Education may be counted towards the eight years of experience requirement specified in WAC
196-12-010. Official transcripts must be sent to the board's office for review and approval.
(1) A baccalaureate degree in engineering in a program accredited by the accreditation board for engineering and technology (ABET) is equivalent to four years of required experience. Satisfactory completion of each year of such an approved program is equivalent to one year of experience.
(2) A degree in engineering from a non-ABET accredited engineering program may be given four years at the discretion of the board. The board will determine if the degree is satisfactory in awarding years of experience.
(3) No more than one year may be granted for postgraduate engineering courses.
(4) A baccalaureate degree in a nonengineering program will be given a maximum of two years of experience.
(5) An associate degree in engineering from an approved program may be equivalent for up to two years of experience.
(6) Sporadic engineering related education may be considered as experience by the board at its discretion. For example, one or two engineering classes taken at a time, often at different schools; and/or classes taken through industry or the military may count as experience. In evaluating this type of education, the board will compare the courses taken to college coursework in a baccalaureate of engineering degree program.
(a) A number of foreign degree programs are included in mutual recognition agreements entered into by ABET with other accrediting authorities. Applicants with a degree from one of these programs will be evaluated by the board.
(b) Applicants having engineering degrees from programs in countries that are not ABET accredited will be required to have their transcripts evaluated by a transcript evaluation service approved by the board. This evaluation will be performed at the applicant's expense, and the applicant will be responsible for submitting all necessary information to the evaluation service. The board will use the evaluation to determine if the foreign degree is satisfactory to the board to award years of experience.
(c) An applicant with an undergraduate degree from a foreign program that is not ABET accredited, is not required to have their undergraduate degree evaluated if they have a graduate degree in engineering from a school that has an ABET accredited undergraduate engineering degree program in the same discipline as the graduate degree. Years of experience will be determined at the discretion of the board.
For maximum experience credit the applicant must have their non-ABET accredited undergraduate degree from a foreign program evaluated by a transcript evaluation service approved by the board.
(7) Any other education may be taken into account and evaluated on its merits by the board.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
18.43.035. WSR 23-22-037, § 196-12-021, filed 10/23/23, effective 11/23/23; WSR 22-17-121, § 196-12-021, filed 8/23/22, effective 9/23/22; WSR 14-07-106, § 196-12-021, filed 3/19/14, effective 4/19/14; WSR 08-11-100, § 196-12-021, filed 5/20/08, effective 7/1/08.]