U.S. considering requiring master’s degree for engineers

The U.S. National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying have developed a model law that would make it necessary for engineering students to obtain a master of science degree before being able to sit for a P.E. examination.  The measure is known as the Bachelor’s +30 initiative, and would require engineering students to have 30 post-graduate credit hours as a prerequisite to applying for a license.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is opposing raising the credit requirement, saying it would deter graduates from becoming licensed and that the present system is working well.

Deborah Wolfe, P.Eng. at Engineers Canada in Ottawa says that they are monitoring the proposed changes in the U.S. and similar proposals in Europe. She says that while formal discussions about any similar change in Canada have not taken place, preliminary discussions have been held by organizations such as the National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board, about starting a process to look at the appropriate entry level degree in Canada.