89E-9. Minimum qualifications.

An applicant shall be eligible for a license as a geologist in North Carolina provided that each applicant meets the following minimum qualifications:

(1) Be of good moral and ethical character.

(2) Have graduated from an accredited college or university, and have a degree with a major in geology, engineering geology or geological engineering or related geologic science; or have completed 30 semester hours or the equivalent in geological science courses leading to a major in geology, of which at least 24 hours of the equivalent were upper level undergraduate courses or graduate courses. The Board shall waive the academic requirements for a person already practicing geology at the time this Chapter is enacted, provided application for license is made not later than one year after appointment of the initial Board and provided further that the applicant can provide evidence to satisfy the Board that he or she is competent to engage in the public practice of geology.

(3) Successfully pass such examination established by the Board which shall be designed to demonstrate that the applicant has the necessary knowledge and requisite skill to exercise the responsibilities of the public practice of geology. The Board shall waive the examination for licensing as a geologist of an applicant who makes written application to the Board not later than one year after appointment of the initial Board, and who otherwise meets the qualification of this Chapter.

(4) Have at least five years of professional geological work which shall include a minimum of three years of professional geological work under the supervision of a licensed geologist; or a minimum of three cumulative years work in responsible charge of geological work satisfactory to the Board. The following criteria of education and experience qualify as specified toward accumulation of the required five years of professional geological work:

a. Each full year of undergraduate study in the geological sciences shall count as one-half year of training up to a maximum of two years, and each year of graduate study shall count as one year of work.

b. Credit for undergraduate study, graduate study, graduate courses, individually or in any combination thereof, shall in no case exceed a total of four years toward meeting the requirements for at least five years of professional geological work as set forth above.

c. The Board may consider in lieu of the above professional geological work the cumulative total of professional geological work or geological research of persons teaching upper level geology courses at the college or university level, provided such work or research can be demonstrated to be of a sufficiently responsible nature to be equivalent to the professional requirements set forth in this section.

d. The ability of the applicant shall have been demonstrated by his having performed the work in a responsible position as determined by the Board. The adequacy of the required supervision and the experience shall be determined by the Board in accordance with the standards set forth in regulations adopted by it.