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iGas

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2009
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Is it possible for a person to challenge a PE exam that has field experience but no formal engineering education?
 
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roguerower

roguerower

Diamond Member
Nov 18, 2004
4,563
0
76
Not an engineer (even though my title has it in there), but I work with a guy that took the exam and he said it was excruciatingly difficult. I don't know if it's something you can take without the schooling. I would think there are also requirements to take the test, i.e. degree from an accredited school.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_Engineer

Yep. Looks like you're hosed unless you live in a select state.
 
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rcpratt

rcpratt

Lifer
Jul 2, 2009
10,433
110
116
Highly unlikely. If you studied for a few months, maybe.

It's really not that hard, but there are a ton a ton of different concepts and topics that would be covered during a BS in engineering.
 
I

iGas

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2009
6,240
1
0
A retired EE last night told me that it is possible to challenge the PE exam in the US with out education, but it is not possible here in Canada. However, it isn't so as stated by NCCES.org.
 
gorcorps

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,741
456
126
Have you even taken the FE? I'm pretty sure you can't be a PE without having passes the FE at least 4 years prior... At least in my state.
 
K

Kreon

Golden Member
Oct 22, 2006
1,329
0
0
iGas said:
A retired EE last night told me that it is possible to challenge the PE exam in the US with out education, but it is not possible here in Canada. However, it isn't so as stated by NCCES.org.
Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean by "challenge", but I think what you're trying to say is he said you don't need formal education to take the PE in the US.

That is true in some states. Some states don't require any formal education (but a much longer period of time in the industry). Others allow for non-engineering degrees (sometimes with a longer period of time in the industry). Others require an engineering degree (along with time in the industry). I should note that I'm a civil engineer (student right now)

Add in that there is also Engineering Technology degrees, which usually have different requirements (ie, in MA an engineering degree can sit after 4 years of experience, whereas a engineering technologist must wait 8 years.)

This is all going to get more complicated (at least in Civil Engineering), as there is a now a push to require a masters degree to sit for the PE.
 
B

bonkers325

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
13,076
1
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if you dont have the proper educational background (i.e. accredited engineering curriculum) you can substitute with 15 or 20 years of experience

whether or not you will pass the exam is a completely different question, as the PE exams cover a broad spectrum of engineering topics in the A.M. exam and specific engineering topics pertaining to your field in the P.M. exam
 
K

Kreon

Golden Member
Oct 22, 2006
1,329
0
0
bonkers325 said:
if you dont have the proper educational background (i.e. accredited engineering curriculum) you can substitute with 15 or 20 years of experience
Click to expand...

Depends on the state. Most states do not have that provision, and those that do require sponsors who are PEs (iirc)
 
dud

dud

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,635
73
91
When I received my first engineering degree oh so many years ago we were told that the requirements for a PE were as follows:

1 - 4 year engineering degree from an accredited school
2 - Successful passing of the EI exam
3 - 5 years of experience in the field of engineering
4 - Successful passing of the PE exam

I do not know if things have changed over the years but it seems highly unlikely.
 
Imp

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,828
184
106
Hmmm... No idea. I'm a civil engineer graduate student, and haven't even set a date for my PE exam yet. From heresay, and being around many people who've written it in Ontario, it has no technical topics. Most of it is laws and ethics.

Someone in my office got a P.Eng. license, and he's mentally unstable. People say he just wrote it so many times, they just gave it to him eventually.
 
The Stigenator

The Stigenator

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,216
3
81
I thought you take the EIT first.. then PE..

I am thinking of taking the EIT in 2 years (depending on which grad school I go to, cause one o fthem requires me to have it).. then the PE exam later on
 
dud

dud

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,635
73
91
The Stigenator said:
I thought you take the EIT first.. then PE..

I am thinking of taking the EIT in 2 years (depending on which grad school I go to, cause one o fthem requires me to have it).. then the PE exam later on
Click to expand...



You typically take the EIT in your senior year ... but you (in the past) did not have to pass it to graduate.
 
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