Day: January 22, 2015

FE Exam Information

Visit  ncees.org/exams for information regarding the FE exam, preparation, exam schedule, cost, and other details.

Computer engineers typically don’t take the FE exam.

For EE majors, becoming a PE (Professional Engineer) is not a requirement for most positions, but is desirable. It is required for consulting-type areas and for legal areas (legislature, public services commission or the courts).  Utilities, Architecture and Engineering (A and E) Firms may require PE registration for upper level positions.

First-year engineering courses, sophomore core courses plus your area(s) of specialty have helped prepare you.

EC3400 – Economic Decision Analysis is a good course to help prepare for the exam. It can count as an upper-level HASS elective or free elective.

EE4240 – Intro. to MEMS includes topics in micro electro mechanical systems that are helpful in preparation for the FE Exam as well. EE4240 applies to the BSEE as 4 credits of EE electives, or may apply as approved or free electives.  It can be a CpE technical elective for CpE’s.

Take the exam during your Senior year. You can study on your own following the topics described on the FE exam website.

Electrical and Computer CBT exam specifications

When will the CBT exams be offered?
The FE and FS will be administered during four testing windows throughout the year: January–February, April–May, July–August, and October–November. Registration will be open year-round.

Where will I take my CBT exam?
The exams will be administered at approved Pearson VUE testing centers:  at Michigan Tech, in the Library’s Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning.

What is professional engineering registration and why should I seek to be a registered professional engineer?

Some types of engineering jobs require professional registration. If you might start your own business and call yourself a consultant, most states require the PE designation. Consulting work and some types of design work are greatly facilitated by professional registration.

If you become a registered professional engineer, you may append the initials “P.E” after your name on your business cards.

The first step: To become a registered professional engineer you must first take the fundamentals of engineering exam administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying.

Once you pass the FE exam, you become designated “engineer-intern”.  You remain in this status until you have practiced engineering for a designated number of years.  The amount of time you need to practice before becoming registered varies from state to state.  See the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying web site for details.