South Carolina § 40-22-220 - Licensure requirements; engineer-in-training; professional engineer; examination.

§ 40-22-220. Licensure requirements; engineer-in-training; professional engineer; examination.

(A) A person having the necessary qualifications prescribed in this chapter to entitle him to registration is eligible for licensure. A person must be certified as an engineer-in-training as a prerequisite to licensure.

(B) To be eligible for certification as an engineer-in-training, an applicant must be of good character and reputation and be able to communicate effectively in the English language. The minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that an applicant is qualified for certification as an engineer-in-training is:

(1) graduation from an EAC/ABET accredited engineering curriculum of four or more years and passing NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering examinations required by the board;

(2) graduation in a bachelor's degree program, completion of an engineering curriculum found to be substantially equivalent to an engineering curriculum accredited by EAC/ABET, and passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering examination;

(3) graduation in a bachelor's degree program, completion of an engineering curriculum found to meet the NCEES Engineering Education Standard, and passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering examination; or

(4) graduation in a TAC/ABET accredited engineering technology curriculum of four or more years from a school or college approved by the board as being in satisfactory standing, and passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering examination required by the board.

(C) To be eligible for licensure and registration as a professional engineer, an applicant must be of good character and reputation and be able to communicate effectively in the English language. When the evidence presented in the application does not appear conclusive to the board or does not warrant the issuing of a license, the applicant may be required to present further evidence for consideration by the board. The applicant also shall meet the requirements of the other pertinent sections of this chapter. The minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that an applicant is qualified for licensure as a professional engineer is:

(1)(a) graduation in an EAC/ABET accredited engineering curriculum of four or more years from a school or college approved by the board as being in satisfactory standing;

(b) a specific record after graduation of four or more years of progressive experience in engineering work, supervised by a licensed engineer and of a character satisfactory to the board, indicating that the applicant is competent to practice engineering; and

(c) passing an NCEES examination required by the board; or

(2)(a) graduation in a bachelor's degree program and completion of an engineering curriculum found to be substantially equivalent to an engineering curriculum accredited by EAC/ABET;

(b) a specific record after graduation of four or more years of progressive experience in engineering work supervised by a licensed engineer or of a character satisfactory to the board, indicating that the applicant is competent to practice engineering; and

(c) passing the NCEES examination required by the board; or

(3)(a) graduation from a bachelor's degree program;

(b) completion of an engineering curriculum that meets the NCEES Engineering Education Standard;

(c) accrual of a specific record after graduation of four or more years of progressive experience in engineering work:

(i) supervised by a licensed engineer or of a character satisfactory to the board; and

(ii) indicating that the applicant is competent to practice engineering, and passing NCEES examinations required by the board; or

(4) if not needed to satisfy education requirements, a:

(a) master's degree in engineering from a school or college approved by the board as being in satisfactory standing may count as one year of experience upon approval by the board; and

(b) doctoral degree in engineering from a school or college approved by the board as being in satisfactory standing may count as a maximum of two years of experience upon approval by the board.

(D) The board shall admit the following individuals to an examination on the Principles and Practice of Engineering and must license a person who passes the exam as a professional engineer if he is otherwise qualified:

(1) an engineer-in-training with a bachelor's degree in engineering accredited by EAC/ABET and with a specific record after graduation of four or more years of progressive experience in engineering work supervised by a licensed engineer or of a character satisfactory to the board, indicating that the applicant is competent to practice engineering;

(2) an engineer-in-training with:

(a) a bachelor's degree from a school or college approved by the board as being in satisfactory standing then earns a master's degree in engineering from a school or college that offers an EAC/ABET accredited undergraduate degree in the same field of study, and establishes a specific record after the master's degree of three or more years of progressive experience in engineering work supervised by a licensed engineer or of a character satisfactory to the board, indicating that the applicant is competent to practice engineering;

(b) a master's degree in engineering from an EAC/M-ABET accredited program, establishes a specific record after graduation of three or more years of progressive experience in engineering work supervised by a licensed engineer or of a character satisfactory to the board, indicating that the applicant is competent to practice engineering; or

(c) a non-EAC/ABET bachelor's degree, evaluated and approved by the board's education consultant, and holding a Master of Engineering or Master of Science in Engineering from a school or college that offers an EAC/ABET accredited undergraduate degree in the same field of study and establishes a specific record after graduation of four or more years of progressive experience in engineering work supervised by a licensed engineer or progressive experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board, indicating that the applicant is competent to practice engineering;

(3) an engineer-in-training with an earned doctoral degree in engineering acceptable to the board and with a specific record after the doctoral degree of two or more years of progressive experience in engineering work supervised by a licensed engineer or of a character satisfactory to the board, indicating that the applicant is competent to practice engineering; or

(4) a person who has earned a doctoral degree in engineering that is acceptable to the board and with a specific record after the doctoral degree of two or more years of progressive experience in engineering work supervised by a licensed engineer or of a character satisfactory to the board, indicating that the applicant is competent to practice engineering.

HISTORY: 2000 Act No. 311, SECTION 1; 2016 Act No. 259 (S.685), SECTION 8, eff June 3, 2016.

Editor's Note

Prior Laws: 1991 Act No. 99, SECTION 1; 1993 Act No. 185, SECTIONS 1, 4, 5; 1976 Code SECTIONS 40-22-190, 40-22-195, 40-22-200.

Effect of Amendment

2016 Act No. 259, SECTION 8, rewrote the section, revising education requirements.