Per TCA 62-36-109 (a) To be eligible for a certificate of licensure, an applicant shall meet each of the following minimum qualifications:
- Be a graduate of an accredited college or university. The applicant shall have successfully completed a minimum of thirty (30) semester or forty-five (45) quarter hours of course work in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, engineering geology or their subdivisions.
- Have at least five (5) years of geological education and professional experience. Any combination of the following kinds of education and experience qualify toward accumulating the required five (5) years:
- Each year of graduate study shall count as one (1) year of experience; provided, that credit for graduate study or graduate courses, shall in no case exceed a total of two (2) years toward meeting the five-year requirement of this subdivision (a)(3);
- Each year of teaching or geological research by persons teaching upper-level geology courses at the college or university levels; provided, that the teaching or research can be demonstrated to be of a sufficiently responsible nature to be equivalent to a year of professional experience; and
- The geologic ability of an applicant shall be demonstrated by the applicant performing professional geologic work in a responsible position as determined by the department. The adequacy of the required supervision and experience shall be determined by the department in accordance with rules promulgated by the department.
- Have successfully passed any examination developed or determined by the department to assess adequately the knowledge and skills that are common to the competent practice of geology as a profession.