PE with an Associate Degree?

[Panther140]

After looking at the requirements to get a PE license in my stat (Wisconsin), it looks like I could go to a TAC accredited 2 year program and and become eligible for a PE license. I am currently working as an engineering technician, my supervisor is a PE. If I can make it work happen, would this be worth doing? I already in the middle of a tech degree in Civil Engineering Technology, so I would just finish that up at a TAC school, get experience in Mechanical (If it can work out that way) and then make sure I can pass one of the PE exams

"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin

 

[Panther140]

I am sorry for my errors in that post, I am currently unable to see anything that I type until I post it@!

"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin

 

[KENAT]

One thing to keep in mind, for many jobs a bachelors is requirement. Not necessarily that you can't do the job without it but it's just a bar HR etc. set to help weed out applicants. They often don't handle unusual/non standard backgrounds/qualifications.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[mtu1972]

Yes Wisconsin has that option, probably because of its 2-year technical college system. Having lived and worked in WI since 1989, I've only known two people that were PE's without a 4-year engineering degree. So it can be done.

You do have to pass both tests - the Fundamental Engineering (FE/EIT) exam after getting the 2-year degree and the PE test after an additional 6 years of engineering experience. Both are tough exams. And the FE test may be really hard with only a 2-year degree as it covered math, science, engineering fundamentals, etc. that may not have been taught to the same level as in a 4-year engineering program.

I would doubt that your current experience would count. It appears that the clock does not start until you have completed your degree. Then, engineering experience under a PE could be counted.

One last comment. Reciprocity to other states may be problematic as most would not recognize the 2-year degree. In the past, many engineers with degrees from MSOE had problems with reciprocity as it was not recognized in many states.

gjc

 

[Panther140]

mtu1972, thank you for sharing that with me. Thats too bad that MSOE had trouble with reciprocity. I would think being Abet accredited would make it universally respected on some level... MSOE is highly regarded here. I took a design class there for free last summer, and I was impressed with the level that school is on. If getting a Bachelor's made sense for me, that would be an ideal school for me (omitting tuition price). However, I am in unique circumstances where college would be a massively bad financial move when you consider my current career prospects, opportunity cost, and ROI. Thats why I am exploring this route. I want just enough credentials to get HR out of the way.


"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin