UCSB ASME Testing Info

	American Society of Mechanical Engineers at UC Santa Barbara

	Fundamentals in Engineering Test (formerly the Engineering-in-Training (EIT) test) NEXT EXAM: SAT, APR 16, 2005 Applications must be postmarked by FEB 11, 2005

Enter the Department of Consumer Affairs Website for all Technical Examination Information and to Download an Application.

http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/a_eit-lsitapp.htm

Note the application download is at the bottom of the page.

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NUTSHELL
1. Study Engineering for 3 years
2. Take and pass the EIT Exam
3. Work for 2 years
4. Take and pass the PE Exam

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NITTY GRITTY

Who needs to take the Exam

Format and Subject Matter

Passing Rates

Who needs to take the Exam

The following people must have a PE license to practice:
- Anyone who offers engineering services to the public
- Anyone who advertises one's self as an "Engineer"
- Half of the principals (owners) of a company that offers engineering services to the public
- Half o the principals of a company that wants to use the term "Engineer" in its name

The following documents (for example) require the review of a PE:
- Electrical power system designs
- Public utility designs
- Construction documents and related designs
- Environmental containment designs

What else does professional certification qualify me for?
- Expert witnesses: a PE can offer expert opinion as to what caused (for instance) a structural failure. This is the same as for a police officer, firefighter, physician, or anyone else (again) who deals with public safety.
- Expert investigator: in many states, a PE can be called upon to determie the cause of (for instance) arson. This is, once again, in relation to the public safety

The "flip side":
- Someone with a PE can be sued.
- There is little effort to enforce the law unless someone without a license tries to advertise the services of an engineer.

Format of the Exam

The exam is two 4-hour exams on the same day (8 hours total). There is no penalty for guessing. A breakdown of the material on the exam is as follows:

Chemistry (9% of the total questions)
Computers (5%)
Dynamics (8%)
Electrical Circuits (10%)
Engineering Economics (4%)
Ethics (4%)
Fluid Mechanics (7%)
Materials Science (7%)
Mathematics (20%)
Mechanics of Materials (7%)
Statics (10%)
Thermodynamics (9%)

You can bring the following items to the exam:

A calculator (check official website for regulations)
FE reference handbook (~$160)

FE Exam Passing Rates, April 2001 Results, ABET Only

Exam Module	1st Timers	Repeats	Overall
Chemical	87% passed	55% passed	86% passed
Civil	77%	27%	65%
Electrical	79%	18%	73%
Industrial	64%	32%	61%
Mechanical	85%	19%	81%
General	78%	22%	66%

This site last updated 10/2/03
Please email Jeff Gherardi with any comments or questions.