The applicant for licensure as a professional geologist must have at least five (5) years of full-time professional work experience. In evaluating experience offered as qualifying experience under Section 34-41-10, Code of Ala. 1975, the Board will take into consideration the following:
(1) Experience should be progressive and of an increasing standard of quality and responsibility and should follow receipt of a bachelor's or graduate degree as defined in Section 34-41-10, Code of Ala. 1975.(2) Experience must be gained either as a Geologist-in-Training or in geologic work related to the public practice of geology that is acceptable to the Board. In all cases, the Board shall determine if the applicant has demonstrated his or her ability by having gained experience by performing work in a responsible position. The adequacy of the required supervision and experience shall be documented to the Board and its approval is solely at the discretion of the Board.(3) The term "Geologist-in-Training" shall mean a person who holds a degree in geology, engineering geology, or one of the related geological sciences from an accredited college or university and who has successfully passed the part of the professional examination covering fundamental or academic geological subjects. A "Geologist-in-Training" must be working under the direct supervision of a registered or licensed professional geologist or a geologist whose credentials are equal to or greater than the minimum qualifications acceptable for licensure under Section 34-41-10, Code of Ala. 1975.(4) If all or a portion of the claimed experience was not obtained as a "geologist-in-training," then the indirect supervision should be fully explained with clarification and documentation of the degree of supervision received. Such verification of this and other claimed experience must be on forms provided with the application. It is the responsibility of the applicant to see that these forms are completed and returned by the supervisor directly to the Board Office at least ten (10) days prior to the Board meeting at which the application is to be considered, or forty-five (45) days before the examination date.(5) The Board, at its discretion, may give a maximum of one (1) year's experience credit for each graduate degree in geology, engineering geology, or one of the related geologic sciences.(6) The Board, at its discretion, may consider work in related fields as acceptable work experience.(7) Professional geologic research of applicants either teaching at the college or university level or in research agencies of state or federal government shall be credited and applied toward the experience requirements, provided this research is acceptably documented to the Board and of a sufficiently responsible nature to be equivalent to the experience requirements set forth in Section 34-41-10, Code of Ala. 1975.(8) Experience must not be anticipated, that is, the application must not be postdated. The experience must have actually been received at the time the application is submitted. Author: Thornton Neathery
Ala. Admin. Code r. 364-X-6-.01
New Rule: Filed May 10, 1996; effective June 14, 1996. Amended: Filed March 5, 2002; effective April 9, 2002.Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, § 34-41-10.