Section 13.03. Continuing education requirements.

 

(1)  

(a) Beginning in the biennial registration period commencing August 1, 2012 and ending July 31, 2014, unless granted a waiver under s. A-E 13.08 , every registrant shall complete at least 30 hours of approved PDHs or equivalent continuing education units, pertinent to the practice of professional engineering, except that between initial registration and the first renewal period, a new registrant shall not be required to comply with the continuing education requirements for the first renewal of registration.

(b) During each biennial registration period, the registrant shall complete a minimum of 2 PDHs in the area of professional conduct and ethics.

(c) During each biennial registration period, credit for a minimum of 13 PDHs shall be obtained via courses where the registrant interacts in real time in a traditional classroom setting, computer conferencing, or interactive video conference where participants are present in the same room or logged in at the same time and can communicate directly with each other and ask questions of the instructor.

(d) If a registrant obtains more than 30 PDHs in a biennium, a maximum of 15 of the excess PDHs may be used toward the continuing education requirement in the next biennium. Excess credits cannot be used to satisfy the requirements of par. (b) or (c) .

(2)  Continuing education may be obtained through any of the following means:

(a) Completing courses taken at a school or college of engineering accredited by the EAC/ABET.

(b) Completing short courses or tutorials and distance education courses offered through correspondence, DVDs, or the internet.

(c) Presenting or attending qualifying seminars, in-house courses, workshops, or professional or technical presentations made at meetings, conventions, or conferences.

(d) Teaching or instructing in pars. (a) to (c) . PDHs may only be counted for the initial offering or presentation of a course or program. Full-time faculty may not claim PDHs for teaching done as part of their regular duties. For teaching in pars. (a) to (d) , multiply the PDHs earned by a factor of 2.

(e) Authoring published papers, articles, or books in the registrant's area of professional practice that has been published in book form or in circulated journals or trade magazines. Five PDHs will be granted in the biennium in which each publication occurred. For peer reviewed papers, articles, or books in the registrant's area of professional practice, 10 PDHs will be granted in the biennium in which each publication occurred.

(f) Actively participating in professional and technical societies. A maximum of 2 PDHs will be awarded for active participation as an officer or committee member in any one society in any one year. A maximum of 4 PDHs may be obtained under this paragraph in any biennium. PDHs are not earned until the end of each year of service is completed.

(g) Attainment of a patent relevant to the registrant's area of professional practice. Ten PDHs will be awarded for each patent.

(3)  Except as provided in s. A-E 13.08 , a professional engineer who fails to meet the continuing education requirements by the renewal date, as specified in s. 440.08 (2) (a) 35. , Stats., may not engage in the practice of professional engineering until the registration is renewed in accordance with ss. A-E 2.05 and 13.10 .

CR 11-014 : cr. Register December 2011 No. 672 , eff. 1-1-12.