College Discussion - View Single Post - What should be the first professional degree in engineering ?

Corbett · 10-02-2007, 11:43 PM

If you're planning to become a Civil Engineer, and are in college right now, this is already a real issue.

A few years ago, ASCE already endorsed the MS as the prerequisite for PE licensure. More recently, NCEES, the national organization of state engineering boards, recently issued a formal recommendation (through their "Model Law" for licensure") that state licensing boards adopt the MS (or equivalent) as the new educational standard, instead of the current ABET-accredited BS. The target date for adoption of this change is 2015, which is only eight years away.

If you are in school today, you could be eight years away from graduating with a BS and getting enough work experience to qualify for the PE exam. But if your state board does adopt the NCEES "Model Law" before then, then your BS may not be enough to qualify you for licensure. Since most Civil PEs need a license to practice, this is obviously a concern.

If the NCEES recommendations are accepted by state boards -- and ultimately, this decision has to be made by state governments, not NCEES -- then the MS will effectively become the first professional degree in Civil Engineering over the next decade or so.

10-02-2007, 11:43 PM	#9
Corbett Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Threads: 2 Posts: 842	If you're planning to become a Civil Engineer, and are in college right now, this is already a real issue. A few years ago, ASCE already endorsed the MS as the prerequisite for PE licensure. More recently, NCEES, the national organization of state engineering boards, recently issued a formal recommendation (through their "Model Law" for licensure") that state licensing boards adopt the MS (or equivalent) as the new educational standard, instead of the current ABET-accredited BS. The target date for adoption of this change is 2015, which is only eight years away. If you are in school today, you could be eight years away from graduating with a BS and getting enough work experience to qualify for the PE exam. But if your state board does adopt the NCEES "Model Law" before then, then your BS may not be enough to qualify you for licensure. Since most Civil PEs need a license to practice, this is obviously a concern. If the NCEES recommendations are accepted by state boards -- and ultimately, this decision has to be made by state governments, not NCEES -- then the MS will effectively become the first professional degree in Civil Engineering over the next decade or so. Last edited by Corbett : 10-02-2007 at 11:54 PM.