(a) To be eligible for a certificate of licensure, an applicant shall meet each of the following minimum qualifications:

(1) Be a graduate of an accredited college or university. The applicant shall have successfully completed a minimum of thirty (30) semester or forty-five (45) quarter hours of course work in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, engineering geology or their subdivisions. The department may waive the academic requirements for a person who is a geologist; provided, that application for licensure is made no later than January 1, 2009, and the applicant can provide evidence to satisfy the department that the applicant is competent to practice geology;

(2) Have at least five (5) years of geological education and professional experience. Any combination of the following kinds of education and experience qualify toward accumulating the required five (5) years:

(A) Each year of graduate study shall count as one (1) year of experience; provided, that credit for graduate study or graduate courses, individually or in any combination of graduate study and courses, shall in no case exceed a total of two (2) years toward meeting the five-year requirement of this subdivision (a)(2);

(B) Each year of teaching or geological research by persons teaching upper-level geology courses at the college or university levels; provided, that the teaching or research can be demonstrated to be of a sufficiently responsible nature to be equivalent to a year of professional experience; and

(C) The geologic ability of an applicant shall be demonstrated by the applicant performing professional geologic work in a responsible position as determined by the department. The adequacy of the required supervision and experience shall be determined by the department in accordance with rules promulgated by the department; and

(3) Has successfully passed any examination or examinations developed or determined by the department to assess adequately the knowledge and skills that are common to the competent practice of geology as a profession. The department shall waive the examination requirement for licensure as a geologist for an applicant who makes written application to the department no later than January 1, 2009, and who otherwise meets the requirements of this subsection (a).

(b)

(1) Any person who holds an active certificate as a registered geologist or licensed professional geologist under the Geologists Registration Act of 1988, formerly compiled in this chapter, prior to January 1, 2008, shall be deemed to have met the requirements of subdivisions (a)(1)-(3). The person shall be issued a certificate of licensure when renewal is due under the established renewal cycle upon applying for and meeting all requirements for renewal. The department shall assign the registration number of the registration certificate as the certificate of licensure number.

(2) Any person holding an active certificate as a registered geologist or licensed professional geologist prior to January 1, 2008, who does not renew the certificate when renewal is due shall be required to apply for licensure under this chapter and meet all requirements of subsection (a), except that a reasonable period of time shall be accorded by the department for late renewals.