(a) For the purpose of determining whether an applicant has acquired the experience required under Code Section 43-15-8 or 43-15-9:

(1) Responsible charge of engineering teaching may, in the board's sole discretion, be considered as responsible charge of engineering work;

(2) The satisfactory completion of each academic year of an approved course in engineering or engineering technology in a school or college approved by the board, without graduation, may be considered as equivalent to a year of engineering experience;

(3) Partial credit may be granted by the board for the successful completion of one or more scholastic years of a four-year engineering curriculum in a school or college not approved by the board or in a curriculum in related science in a school or college approved by the board. The degree of credit shall be determined by the board upon consideration of the mathematics, science, and engineering courses completed by the applicant;

(4) No applicant shall receive experience credit for more than four years of undergraduate education; and

(5) The satisfactory completion of graduate study in an approved engineering curriculum may, in the board's sole discretion, be credited for not more than one year's experience.

(b) The execution, as a contractor, of work designed by a professional engineer or the supervision of the construction of such work as foreman, inspector, or superintendent shall not be deemed to be engineering experience unless such work involves the application of engineering principles and the applicant presents evidence of additional engineering experience of a character satisfactory to the board and indicating the applicant is competent to be placed in responsible charge of engineering work.