Ind. Admin. Code tit. 305, r. 1-3-2 – Qualifications for licensure

Sec. 2. (a) Qualification as a licensed professional geologist is based on a person's knowledge of the principles and techniques of geology and on the level of experience in the application of those principles and techniques. This section establishes standards that must be satisfied by an applicant for a new license.

(b) The board shall approve general principles for a written examination to determine whether an applicant possesses a comprehensive knowledge of geological science. The examination shall be provided by the survey at least twice in each calendar year. A reasonable examination fee shall be set and revised from time to time by the board. An applicant who files a completed application for a new license must also successfully complete the written examination.

(c) An applicant for a new license must also establish that the applicant meets each of the following requirements before approval as a licensed professional geologist:

(1) Has not engaged in unethical conduct.
(2) Meets the following educational requirements: Successful completion of at least thirty (30) semester hours or forty-five (45) quarter hours of course work in geology, culminating in a baccalaureate or advanced degree in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, geological engineering, or geotechnical engineering from an accredited college or university. At the discretion of the board, courses dealing with applied geological science that are given under the auspices of an academic department other than geology may be considered toward the fulfillment of this requirement.
(3) Experience in professional geological work consisting of some combination of the following:
1. (A) Five (5) years of teaching geology as a faculty member at the college or university level.
2. (B) Five (5) years of postdoctoral research in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, geological engineering, or geotechnical engineering at an accredited college or university.
3. (C) Five (5) years of geological work performed under the supervision of, or in collaboration with, a licensed professional geologist.
4. (D) Seven (7) years of professional geological work.
(4) The following criteria of education and experience qualify toward accumulation of the required number of years of professional geological work under subdivision (3):
1. (A) One (1) year of credit each for a master's degree or doctoral degree in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, geological engineering, or geotechnical engineering.
2. (B) Each year of teaching in the geological sciences at the college level equals one (1) year of professional geological work, where the total teaching experience includes six (6) semester hours per semester for at least two (2) semesters (or the equivalent if other than a semester system) of third-year or fourth-year undergraduate level courses or graduate level courses.

(d) If an application does not contain sufficient information to determine whether the applicant satisfies the requirements for a certificate, the board may do either of the following:

(1) Deny the application.
(2) Require the applicant to do one (1) or both of the following:
1. (A) Provide additional information as needed to evaluate the application.
2. (B) Appear before the board for an interview to determine professional qualifications.

(e) A person is exempted from this section if the person satisfies both of the following requirements:

(1) Was certified under either:
1. (A) IC 25-17.5 before its repeal; or
2. (B) IC 25-17.6 before January 1, 1999.
(2) Remains in good standing as a professional geologist.

(Indiana Board of Licensure for Professional Geologists; 305 IAC 1-3-2; filed Mar 8, 1999, 5:18 p.m.: 22 IR 2216; errata filed Jul 21, 1999, 11:30 a.m.: 22 IR 3937; filed Mar 6, 2000, 7:58 a.m.: 23 IR 1619; readopted filed Dec 1, 2006, 3:11 p.m.: 20061213-IR-305060171RFA; readopted filed Jun 26, 2012, 11:03 a.m.: 20120725-IR-305120209RFA; readopted filed Oct 31, 2017, 3:31 p.m.: 20171129-IR-305170347RFA; readopted filed Oct 2, 2023, 3:06 p.m.: 20231101-IR-305230616RFA)