National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying
| Formation | 1920[1] |
|---|---|
| Type | Professional association |
| Headquarters | Seneca, South Carolina |
| Location |
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|
President
|
Gene Dinkins, P.E., P.L.S.[2] |
| Website | www |
The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) is a national non-profit organization composed of engineering and land surveying licensing boards representing all U.S. states and territories . It is headquartered in Seneca, South Carolina, across Lake Hartwell from Clemson University.[2]
Contents
Engineering
NCEES is responsible for the administration of the exams that engineers must pass in order to become certified as a Professional Engineer. These include:
- The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is usually taken during college or soon after graduating is one of the first steps to becoming a registered Professional Engineer. The FE exam will be administered via computer-based testing (CBT) beginning January 2014.[3]
- The Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam tests one's ability to practice competently in a particular engineering discipline. It is designed for engineers who have gained at least four years’ post-college work experience in their chosen engineering discipline. The PE exam is typically the last step in the process of becoming a licensed P.E.
- The Structural Engineering (S.E.) exam tests one's ability to competently practice structural engineering. It is specifically designed for engineers who practice in jurisdictions that may license structural engineers separately from other professional engineers. Some States, like California, or jurisdictions contained therein, consider the P.E. to be the license, while the S.E. is a certification or title among licensed civil engineers, which may confer additional rights and responsibilities above the P.E. license. Indeed, in California, a licensed Civil Engineer who designs buildings or bridges may only legally use the title Structural Engineer if he has passed the S.E. exam.
Land Surveying
NCEES also prepares examinations for Land Surveyor licensing in the United States. These exams consist of:
- The Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam is typically the first step in the process of becoming a licensed professional surveyor. It is designed for undergraduates who are close to finishing an undergraduate degree. The FS exam will be administered via computer-based testing (CBT) beginning January 2014.[3]
- The Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam tests one's ability to practice the surveying profession competently. It is designed for surveyors who have gained at least four years’ experience. It is typically the last step in the process of becoming a licensed professional surveyor.
Records
In addition, NCEES assists with record keeping for those engineers and surveyors who already have a license. A Professional Engineer or a Professional Surveyor can request that NCEES submit his or her record to another state in order to be recognized as a Professional Engineer or Professional Surveyor within that state. This process keeps their respective records in one place to transmit from state to state as they work on different jobs in different states.
Credentials Evaluations
In September 2006, NCEES began offering an evaluations service to aid its member licensing boards. Through its Credentials Evaluations department, NCEES evaluates transcripts and other documents provided by candidates for licensure who have studied engineering outside the United States, comparing their academic backgrounds to the accreditation criteria used for corresponding degree programs in the U.S.[] The licensing boards then use this information in determining whether to grant the P.E. license.[4]
Study Materials
NCEES sells Sample Questions and Solutions for each exam. The sample exams include questions that have been used on past exams and questions written just for study materials by those who create the exams to give you extra practice. The Supplied-Reference materials for the FE, FS, and PS exam are also available for purchase or a free digital download.
