Approved by the Committee on Licensure on April 3, 2024
Approved by the Committee on Education on April 17, 2024
Approved by the Public Policy and Practice Committee on May 1, 2024
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 18, 2024
Policy
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports minimum educational requirements for licensure of civil engineers that embody the undergraduate education (UG) outcomes defined in the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge (CEBOK) latest edition. These UG outcomes should be included within the criteria governing civil and similarly named engineering programs of the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Issue
The purpose of professional licensure of engineers is to grant only licensees the legal right to serve in responsible charge of engineering services. Licensure statutes set minimum standards in education, experience, and examination to determine whether an engineer is minimally qualified for licensure.
ASCE is a recognized leader of the civil engineering profession. Through three editions of the CEBOK ASCE has authoritatively defined the competencies that civil engineers should attain through a combination of formal education, mentored experience, and self-development to assume responsible charge of civil engineering services. ASCE’s Policy Statement 568 establishes why the CEBOK is the standard that civil engineers should fulfill for responsible charge.
These competencies are not static as technological advances, and the pace of change directly affects civil engineering practice. This is why the CEBOK is updated on a regular cycle conforming to the undergraduate (UG) outcomes in the CEBOK achieves these competencies.
Rationale
The undergraduate degree in civil engineering is the foundation that most civil engineering licensees build their capabilities upon. As the pace of change affects what licensees should learn in their undergraduate degree, periodic updates to the CEBOK reflect these impacts. Therefore, the minimum educational requirements for civil engineering licensure should be the undergraduate (UG) outcomes as defined in the CEBOK latest edition.
ASCE Policy Statement 574
First Approved in 2024