Geologist-In-Training Certification in the United States, 2019

PDF versionPDF version

Geologist-In-Training (GIT) certification is formal recognition that a person has passed the ASBOG® Fundamentals of Geology (FG) examination and also met specific education requirements. GIT certification is required in some states and optional in others; and it demonstrates a level of technical competence to potential employers. The GIT certification is one step along the pathway towards professional geologist licensure during the time when the individual is gaining the required amount of work experience under the supervision of a Professional Geologist and preparing for the ASBOG® Practice of Geology (PG) examination.

A person seeking to use a GIT title should refer to their state’s licensing board website for references to the state-specific criteria, rules and regulations. Some states issue a GIT number or certificate after the state-specific criteria are met. In other states, the GIT title is approved for use after the state-specific criteria are met, but no GIT number or certificate is given.

Not all states with a pathway to licensure for professional geologists or geoscientists offer a GIT certificate. For candi­dates in these states, it is common to see on a work resume "FG examination – passed" accompanied with "eligible for licensure pending additional work experience" if additional professional experience is needed to qualify to take the PG examination. If all education and work experience are met but the PG examination has not been taken, "eligible for licensure" will be stated. Additionally, in states that do not offer a GIT certificate, some geoscientists elect to use GIT as an informal title if the state-specific criteria for higher education and/or work experience requirements have been met and the candidate has passed the FG examination.

Other GIT Facts

Kansas, Nebraska, and New York use the title "Intern Geol­ogist" or "Geologist Intern" as their Geologist-In-Training title equivalent.

Michigan does not offer licensing for Professional Geologists or a GIT program, but the FG is exam is offered by Central Michigan University.

Data Brief 2019-011 chart01: Licensing of Geologists, GIT, and Environmental Professionals

Data Brief 2019-011 table 01: States with licensure programs as of October 2019