Survey of Education and License Requirements for Structural Engineers

In order to determine the industry perception of educational and licensing requirements for entry-level structural engineers, the Structural Engineers Association of Hawaii, in conjunction with the Civil Engineering Dept. at the Univ. of Hawaii, distributed a two-part survey to their 240 members. The first part of the survey provided feedback on the current and potential license requirements for structural engineers in Hawaii. Although the majority of respondents hold a master’s degree, they do not support the ASCE proposal that a master’s degree be required for professional engineering licensure. The second part of the survey requested feedback on both undergraduate and graduate educational requirements for entry-level structural engineers. Based on the results of this survey, the structural engineering faculty at the Univ. of Hawaii are considering modifications to both undergraduate and graduate curricula. The survey results are presented along with observations that will interest all engineering educators. It is hoped that these results will encourage other universities and colleges to poll their industry constituents to aid in evaluation of their engineering programs.