Aiming For SE Certification? Here’s All You Need To Know About SE Exam
Do you already have the PE (Professional Engineering) certification? Are you looking for another specialty license to boost your career? Then the SE (Structural Engineering) license may be the perfect option that will take you places.
Unlike the PE license, which is a more general one suitable for engineering graduates across various specializations, the SE certification is for engineers interested in structural engineering – think buildings, high-rises, and bridges. Once you pass the SE exam, you can add ‘SE’ to your name instead of PE.
Some states mandate SE certification for engineers engaged in structural construction. So if the state you practice in has such rules, you may need to pass the SE test and get licensed to continue designing bridges and buildings. The license is an advanced one that will open doors to exciting projects such as designing high rises and category 4 buildings.
Featuring two separate sections that include vertical and lateral components, the 16-hour-long SE qualifying exam is a tough one designed to test your knowledge and skills when it comes to designing high-risk structures such as bridges, especially in areas prone to earthquakes and strong winds.
Who can apply for the exam?
After obtaining your PE license, you must have a minimum of three years of experience working under the supervision of a structural engineer. Once you have satisfied these criteria, you can apply for the SE exam.
While the PE syllabus features general engineering topics, SE is focused on structural engineering topics. SE topics are comparatively more challenging and therefore demand extra study and exam preparation. For instance, if you spent about 100 hours on your PE exam preparation, you will need to devote at least 400 hours to the SE licensing exam.
Basic details of the exam
The SE certification exam is conducted twice annually – in April and October. Exam dates, syllabi, design standards, and specifications for each exam are posted on the official NCEES website six months before the exam.
As mentioned before, the SE exam features two components – vertical and lateral – and both these exams are conducted on separate, successive days across eight hours each. While the vertical component includes topics such as lateral earth pressures and gravity loads, the lateral component deals with topics like earthquake loads and winds.
Each of these two components is further divided into breadth and depth modules. Here are more details about these two modules:
The breadth module exam is conducted in the morning. This module features multiple-choice questions from an extensive range of topics on structural engineering.
The depth module exam takes place in the afternoon. It focuses on a single area of specialization. Candidates can choose from either bridges or buildings. However, they have to ensure that they choose the same topic across both components. The questions in this module are in essay format.
Candidates must pass the breadth module of both components and the depth module of any one component to earn their SE license. However, they are not required to attend both components on successive dates. The important thing here is that they must clear both components within five years.
Preparing for the SE exam
So now that you know about the exam in more detail, you may have realized that passing this exam is not easy. Thankfully, help is at hand in the form of powerful prep courses from leading course providers. Some of the advantages of signing up for a prep course include the following:
· Quick and easy joining process with an affordable course fee
· Classes led by industry professionals and subject matter experts
· Different study modes like online, on-site, and on-demand classes facilitate flexible learning.
· Option to learn at your own pace with a customized course structure
· Downloadable course notes on every topic so that nothing goes uncovered.
· Extensive study material to provide you with in-depth knowledge about every topic
· Multiple practice sessions so that you get familiar with the exam format and feel more confident while facing the real exam
Do a bit of research to locate reputed course providers with impressive track records. With the intense study sessions at prep classes and rigorous practice sessions, later on, you will be all set to ace the SE exam on your first attempt.
For more information visit: https://www.schoolofpe.com/se/
