Professional Engineer license - how do I get there from here?

[Amail]

I've been doing mechanical design in the same field for over 20 years now and have a lot of experience. I am the go-to guy in our organization for any mechanical design.

I never went to more than a few semesters of college, and I believe this lack of a degree is hurting my career. I don't have the time to go to a full four-year university.

I'm thinking that getting a PE license would be very valuable, and I can put together the time to get tutored up, but it seems a degree is a pre-requisite.

Any PE's on the forum that can offer some suggestions?

[Stuart993]

Look here:

PPI, Mechanical Engineering (PE), ppi2pass.com

You're going to really struggle without a 4 year degree.

I knew a guy took his 4th attempt when I got mine, he had to explain himself to the examination board for the 3rd and 4th attempts. He finally got there.

[Superman]

When I was an undergraduate (liberal arts), it became clear to me that Engineering was not really a four-year degree. Really, it was a five-year degree that folks tried to finish in four years. That was more than thirty years ago.

[ckissick]

Ask licensing board in your state, in the land of milf and honey.

[vash]

cant be done:

you need.
degree from an approved school and EIT.
no EIT?
degree from an approved school and 15 years of experience.
degree from NON approved school and 17 years of experience.

bottom line, you need school. sorry.
if i remember correctly.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by vash

cant be done:

you need.
degree from an approved school and EIT.
no EIT?
degree from an approved school and 15 years of experience.
degree from NON approved school and 17 years of experience.

bottom line, you need school. sorry.
if i remember correctly.

Not correct. You need 13 years of experience under a Licensed Engineer. A 4 yr degree in engineering counts as 8 years. A Master degree counts as one year. You need to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE previously EIT) and then pass the PE exam. All information is then reviewed by your State licensing board.

[CurtEgerer]

Everything I see for the current PE License in Michigan requires a minimum Bachelors in Engineering degree. It seems like way back when I got my license there was a way to get around the education requirements but I can't find any exceptions to that now.

I would call your State engineering board and explain your situation directly.

[Tom '74 911]

I am a licensed architect w/out a masters in architecture. I do have a liberal arts degree. When I took my test(s), the state I live in (Idaho) was one of the few that would accept documented on-the-job experience in lieu of a degree in architecture. At the time, every state had different rules as to what qualified you to be able to take the test. While I think it's probably more uniform now state to state, you might investigate the requirements in yours specifically and the surrounding ones as well. Maybe you'll get lucky. Best of luck.

Tom

[MarKoBrow]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Not correct. You need 13 years of experience under a Licensed Engineer. A 4 yr degree in engineering counts as 8 years. A Master degree counts as one year. You need to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE previously EIT) and then pass the PE exam. All information is then reviewed by your State licensing board.

This is what one of my employees had to do almost to the letter. When I hired him (almost didn't) he had more practical engineering knowledge than anyone I had ever met and his only educational experience was in the Navy. He got his PE licence 2 years ago and hasn't looked back. Amail check with your states licensing board and go for it.

[vash]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Not correct. You need 13 years of experience under a Licensed Engineer. A 4 yr degree in engineering counts as 8 years. A Master degree counts as one year. You need to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE previously EIT) and then pass the PE exam. All information is then reviewed by your State licensing board.

negative ghostrider. not in the land of milf and honey..california correct? you basically need a degree.

Board Approved Engineering Degree (ABET)

1. A person holding a BS degree in engineering from an ABET accredited
curriculum (See Question 1, part b) and has 15 or more years of
qualifying work experience. Qualifying work experience is defined in
Question 5, part b.

2. A person holding a BS and a Masters degree in engineering from an
ABET accredited program and has 14 or more years of qualifying work
experience, provided that the Masters degree does not overlap with
the work experience.

c. Board Approved Engineering Technology Degree (ABET)

1. A person holding a BS degree in engineering technology from an ABET
accredited curriculum and has 17 or more years of qualifying work
experience.

2. A person holding a BS degree in engineering technology and a Masters
degree in engineering from an ABET accredited program, and has 16 or
more years of qualifying work experience, provided that the Masters
degree does not overlap with the work experience.

Non-Board Approved Engineering Degree

1. A person holding a BS degree in engineering from a non-ABET
accredited curriculum and has 17 or more years of qualifying work
experience.

2. A person holding a BS degree in engineering from a non-ABET
accredited curriculum and a Masters degree in engineering from an ABET
accredited program and has 16 or more years of qualifying work
experience, provided that the Masters degree does not overlap with
the work experience.

Note: EIT waivers are not available to applicants without an earned BS degree in
engineering, or to applicants with a non-ABET degree in engineering technology.

[red-beard]

OK, my information was based on the requirements for a NY State PE license. And it is presently 12 credits:

NYS Professional Engineering:License Requirements

No degree is required. 12 years doing engineering under a Licensed PE is required.

Texas at this time will not license someone without at least some degree in Engineering or science. The requirements are more strict for those without a Full degree in engineering from an accredited school.

[id10t]

Hey, I'm sorta in the same boat, but I'm doing it. Have tons of years of experience in IT stuff, have AS degree, teach a class as an adjunct. And I'm back in school working on my AA to transfer to UF's comp sci/software engineering track. Took 3rd English last term, doing stats now, then pre-calc, calc, more calc, more calc, physics with calc, more physics w/ calc, chemistry, more chemistry, and a humanities class of some sort.

Then the fun stuff at uf where I'll be learning lots of new things

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Amail

I've been doing mechanical design in the same field for over 20 years now and have a lot of experience. I am the go-to guy in our organization for any mechanical design.

I never went to more than a few semesters of college, and I believe this lack of a degree is hurting my career. I don't have the time to go to a full four-year university.

I'm thinking that getting a PE license would be very valuable, and I can put together the time to get tutored up, but it seems a degree is a pre-requisite.

Any PE's on the forum that can offer some suggestions?

Ohio required a 4 year degree and pass a test when I did it 25 years ago. Mechanical design and engineering aren't the same thing. Engineering is a more general discipline.

[David]

I believe there are only a few states that don't require passing the test and even fewer that don't require a BS in engineering.

Last I checked Texas allows a PE without the exam or test. They said they were going to tighten things up several years ago but they're still giving PE's without the test. I don't know anyone who's gotten it without the degree, but I guess it's possible.

My personnel opinion is you should have to get the degree and pass the test, because I don't see anyway to properly evaluate all the applicants without these two main standards. On the other hand, much of what many engineers do is 'plug and chug' with all the standards we have today so passing the test is theoretically enough.

[unclebilly]

So I am a P.Eng. - Canadian Professional designation for a Professional Engineer.

The rules in Canada are slightly different but similar in many ways.

Here, you need to go to an accredited university and obtain a 4 yr Bachelor of Applied Science (B.ASc) or a 4 yr Bachelor of Engineering degree to apply to become an Engineer in Training (EIT). After 3 years as an EIT preferably working under a P.Eng. you can apply to write the exam which is a 100 question exam that accomplishes 3 things; it ensures you can read and write in ENGLISH, it ensures that you understand the legalities of the profession, and it is an ethics exam. After 4 years of experience, succesful compeltion of the exam, and 3 letters of reccomendation from P.Eng's, you can become a P.Eng.

You can also take the route of apprenticing under a P.Eng. for X amount of years. I only know of one guy that did this. He apprenticed in the UK and the APEGGA recognized his designation when he emigrated.

Once a P.Eng., you need to do 300 hours of professional development per year etc to maintain your professional standing.

Here's my question, if so many people resent engineers, why do so many people who are not engineers want to represent themselves as engineers?

[CurtEgerer]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

Here's my question, if so many people resent engineers, why do so many people who are not engineers want to represent themselves as engineers?

Exactly. I can't count the times somebody has told me they are an 'engineer'. Really, what's your license number? Well, er, um, I'm not licensed but .....

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by David

I believe there are only a few states that don't require passing the test and even fewer that don't require a BS in engineering.

Last I checked Texas allows a PE without the exam or test. They said they were going to tighten things up several years ago but they're still giving PE's without the test. I don't know anyone who's gotten it without the degree, but I guess it's possible.

My personnel opinion is you should have to get the degree and pass the test, because I don't see anyway to properly evaluate all the applicants without these two main standards. On the other hand, much of what many engineers do is 'plug and chug' with all the standards we have today so passing the test is theoretically enough.

Not in the rules I'm looking at. Taking the FE in 45 days, with the plan to take the PE in spring 2011...

[IROC]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Mechanical design and engineering aren't the same thing. Engineering is a more general discipline.

Very important point.

[David]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Not in the rules I'm looking at. Taking the FE in 45 days, with the plan to take the PE in spring 2011...

I just checked the web site and didn't see anything about getting a PE in Texas without a degree but I swear it in there about 10 years ago.


Mechanical Design and Engineering can be related. When I took the PE exam several years ago it was the PE Mechanical: Mechanical Design test. And yes, contrary to what some think of me on PARF, I did pass on the first try

[Amail]

Mechanical design and engineering better be related - I sure do a lot of engineering in my designs! I look at strength of materials, corrosion analysis, statics, effects of temperature and pressure, manufacturability, general "fit-for-function" in most everything I design.

Just because there's no sparks in it, or HVAC, doesn't mean there's no engineering going on.