24.183.2105 CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY - CONTINUING EDUCATION

(1) Every licensee shall meet the continuing professional competency (continuing education) requirements of these regulations for professional development as a condition for licensure renewal.

(2) Terms used in this rule are defined as follows:

(a) "Professional development hour (PDH) " means a contact hour (nominal) of instruction or presentation;

(b) "Continuing education unit (CEU) " means a unit of credit customarily used for continuing education courses. One continuing education unit equals ten hours of class in an approved continuing education course;

(c) "College/unit semester/quarter hour" means credit for courses in ABET approved programs or other related college courses approved in accordance with (5) , below;

(d) "Course/activity" means any qualifying course or activity with a clear purpose and objective which will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee's field of practice;

(e) "Dual license" means a person who is licensed as both an engineer and a land surveyor.

(3) Every licensee is required to obtain 30 PDH units during the two-year renewal period. If a licensee exceeds the annual requirement in any renewal period, a maximum of 15 PDH units may be carried forward into the subsequent renewal period. PDH units may be earned as follows:

(a) successful completion of college courses;

(b) successful completion of continuing education courses;

(d) presenting or attending qualifying seminars, in-house courses, workshops or professional or technical presentations made at meetings, conventions or conferences;

(e) teaching or instruction in (a) through (d) , above;

(f) authoring published papers, articles or books;

(g) active participation in professional or technical societies;

(h) patents.

(4) The conversion of other units of credit to PDH units is as follows:

(a) one college or unit semester hour ...............................................................................45 PDH

(b) one college or unit quarter hour ...................................................................................30 PDH

(c) one continuing education unit ......................................................................................10 PDH

(d) one hour of professional development in course work, seminars or professional or technical presentations made at meetings, conventions or conferences ................................. 1 PDH

(e) each published paper, article or book ........................................................................10 PDH

(f) active participation in professional and technical society (each organization) .........2 PDH

(g) each patent ....................................................................................................................10 PDH

(h) for teaching apply multiple of two. (Teaching credit is valid for teaching a course or seminar for the first time only. Teaching credit does not apply to full-time faculty.)

(i) self-study .........................................................................................................................10 PDH

(A maximum of 10 PDH will be allowed per renewal cycle for self-study. Self-study is considered a formatted review of new subject matter or technical information such as video tapes series, Internet courses that do not include a final examination, etc.)

(5) The board has final authority with respect to approval of courses, credit, PDH value for courses and other methods of earning credit.

(a) Credit for college or community college approved courses will be based upon course credit established by the college.

(b) Credit for qualifying seminars and workshops will be based on one PDH unit for each hour of attendance. Attendance at qualifying programs presented at professional and/or technical society meetings will earn PDH units for the actual time of each program.

(c) Credit determination for each published paper, article or book and each patent is the responsibility of the licensee (subject to review as required by the board) .

(d) Credit for active participation in professional and technical societies (limited to two PDH per organization) requires that a licensee serve as an officer and/or actively participate in a committee of the organization. PDH credits are not earned until the end of each year of service is completed.

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

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

(b) attendance verification records in the form of completion certificates or other documents supporting evidence of attendance; or

(c) records as maintained by the professional development registry for engineers and surveyors (PDRES) or other similar repositories. These records must be maintained for a period of three years and copies may be requested by the board for audit verification purposes.

(7) 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 comity shall be exempt from accruing PDHs for 12 months following licensure, after which 7.5 PDHs are required for each six-month period of licensure until the first renewal period that occurs on or after June 30, 2008;

(b) A licensee serving on temporary active duty in the armed forces of the United States for a period of time exceeding 120 consecutive days in a year shall be exempt from obtaining the professional development hours required during that year;

(c) 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;

(d) Licensees who list their occupation as "retired" on the board approved renewal form and who further certify that they are no longer receiving any remuneration from providing professional engineering or land surveying services shall be exempt from the professional development hours required. In the event such a person elects to return to active practice of professional engineering or land surveying, professional development hours must be earned before returning to active practice for each year exempted not to exceed the annual requirement for two years.

(8) The number of PDH units required by dual licensees shall remain 30, at least one-third of which shall be obtained in each profession.

History: 37-1-319, MCA; IMP, 37-1-306, 37-1-319, MCA; NEW, 1997 MAR p. 196, Eff. 1/28/97; TRANS, from Commerce, 2002 MAR p. 1756; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 1630, Eff. 6/23/06; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 1633, Eff. 6/23/06.