§ 89E-9. Minimum qualifications. - North Carolina Statutes

§89E‑9.  Minimum qualifications.

An applicant shall be eligiblefor a license as a geologist in North Carolina provided that each applicantmeets the following minimum qualifications:

(1)        Be of good moral andethical character.

(2)        Have graduated froman accredited college or university, and have a degree with a major in geology,engineering geology or geological engineering or related geologic science; orhave completed 30 semester hours or the equivalent in geological sciencecourses leading to a major in geology, of which at least 24 hours of theequivalent were upper level undergraduate courses or graduate courses. TheBoard shall waive the academic requirements for a person already practicinggeology at the time this Chapter is enacted, provided application for licenseis made not later than one year after appointment of the initial Board andprovided further that the applicant can provide evidence to satisfy the Boardthat he or she is competent to engage in the public practice of geology.

(3)        Successfully passsuch examination established by the Board which shall be designed todemonstrate that the applicant has the necessary knowledge and requisite skillto exercise the responsibilities of the public practice of geology. The Boardshall waive the examination for licensing as a geologist of an applicant whomakes written application to the Board not later than one year afterappointment of the initial Board, and who otherwise meets the qualification ofthis Chapter.

(4)        Have at least fiveyears of professional geological work which shall include a minimum of threeyears of professional geological work under the supervision of a licensedgeologist; or a minimum of three cumulative years work in responsible charge ofgeological work satisfactory to the Board.  The following criteria of educationand experience qualify as specified toward accumulation of the required fiveyears of professional geological work:

a.         Each full year ofundergraduate study in the geological sciences shall count as one‑halfyear of training up to a maximum of two years, and each year of graduate studyshall count as one year of work.

b.         Credit forundergraduate study, graduate study, graduate courses, individually or in anycombination thereof, shall in no case exceed a total of four years towardmeeting the requirements for at least five years of professional geologicalwork as set forth above.

c.         The Board mayconsider in lieu of the above professional geological work the cumulative totalof professional geological work or geological research of persons teachingupper level geology courses at the college or university level, provided suchwork or research can be demonstrated to be of a sufficiently responsible natureto be equivalent to the professional requirements set forth in this section.

d.         The ability of theapplicant shall have been demonstrated by his having performed the work in aresponsible position as determined by the Board.  The adequacy of the requiredsupervision and the experience shall be determined by the Board in accordancewith the standards set forth in regulations adopted by it. (1983(Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 1074, s. 1; 1989, c. 579, s. 3.)