Tennessee PE Requirement/Advise Needed 1

[_kleroys_]

I'm looking for some advice from anyone with a Tennessee PE.

Here is my background. I am a registered PE in Colorado. I have 10 years of experience. I have a BS in engineering physics from a non-abet accredited university. I have an MS in civil engineering from a school that is abet accredited. The MS required me to take about a years worth of undergrad classes before I started the higher level classes.

I need to get my TN PE but from what I gather from the rules (Rules Section 0120-01-.10), there is no way for a person to get a PE unless their undergrad is abet accredited. I want to pursue the route that shows my education as a whole (with all the extra classes I took in grad school) should be enough to meet their requirements.

Does anyone have any experience similar to mine?
Thanks!

 

[SwinnyGG]

Nonaccredited engineering programs. An engineering curriculum of four (4) years or more which is a non-ABET accredited program shall be referred at the applicant’s expense to a person or entity approved by the Board and qualified to evaluate equivalency to an ABET accredited engineering program for evaluation and recommendation. If the curriculum for the degree at the time of the applicant’s graduation is substantially equivalent to ABET accreditation requirements, the application shall be reviewed in accordance with the requirements for applicants holding engineering degrees from institutions which do not have ABET accredited engineering programs in consideration of the factors outlined below.

Seems there is already a process laid out for your exact situation...

 

[_kleroys_]

I'm not counting on my BS being "substantially equivalent". It was physics degree so really, not many of the core classes had much to do with engineering.

 

[GeoPaveTraffic]

I have a BS in engineering (non-ABET accredited) and a MEng (ABET accredited). I had no trouble getting my TN PE by comity. I expect you will not have trouble, but the only way to know for sure is fill out the paper work, provide any additional information they request and wait.

Now the bigger question is why you want a license in TN. Very expensive state in which to keep a license. License is only $140 every two years, but there is a $400 professional privilege tax every year that you have to pay.

Best of luck.

Mike Lambert

 

[zelgar]

Since you already have a PE in Colorado, you can see if you can get your license via Comity as well.

 

[_kleroys_]

The Comity is the route to go. The requirements are the same. I just don't want to waste the application fees if there is no shot at success. I talk with on person down at the board office that said it would be a waste and not having an ABET undergrad that is not engineering equivalent is a hard stop.

I plan to apply still and hopefully provide some justification.

People always bring up the $400 professional privilege tax but they don't follow up with the there being no state income tax. I think most people will come out on top when they take that into account. My state income tax in the past is ~$2000, so the $400 is not that bad. It is such a privilege though.