Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-13-.02

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 364-X-13-.02 - Continuing Education

(1) Purpose -- In order to safeguard life, health, and property, and to promote the public welfare, the practice of geology in Alabama requires continuing education in accordance with Section 34-41-12(c), Code of Ala. 1975, and this Rule.

(2) Scope -- Each in-state and out-of-state licensee shall be required to meet the continuing educational requirements of these regulations for professional development as a condition for license renewal. Continuing education obtained by a licensee should maintain, improve or expand skills and knowledge obtained prior to initial licensure or develop new and relevant skills and knowledge.

(3) Definitions -- Terms used in this section are defined as follows:

(a) Professional Development Hour (PDH) -- A contact (clock) hour consisting of not less than fifty (50) minutes of instruction or presentation and which further meets the requirements of these rules.

(b) Sponsor -- An individual, organization, association, institution or other entity which provides an educational activity used to fulfill the continuing educational requirements of this rule.

(c) Board -- The Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Geologists, the legal state entity having jurisdiction to license individuals to practice the profession of geology and to discipline those practitioners who violate the applicable laws or rules promulgated by the Board.

(d) Licensee -- A person licensed as a professional geologist in the State of Alabama.

(4) Requirements -- To demonstrate that a licensed professional geologist maintains an acceptable level of competency, a licensee must obtain the number of Professional Development Hours (PDH) as shown below. This requirement must be satisfied biennially during the two (2) year period from July 1 through June 30 except for any carryover permitted.

(a) The licensed professional geologist must earn a minimum of thirty (30) PDH per biennial period, except for the carryover permitted. The number of professional development hours which may be carried forward into the next biennial period shall not exceed fifteen (15).

(5) Activities -- Continuing educational activities which satisfy the professional development requirements shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) successfully completing or auditing college or university sponsored courses,

(b) successfully completing courses which are awarded continuing educational units (CEU),

(c) attending seminars, tutorial, short courses, correspondence courses, or online courses,

(d) attending in-house programs sponsored by corporations or other organizations,

(e) teaching or instructing as described in (a) through (d) above,

(f) authoring published papers, articles, or books,

(g) making presentations at technical meetings,

(h) attending program presentations or field trips at related technical or professional meetings.

All of such activities as described in (a) through (h) above must be relevant to the practice of geology and may include both technical or managerial content. Participation in any claimed PDH activity must be accompanied by the prescribed documentation as established by the Board.

(6) Criteria -- Continuing educational activities must meet the following criteria:

(a) there is a clear purpose and objective for each activity which will maintain, improve or expand skills and knowledge obtained prior to initial licensure or to develop new and relevant skills and knowledge.

(b) the content of each presentation is well organized and presented in a sequential manner.

(c) there is evidence of preplanning which should include the opportunity for input by the target group to be served.

(d) the presentation will be made by persons who are well qualified by education or experience.

(e) there is a provision for individual participant registration which will include information required for record keeping and reporting.

(7) Units -- The conversion to PDH units from other units is as follows:

One (1) University semester hour of credit	fifteen (15) PDH
One (1) University quarter hour of credit	ten (10) PDH
One (1) Continuing Educational Unit (CEU)	ten (10) PDH
One (1) Hour of acceptable professional activities	ten (1) PDH

(8) Credits -- Professional Development Hours (PDH) of credit for qualifying courses successfully completed which offer semester hour, quarter hour, or CEU credit is as specified above. All other activities permit the earning of one (1) PDH of credit for each contact hour as defined in Rule 364-X-13-.02(3)(a), with the following exceptions:

(a) auditing of university or college courses permit PDH credit of 1/3 that shown in (7) above.

(b) teaching or instructing qualifying courses or seminars or making presentations at technical meetings can earn PDH credit at twice that of participants.

(c) authorship of papers, articles, books, or other published works cannot be claimed until actually published. Credit earned will equal preparation time spent not to exceed twenty-five (25) PDH per publication.

(d) the Board does not encourage meeting continuing educational requirements exclusively through online courses. Web-based programs that monitor attendance are offered in real time are eligible for one (1) PDH of credit for each contact hour. Web-based programs that are pre-recorded will not be eligible for credit unless attendance is monitored, and an instructor is available for comment and questions.

(9) Exemptions -- A licensee may be exempt from the professional development educational requirements for one of the following reasons:

(a) new licensees by way of examination or reciprocity shall be exempt for their first renewal period.

(b) non-career military licensees serving on active duty in the armed forces of the United States may be exempted at the discretion of the Board upon application of the licensee from obtaining the professional development hours required during the biennial period.

(c) a licensee employed as a professional geologist and assigned to duty outside the United States may be exempted from obtaining the professional development hours required during that biennial period upon application of the licensee.

(d) licensees experiencing physical disability, illness, or other extenuating circumstances as reviewed and approved by the Board may be exempt. Supporting documentation must be furnished to the Board.

(e) licensees who list their occupation as Retired/inactive on the Board approved renewal form and who certify that they are not currently practicing geology shall be exempt from the professional development hours required. In the event such a person elects to return to active practice of professional geology, professional development hours must be earned for the exempted period not to exceed the requirement for two (2) years before the person returns to active practice.

(f) licensees who are the age of sixty-five (65) at the time of renewal.

(10) Reciprocity -- Continuing educational requirements may be met without completing the entire renewal form if a licensee resides in another state which is listed by the Alabama Board as having continuing educational requirements equivalent and acceptable to the Alabama Board and the licensee certifies in the appropriate section that all continuing educational and licensure requirements for that state have been met.

(11) Forms -- All renewal applications will require the completion of a continuing education form specified by the Board outlining PDH credit claimed. The licensee must supply sufficient detail on the form to permit audit verification, must certify and sign the continuing education form, and submit it with the renewal application and fee.

(12) Records -- The responsibility of maintaining records which can be used to support credits claimed is the responsibility of the licensee. Records required include but are not limited to:

(1) a log showing the type of activity claimed, sponsoring organization-1, location, duration, instructor's or speaker's name, and PDH credits earned;

(2) attendance verification records in the form of completion certificates, signed attendance receipts, paid receipts, a copy of a listing of attendees signed by a person in responsible charge, or other documents supporting evidence of attendance. These records must be maintained for a period of three (3) years and copies must be furnished to the Board for audit verification purposes if requested.

(13) Disallowance -- If the Board disallows claimed PDH credit, the licensee shall have 180 days after notification to substantiate the original claim or to earn other credit to meet the minimum requirement.

(14) Failure to Comply -- If a licensee fails to furnish the required continuing education form, properly completed and/or signed, the right to practice as a Licensed Professional Geologist in the State of Alabama will expire on September 30th of the renewal year as specified in Rule 364-X-13-.03.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-13-.02

New Rule: Filed May 10, 1996; effective June 14, 1996.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIV, Issue No. 09, June 30, 2016, eff. 7/15/2016.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XLII, Issue No. 01, October 31, 2023, eff. 12/15/2023.

Author: Thornton L. Neathery

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-41-12.