Helping Chemical Engineers Prepare for the PE Exam on the

Path to Registration

Professor N. S. Nandagopal, P.E.

Associate Professor, UH-downtown

AIChE New Orleans Section Meeting

November 11, 2003

Requirements for Registration As a Professional Engineer (P.E)

Mandated by State Laws – Can Vary From State to State.General Requirements:

•Engineering Degree From EAC Accredited

Program

•Passing the 8-hour Fundamentals of

Engineering (FE, Formerly Known As EIT) Exam

Requirements for Registration As a Professional Engineer (P.E.)

Four Years of Experience Acceptable to the State Engineering BoardPassing the 8-hour Principles and Practice in Engineering (PE) Exam.Additional requirements as mandated by the state board.

Issues Concerning Registration Requirements

• Educational Requirements: Foreign Degrees,

Technology Degrees

• Experience Requirements: Sales, Computer

Science, Administration, Management

• FE Exam: General Vs. Discipline Specific

• PE Exam: Related Areas – Environmental,

Control Systems

Importance of Registration As a PE

• Improves public perception of the engineering profession.

• Adds legitimacy to practice of engineering profession.

• Promotes stature of engineering practice similar to board

certification of doctors, lawyers and accountants.

• Improves quality of engineering practice and promotes

competence and professionalism.

• Career rewards.

PE Exam in Chemical Engineering: Exam Topics

• Mass/Energy Balances and

Thermodynamics (24%)

• Fluid Mechanics (17%)

• Heat Transfer (16%)

• Mass Transfer (13%)

• Kinetics (11%)

• Plant Design and Operations (19%)

Exam Format and Specifications

• Number of questions (80).

• Morning (40 questions) and

afternoon (40 questions) sessions.

• Exam sub-topics.

Criteria for Passing

• NCEES emphasizes “Minimum Competency”.

• Definition of “Minimum Competency”.

• No fixed percentage for passing scores.

• Key issue is to ensure the competency of the

individual.

• Raw score and standard score.

Exam Preparation Resources

• NCEES Publications.

• Undergraduate texts.

• Published prep materials.

• Review classes.

Exam Preparation (Continued)

• The Chemical Passing Zone.

• Strategy – Evenly paced review.

• Emphasis on fundamental concepts

rather than in-depth research of

topics.

Exam Preparation (continued)

• Commitment of time.

• Diagnostic test.

• Review weak areas first.

• REMEMBER: ALL QUESTIONS

MUST BE ANSWERED.

Exam Related Publications

• NCEES PE Chemical Engineering Sample

Questions & Solutions

• “Chemical Engineering Practice PE Exams” ,

Professor Nandagopal, Professional

Publications, Inc.

• “Chemical Engineering Review Manual”,

Professional Publications, Inc.

Taking the Exam: Strategy

• Build confidence first.• Attempt easy/familiar topics first.• Keep track of units – check for

consistency.• Keep track of bubbling of answer

choices !

Exam Strategy (continued)

• Avoid referring as far as possible.• Quick recall of fundamental concepts

and equations.• Watch time spent on each question.• Approximately 6 minutes per question.• Avoid panic, stay calm.

What You Will Not See in the Exam

• Stereotypical, textbook problems.

• Essay questions.

• “Plug and chug” type of problems.

What to Expect in the Exam

• Complex problem statements (but simple

solutions!).

• Questions that really test comprehension of

fundamental principles.

• Extra data, detractors designed to confuse you.

• “Back of envelope” type of analysis and

calculations.

What to Expect in the Exam (Continued)

• Questions that require use of engineering

judgment in practical situations• Detractors (answer choices) that

anticipate typical mistakes made by test

takers.

What to Expect in the Exam (Continued)

• Morning session – Mass & Energy Balances, Thermodynamics, Fluids, Heat Transfer

• Afternoon session – Mass Transfer, Kinetics, Plant Design

Helping Chemical Engineers Prepare for the Exam

• Over 15 years experience in teaching review

classes.

• Developed and Created Chemical Engineering

PE Review Class at UH-Downtown.

• Witnessed many changes in the exam format

over the years.

Experiences

• Details on Review Classes – format issues and

other challenges.

• Typical format of review class: M&EB (6 hrs),

Fluids (6 hrs), HT&HE (6 hrs), Thermo (6 hrs),

Mass Transfer (6 hrs), Kinetics (3 hrs), Plant

Design (3 hrs): Total 36 hours

Experiences

• Generating original problems and solutions.• Keeping up with changes in exam format.• Writing the Practice Exam book.

Experiences

• Advisor – Chemical Engineering Zone

(CHEPZ).• Creating original problems and solutions

(88).• Format of CHEPZ.• Q & A forum – challenges.

Role of the Chemical Engineering Profession

•Actively promote and encourage

registration.• Links / Information on Registration

Process on local and national

AIChE web sites.

Role of the Chemical Engineering Profession

• Communicate the importance of

registration.• Meetings / Seminars to discuss the

registration process.

Role of the Chemical Engineering Profession

• Registered PE s guide and mentor

prospective candidates.• Provide financial and other incentives for

acquiring a PE license.

Conclusions

• The registration process requires significant investment of time and effort.

• The chemical engineering profession must do more to encourage and promote registration.

• The goal is to have a well qualified competent work force that can compete effectively in the global market.

Useful Websites

• National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying:

www.ncees.org

• National Society of Professional Engineers

www.nspe.org

Useful Websites

• Test Masters Educational Services – offers Fe and PE Review Courses

www.testmasters.com

• Professional Publications, Inc.

www.ppi2pass.com