Does state provide a license: Yes
Current Active Licensees
| Title | Licensees |
|---|---|
| Geologist In Training | 328 |
| Geologist | 2092 |
| Temporary Geologist | 1 |
License: Professional Geologist
Exam Entity: ASBOG
Licensing Board: State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists
Licensing Board Website: www.dos.pa.gov/eng
Degree required:
Majors accepted:
Courses required:
Courses accepted:
Geology credits required: 30
Credit information: The applicant is required to have having completed 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours in one of the approved majores.
Education Notes: See the state regulations for a complete explanation of the education requirements for licensure.
Years of experience required: 5
Experience credits needed: 2
Experience information: A minimum of three (3) years of professional geological work under the supervision of a licensed professional geologist, or a minimum of five (5) years experience in a responsible position in professional geological work. Professional geological work does not include routine sampling, laboratory work or geological drafting. Credit for graduate study may not exceed a total of two years toward meeting the required number of years of professional geological work.
Continuing education requirements: Yes
Continuing education years: 12
Continuing education details: Each licensee shall be required to obtain twenty-four PDH units during the biennial renewal period. If a licensee exceeds the requirement in any renewal period, a maximum of twelve PDH units may be carried forward into the subsequent renewal period. CEU requirements enacted by SB 655 in 2006.
Geologist in Training license available: Yes
Can take Fundamentals of Geology test before graduation: Yes
Fundamentals of Geology test details: A student who has completed 2 years in a program and has maintained current enrollment may, with Board approval, sit for the fundamentals of geology examination, but will not be eligible for certification as a geologist-in-training until the student provides proof of graduation, including compliance with the educational content requirements of paragraph (2).
Legal Code Reference for GIT, FG: The Pennsylvania Code, 49 Pa. Code § 37.36
Most registration and licensure systems include structural approaches to review both the need and operational effectiveness of the process.
Some states provide formal sunset evaluation processes for their licensure programs. Many also include a periodic audit process of the licensure program/agency, which can range from cursory financial reviews to comprehensive evaluation of program effectiveness.
The audit process is often leveraged when political pressure is applied to eliminate geologist licensure, so awareness of the history and codes for audits and sunset evaluations is critical to montioring the health of the licensure within the state.
Current modes for sunsetting evaluation: Audit
License subject to sunset review: No
License subject to audit review: Possible
Sunset regulation name: None identified
Sunset statute: Pennsylvania Statutes, Title 71, §1795.1 (TERMINATED). See sunset and audit history.
Sunset statute reference: See audit and sunset history
Sunset committee: See audit and sunset history
Composition of sunset committee: See audit and sunset history
Sunset committee website: See audit and sunset history
Sunset duration: See audit and sunset history
Auditor name: Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General
Auditor website: https://www.paauditor.gov/
Audit legislation committee: Legislative Audit Advisory Commission
Audit legislation committee website: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/laac.cfm
| Year | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Sunset law created | The Pennsylvania Sunset Act (sunset law) was created by SB108 and PL 508 No 142 §§1 to 14, enacted 12/22/1981 under Statutes §1795.1. |
| 1982 | Sunset law amended | The sunset law was amended. |
| 1986 | Sunset law amended | The sunset law was repealed in part. |
| 1987 | The sunset law went to court, and was ruled constitutional by 519 A.2d 1040, Cmwlth (1987). | |
| 1990 | The sunset law went to court, and was ruled unconstitutional by 570 A.2d 1354, Cmwlth (1990). | |
| 1991 | Practice regulation | Geologists were added to the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists. |
| 1991 | Sunset law repealed | The sunset law expired on 12/21/1991. |
| 1993 | Sunset law repealed | The sunset law went to court, and was ruled unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court by 626 A.2d 1131, Supreme (1993). |
| 1997 | ASBOG | The first ASBOG exam was administered. |