Chapter A-E 13

Chapter A-E 13

CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS

A-E 13.01   Authority and purpose.

A-E 13.02   Definitions.

A-E 13.03   Continuing education requirements.

A-E 13.035   Exemption for retired credential status.

A-E 13.04   Examples of qualifying activities.

A-E 13.05   Standards for approval.

A-E 13.06   Certificate of completion; proof of attendance.

A-E 13.07   Recordkeeping.

A-E 13.08   Waiver of continuing education.

A-E 13.09   Reciprocity.

A-E 13.01 A-E 13.01 Authority and purpose. The rules in this chapter are adopted under the authority in ss. 15.08 (5) (b), 227.11 (2), and 443.015, Stats., and govern biennial continuing education for professional engineer registrants.

A-E 13.01 History History: CR 11-014: cr. Register December 2011 No. 672, eff. 1-1-12.

A-E 13.02 A-E 13.02 Definitions. As used in this chapter:

A-E 13.02(1) (1) “Biennium” means a 2-year period beginning August 1 of each even-numbered year.

A-E 13.02(4) (4) “Continuing education” means the planned, professional development activities designed to contribute to the advancement, extension and enhancement of the professional skills and scientific knowledge of the registrant in the practice of professional engineering. Regular duties are not considered qualifying activities.

A-E 13.02(5) (5) “Continuing education unit” or “CEU” means a unit of credit customarily used for continuing education courses. One “continuing education unit” equals 10 PDHs.

A-E 13.02(6) (6) “Course” or “activity” means any qualifying “course” or “activity” with a clear purpose and objective that will maintain, improve, or expand the skills and knowledge relevant to the registrant’s practice of professional engineering.

A-E 13.02(7) (7) “EAC/ABET” means the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

A-E 13.02(8) (8) “Professional development hour” or “PDH” means a period of 50 minutes of actual instruction or participation spent by the registrant in actual attendance or completion of an approved educational activity. “PDHs” should be rounded down to the nearest half hour and reported in increments of half hour with no activity of under a half hour being acceptable as qualifying for “PDH” credit. “PDHs” shall not exceed the actual contact clock hours of actual attendance.

A-E 13.02 History History: CR 11-014: cr. Register December 2011 No. 672, eff. 1-1-12; CR 20-064: r. (2), (3) Register May 2021 No. 785, eff. 6-1-21.

A-E 13.03 A-E 13.03 Continuing education requirements.

A-E 13.03(1) (1) 

A-E 13.03(1)(a) (a) During each biennial registration period, every registrant shall complete at least 30 hours of approved PDHs or equivalent continuing education units, pertinent to the practice of professional engineering, except that between initial registration and the first renewal period, a new registrant shall not be required to comply with the continuing education requirements for the first renewal of registration.

A-E 13.03(1)(b) (b) During each biennial registration period, the registrant shall complete a minimum of 2 PDHs in the area of professional conduct and ethics.

A-E 13.03(1)(c) (c) During each biennial registration period, credit for a minimum of 13 PDHs shall be obtained via courses where the registrant interacts in real time in a traditional classroom setting, computer conferencing, or interactive video conference where participants are present in the same room or logged in at the same time and can communicate directly with each other and ask questions of the instructor.

A-E 13.03(1)(d) (d) If a registrant obtains more than 30 PDHs in a biennium, a maximum of 15 of the excess PDHs may be used toward the continuing education requirement in the next biennium. Excess credits cannot be used to satisfy the requirements of par. (b) or (c).

A-E 13.03(2) (2) Continuing education may be obtained through any of the following means:

A-E 13.03(2)(a) (a) Completing courses taken at a school or college of engineering accredited by the EAC/ABET.

A-E 13.03(2)(b) (b) Completing short courses or tutorials and distance education courses offered through correspondence, DVDs, or the internet.

A-E 13.03(2)(c) (c) Presenting or attending qualifying seminars, in-house courses, workshops, or professional or technical presentations made at meetings, conventions, or conferences.

A-E 13.03(2)(d) (d) Teaching or instructing in pars. (a) to (c). PDHs may only be counted for the initial offering or presentation of a course or program. Full-time faculty may not claim PDHs for teaching done as part of their regular duties. For teaching in pars. (a) to (d), multiply the PDHs earned by a factor of 2.

A-E 13.03(2)(e) (e) Authoring published papers, articles, or books in the registrant’s area of professional practice that has been published in book form or in circulated journals or trade magazines. Five PDHs will be granted in the biennium in which each publication occurred. For peer reviewed papers, articles, or books in the registrant’s area of professional practice, 10 PDHs will be granted in the biennium in which each publication occurred.

A-E 13.03(2)(f) (f) Actively participating in professional and technical societies. A maximum of 2 PDHs will be awarded for active participation as an officer or committee member in any one society in any one year. A maximum of 4 PDHs may be obtained under this paragraph in any biennium. PDHs are not earned until the end of each year of service is completed.

A-E 13.03(2)(g) (g) Attainment of a patent relevant to the registrant’s area of professional practice. Ten PDHs will be awarded for each patent.

A-E 13.03(3) (3) Except as provided in s. A-E 13.08, a professional engineer who fails to meet the continuing education requirements by the renewal date, as specified in s. 440.08 (2) (a) 35., Stats., may not engage in the practice of professional engineering until the registration is renewed based upon compliance with the continuing education requirements under this chapter.

A-E 13.03 History History: CR 11-014: cr. Register December 2011 No. 672, eff. 1-1-12; CR 17-060: am. (1) (a), (3) Register June 2018 No. 750 eff. 7-1-18.

A-E 13.035 A-E 13.035 Exemption for retired credential status. Notwithstanding s. A-E 13.03 (1), the continuing education requirements under this chapter do not apply to the renewal of a credential classified as retired status under s. A-E 2.045 (1) or (2).

A-E 13.035 History History: CR 20-064: cr. Register May 2021 No. 785, eff. 6-1-21.

A-E 13.04 A-E 13.04 Examples of qualifying activities. The following are examples of qualifying activities:

A-E 13.04(1) (1) Completing or attending courses, seminars, instruction, in-house programs, or training of engineering content related to the registrant’s practice of professional engineering.

A-E 13.04(2) (2) Attending technical or professional society meetings when an engineering topic is presented as a principal part of the program.

A-E 13.04(3) (3) Teaching a course for the first time or teaching a course previously taught if substantial time was spent in updating material.

A-E 13.04(4) (4) Attending webinar courses where attendance is verified and program material meets the requirements.

A-E 13.04(5) (5) Completing correspondence courses on an engineering topic where lessons are prepared and returned for correction, grading, or both, and where testing at the end of the course is required.

A-E 13.04 History History: CR 11-014: cr. Register December 2011 No. 672, eff. 1-1-12.

A-E 13.05 A-E 13.05 Standards for approval.

A-E 13.05(1) (1) To be approved for PDHs, a continuing education program shall meet all of the following criteria:

A-E 13.05(1)(a) (a) The program includes instruction in an organized method of learning contributing directly to the professional competency of the registrant and pertaining to subject matters which integrally relate to the practice of the profession.

A-E 13.05(1)(b) (b) The program is conducted by individuals who have specialized education, training, or experience and are considered qualified concerning the subject matter of the program.

A-E 13.05(1)(c) (c) The program fulfills pre-established goals and objectives.

A-E 13.05(1)(d) (d) The program provides attendance verification records in the form of completion certificates or other documents supporting evidence of attendance.

A-E 13.05(1m) (1m) The professional engineer section may approve any of the following providers for continuing education programs:

A-E 13.05(1m)(a) (a) A school of engineering approved by the educational approval program.

A-E 13.05(1m)(b) (b) Colleges, universities, and other degree granting institutions approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States department of education.

A-E 13.05(1m)(c) (c) National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying or its affiliates.