Authority: IC 25-31.5-3-4

Affected: IC 25-31.5-4-3

Sec. 5. (a) Three (3) years of work experience are required for registration as a RPSS. Credit will be allowed for regular work and for certain kinds of college course work as explained in this section. The board will decide how much work credit to allow for various kinds of work using the following guidelines:

1. (1) Unlimited credit for work experience will be granted for activities related primarily to evaluating soils and landscapes in their natural setting, as listed in this subdivision. Credit is granted for work done while a person is a college graduate or undergraduate student, intern, student trainee, or similar position. Some of this work can be part of field laboratory sessions of college courses. One (1) semester credit counts as forty (40) hours of work credit. Examples of these activities are as follows:

   1. (A) Collecting soil samples from entire pedons (profiles) in the field.
   2. (B) Describing soil morphology and explaining how soil morphology affects soil processes.
   3. (C) Characterizing landscapes and explaining how they relate to soil processes.
   4. (D) Mapping soils.
   5. (E) Preparing soil reports that deal with soil morphology and landscapes.
   6. (F) Collecting and preparing soil monoliths.
   7. (G) Teaching college students to do those tasks and related tasks.

2. (2) A maximum of one (1) year of work experience will be allowed for soil science work other than that mentioned under subdivision (1). This work is primarily related to crop production, soil erosion control, wetland determination, and related activities. Specific tasks include the following:

   1. (A) Interpreting soil surveys without doing field investigations.
   2. (B) Sampling soils for fertility.
   3. (C) Making fertilizer recommendations.
   4. (D) Scouting for soil-borne disease.
   5. (E) Planning soil erosion control practices.
   6. (F) Conducting wetland investigations.
   7. (G) Laboratory research.
   8. (H) Teaching college students to do those tasks.
   9. (I) Related tasks.

(b) Work as established in subsection (a)(1) done while a college student can contribute to the total work experience requirement according to the following limits:

1. (1) A bachelor of sciences (BS) candidate, up to one (1) year.
2. (2) A master of science (MS) candidate, up to one (1) year.
3. (3) A doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) candidate, up to one (1) year beyond MS (up to two (2) years as a graduate student).

(Indiana Board of Registration for Soil Scientists; 307 IAC 1-3-5; filed Aug 29, 2003, 11:00 a.m.: 27 IR 56; readopted filed May 14, 2009, 1:12 p.m.: 20090610-IR-307090196RFA; readopted filed May 15, 2015, 10:58 a.m.: 20150610-IR-307150072RFA; readopted filed Nov 23, 2021, 1:44 p.m.: 20211222-IR-307210234RFA; readopted filed Nov 4, 2025, 2:51 p.m.: 20251119-IR-307240628RFA)