PE, I was denied comity. I was told that to become a PE in Montana, I had to take the national examination.

I said, Hell, this cannot be that tough-- after all, it is an undergraduate level examination based upon 4 years of experience past the BS degree.

I took a 3 day review course, where there were 4 other PhD's. I came home and studied about 3 hours a day, working problems until I was blue in the face. I took the test, with all of the fear and trepedation that is identified on this board. I did pass and became licensed in Montana.

The question of why a PhD does not want to take the PE examination? After all of the work and examinations that it took to get a PhD-- one wonders why? Of course, the pure fear of failure is another concern. You have a Phd, probably have a good job at a company or university, and then fail to pass the examination. Lots of humiliation.

An adjunct faculty member at Texas A&amp;M petitioned the TX State board to waive the PE examination and was denied the license. The board basically told him to take the test and not worry about a waiver. You can see this exchange on the TX PE LICENSING WEB SITE, for the November 2009 meeting. Review the video for the committee on licensure. This is candidate #8 or 9-- he appears before the board and presents a cogent case, however, in the end, is told to take the test.

My advice-- go take a review course, get all of the reference material that is required, work problems for 3 hours a day for 8 weeks before the test and then take the damn thing and be done with it. Don't overthink the questions-- after all, this is an undergraduate level examination. PhD's are trained to analyze and analyze and consider many facets of a problem.

After all, what the test is supposed to identify is the characteristics and capabilities of a minimally competent engineer. This is stressful, however, not impossible. For the record, I was 55 years old and had been in very senior corporate management for 25 years when I took the test. Just do it.


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## rppearso (Feb 21, 2010)

^^ I know a guy who got his texas PE without exam and he was also unable to get comity in Alaska, in fact I dont think you would be able to get comity in any of the other 49 states. I talked to a collegue a while ago and he said all the fear is largly unfounded, yea it would be humiliating if a PhD failed the PE but like you said you have been through way more rigourus testing and PhD defenses the PE should be a walk in the park, I am only a BS for now (working on a BS in a different disipline and will then go for a graduate degree) and I was a bit imtimidated by the PE but at the end of the day I passed it on the first try, I say be as rigourus as you can in getting your PE without having to use waivers and loop holes because comity will be impossible if you move out of state in the future. Plus if you are going to add a second title to the end of your name you should have to work at least a little for it lol.


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