21-56.0501. REQUIREMENT FOR LICENSING

(a) Education. The education of an applicant shall be considered in determining eligibility for licensing as a Professional Engineer. The following terms used by the Board for the specific educational requirements to be eligible to be licensed as a Professional Engineer are defined by the Board as follows:

(1) Engineering Curriculum of Four or more Years Approved by the Board is defined as a curriculum that has been accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). This curriculum is incorporated by reference including subsequent amendments and editions. This material is available for inspection at the office of the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors, 3620 Six Forks Road, Suite 300, Raleigh, North Carolina 27609. Copies may be obtained at the Board office at a cost of five dollars ($5.00) per copy.

(2) Engineering or Related Science Curriculum of Four or more Years Other than Ones Approved by the Board is defined as a curriculum, although not accredited by ABET, of physics, math, chemistry and engineering technology which contains engineering or scientific principles.

(3) Equivalent Education Satisfactory to the Board:

(A) A bachelor's degree in Engineering Technology shall be considered equivalent to an engineering or related science curriculum of four or more years other than one approved by the Board.

(B) An associate degree in an engineering related curriculum with an additional two years of progressive engineering experience shall be considered equivalent to an engineering or related science curriculum of four or more years other than one approved by the Board.

(C) A diploma from an accredited high school with an additional four years of progressive engineering experience shall be considered equivalent to an engineering or related science curriculum of four or more years other than one approved by the Board.

(D) Foreign degrees may be considered as recommended by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) in its publications; provided however, maximum equivalency granted shall be that of an engineering or related science curriculum of four or more years other than one approved by the Board. The NCEES publications are incorporated by reference including subsequent amendments and editions. This material is available for inspection at the office of The North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors, 3620 Six Forks Road, Suite 300, Raleigh, North Carolina 27609. Copies may be obtained at the Board's office at a cost of five dollars ($5.00) per copy.

(b) Experience:

(1) General. The experience of an applicant shall be considered in determining whether an applicant is eligible to be licensed as a Professional Engineer.

(2) Required Experience. In evaluating the work experience required the Board may consider the total experience record, and the progressive nature of the record. (Not less than half of required engineering experience shall be of a professional grade and character, and shall be performed under the responsible charge of a Professional Engineer.)

(3) Definition. The terms "progressive engineering experience" or "progressive experience on engineering projects" mean that during the period of time in which an applicant has made a practical utilization of acquired knowledge, continuous improvement, growth and development have been shown in the utilization of that knowledge as revealed in the complexity and technical detail of the work product or work record. The applicant must show continuous assumption of greater individual responsibility for the work product over that period of time.

(4) Specific Credit for Experience. In evaluating progressive engineering experience, the Board may give credit for experience in the following areas of work:

(A) Graduate schooling or research in an approved engineering curriculum - maximum two years;

(B) Progressive land surveying - maximum two years;

(C) Teaching of science or engineering subjects at the graduate level in an approved engineering curriculum - maximum two years.

(5) Experience Not Considered:

(A) Experience obtained prior to graduation while receiving education for which credit is given toward registration, unless such experience is obtained in a co-op program in an engineering curriculum approved by the Board.

(B) Experience obtained in a foreign country unless performed under direct supervision of a Professional Engineer registered with a member Board of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).