Applicants seeking initial licensure as a Licensed Professional Geologist in Nebraska must:

• Hold a bachelor’s or advanced degree in geology or a related geological specialty;
• Have completed at least thirty-five semester or forty-five quarter hours of coursework in geology;
• Coursework needs to include at least five of the following courses or their equivalent; field geology, physical geology, mineralogy, petrology/petrography, structural geology, stratigraphy/sedimentology/soils, and hydrogeology;
• Pass both the Fundamentals of Geology (FG) and the Practice of Geology (PG) exams;
• Have five years of progressive geology experience following the satisfaction of the education requirement; and
• Submit four references, two of which must be from licensed professional geologists

ASBOG^® Exam Schedule

Exam Date	Application/Supporting Documents Deadline to the Board	Registration Opens	Registration Closes
October 6, 2023	July 5, 2023	August 23, 2023	October 1, 2023
March 15, 2024	December 29, 2023	January 31, 2024	March 10, 2024

The Nebraska Board uses the examinations developed and administered by the National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG). The exams are offered twice a year generally on the third Friday in March and the first Friday in October.

A candidate for either the Fundamentals of Geology (FG) and/or Practice of Geology (PG) exams must be approved by the Board prior to registering with ASBOG^®. A candidate may take both exams during the same exam administration if the requirements for each exam have been met. Completed applications and all supporting documentation must be received by the Application/Supporting Documents Deadline listed above along with the applicable application fee.

Exams are computer-based through Prometric. Candidates who have been approved by the Board will be entered into the Prometric system. Instructions on how to complete the registration, pay for the examination/s and seat fee, and select a testing location will be sent out from registrations@isoqualitytesting (Prometric/ISO-Quality Testing (IQT)) when registration opens. A step-by-step guide can also be found in the ASBOG^® Examinee Candidate Handbook.

Study Materials

ASBOG^® publishes a Candidate Handbook to assist you in studying for the exams. It is highly recommended you download the handbook in order to become familiar with the type of questions on the exam and the rules for taking the exam. Note: There are NO preparatory courses, seminars, or reference materials sanctioned by ASBOG^® other than the ASBOG^® Candidate Handbook.

Special Accommodation Requests

Candidates with accommodation requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or other special accommodations, must apply for the accommodations upon application to sit for the exam(s), and be approved by the Nebraska board to take the exam(s) with accommodations. The testing center administrator must be notified approximately 6 weeks in advance of the date of the exam for which the candidate is requesting special consideration.

The Examinations Administrator will charge the actual cost associated with the requested accommodation plus a $35 fee for each instance of approved ADA or other approved special accommodations.

 Fundamentals of Geology (FG) Application

 Practice of Geology (PG) Application

 Reference Form 

 Verification of Licensure/Examination Form

ASBOG^® Examination Registration Process

NEBOG Handbook

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Fundamentals of Geology (FG) Exam

Qualifications

To be eligible to sit for the FG exam in Nebraska, an applicant must:

• Have completed a minimum of thirty (30) semester hours or forty-five (45) quarter hours of coursework in geology regardless of whether or not a geology or geological specialty degree has been earned.
• Submit two character references

Application Process

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure all required applications, documents, and fees are received by the Board by the deadline posted above.

1. Complete and submit the Fundamentals of Geology Exam application along with the application fee.
2. Request a copy of your official transcripts be sent directly to the Nebraska board from the granting institution(s), or its authorized agent(s), from which your geology courses/degree were earned. Electronic copies may be sent to the Board at nebog.board@nebraska.gov.
3. Have two character reference forms submitted directly to the Nebraska board from the individuals completing the forms. Reference forms will not be accepted from the applicant.

Once all the above has been received by the Board’s office, the application will go to the Board for review and action at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Approved candidates will be notified by the board.

NOTE: All fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Board approval to sit for the FG exam is valid for five years from the date of the first scheduled exam administration after approval. If the exam is not passed during this time, a candidate will be required to submit a new application, application fee, meet the requirements in effect at the time of re-application, and receive re-approval from the Board in order to register and sit for the exam.

Upon successful passage of the FG exam in Nebraska, a candidate will be enrolled as a Geologist Intern in this State.

Exam Failures

After the third and each subsequent failure of the FG, the examinee will be required to successfully complete two of the seven core geology courses as listed above and submit official proof of such to the Board for approval prior to being authorized to retake the exam. The Board recommends the courses be taken in the areas of exam deficiency. Section I: General Information and the affidavit section of the applicable exam application must be submitted along with the current application fee and a request to retake the exam will be required.

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Experience

Applicants for initial licensure as licensed professional geologists in Nebraska are required to have a minimum of five years of progressive geological experience at the time the application is submitted. Experience is calculated on the following:

• Each full-time month of experience that was carried out for a client, under the direct supervision of a licensed professional or qualified geologist, or under another professional who has a similar experience, education, and professional character in a related field will count as one month of geological work.
• Part-time work may be converted to its full-time equivalent.
• Successful completion of a Master’s degree in geology may be used for one year’s experience credit. A PhD in geology may be credited for two years of experience. If the PhD is obtained without the Master's degree, the credit will be two years.
  
  • Experience may either be gained under the education or the work experience category. The applicant cannot claim the experience for completion of a graduate degree and work experience while working full time during the same time period.

The following is offered as a guideline in determining if an applicant’s experience is geological in nature.

Geologic work involves the analysis and representation of natural earth materials (e.g., rock, soil, sediment, water, and economic minerals), the earth processes that act on them and the history of the planet and its life forms. Training in the subjects necessary to perform such work is demonstrated by the completion of at least 5 of the following 7 core courses: physical geology, mineralogy petrology/petrography, stratigraphy/sedimentology/soils, structural geology, summer field geology, and hydrogeology which lead to a degree in geology or a geologic specialty.

The geologic nature of your work is demonstrated by the results you produce, including (but not limited to):

• Geologic maps showing the distribution, age, and character of surface materials
• Geologic cross-sections interpreting subsurface stratigraphic and/or structural relationships
• Three-dimensional interpretations (e.g., structural block diagrams, groundwater flow models)
• Technical reports summarizing geologic data and recommending a course of action to a company or client
• Drilled oil prospects (and production figures, if successful)
• Operating a mine or quarry (with production figures)
• Peer-reviewed journal articles or book chapters; or a thesis or dissertation accepted as part of a graduate degree
• Presentations at national, regional, or state-wide professional meetings, with published abstracts
• Lists of courses taught as part of a teaching assistantship held during the pursuit of a graduate degree in geology or related specialty including credit hour production and number of times taught
• Reports or publications resulting from research performed while seeking a graduate degree in geology or a related specialty, and independent research resulting in a specific product
• Geologic results while in responsible charge or during technical oversight and supervision

Geologic work which may not be Professional Level and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis:

• Multi-authored technical reports – some companies follow the practice of putting everybody’s name on a report if they had anything to do with its production. Only those people who performed the geologic component of work should count this type of publication. Give the percent of the work you personally completed, and describe the geologic character of your contribution.
• Mud logging – in itself is not “geologic” work since many companies do not require a college degree or even any training in geology for mud loggers. However, if you are describing formations or identifying pay zones by their geologic character, you would be considered a well-site geologist. Ask your supervisor to clarify this in the letter of reference.
• Geotechnical work – like mud logging, this is not “geologic” work since a baccalaureate degree in geology is not required. Only activities requiring training in the required geologic core courses are considered to represent geological work of a professional nature. Ask your supervisor to clarify this in the letter of reference.
• Teaching – teaching at the K-12 level does not qualify as professional geologic experience since it can be performed without a geology degree.
• Incidental skills – many geologists perform activities that are incidental to their geologic duties that do not require knowledge based on the required geologic core courses. Examples include surveying, drafting, assisting with or drilling water wells, opening water wells, or collecting water samples or well cuttings. If your work consists mainly of these types of activities then it is not a professional geologic experience.
• Management – supervising geologists in itself is not a geologic experience. You should be able to demonstrate personal involvement in producing the geologic product, either as pre-management level training or as a geologic team member.

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Practice of Geology (PG) Exam

Qualifications

To qualify to sit for the PG exam in Nebraska an applicant must:

• Hold a bachelor's or advanced degree in geology or a related geological specialty
• Have earned at least thirty semester hours or forty-five quarter hours of coursework in geology including five of the following courses or their equivalents: field geology; physical geology; mineralogy; petrology/petrography; structural geology; stratigraphy/sedimentology/soils; or hydrogeology.
• Have passed the FG exam (An applicant may sit for both the FG and PG in the same administration if they have met the education and experience requirements)
• Have a minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience following the satisfaction of the education requirements
• Submit four references, two of which must be from licensed professional geologists. (If an applicant sat for the FG exam in Nebraska, only the two licensed professional geologist reference forms are required)

Application Process

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure all required applications, documents, and fees are received by the Board by the posted deadline above.

1. Complete and submit the Practice of Geology Exam application along with the application fee. The application and all supporting documents must be received by the published deadline.
2. Request a copy of your official transcripts to be sent directly to the Nebraska board from the institution(s), or its authorized agent(s), from which your geology degree(s) were earned. Electronic copies may be sent to the Board at nebog.board@nebraska.gov. (If you have taken the FG exam in Nebraska in the last ten years, you do not need to submit new transcripts unless you have a graduate degree you want to use toward your experience requirement)
3. Have four reference forms submitted directly to the Nebraska board from the individuals completing the forms. Two must be from licensed professional geologists. (If you sat for the FG exam in Nebraska, only the licensed professional or qualified geologist references are required.) Reference forms will not be accepted from the applicant.

Once all the above has been received by the Board’s office, the application will be sent to the Board for its review and action at its next scheduled regular meeting. Approved candidates will be notified by the board.

NOTE: All fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Board approval to sit for the PG exam is valid for five years from the date of the first scheduled exam administration after approval. If the exam is not passed during this time, a candidate will be required to submit a new application, application fee, meet the requirements in effect at the time of re-application, and receive re-approval from the Board in order to register and sit for the exam.

Upon successful passage of the PG in Nebraska, a candidate will be licensed as a licensed professional geologist in this State.

Obtaining a Seal

Licensees may use the company of their choice to obtain an official license seal. For your convenience, a list of companies offering this service can be found on our Links of Interest page.

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Exam Failures

After the third and each subsequent failure of the PG, the examinee will be required to successfully complete two of the seven core geology courses as listed in Chapter 3.4.8 of the Board’s Rules and Regulations and submit official proof of such for Board approval prior to being authorized to retake the exam. The Board recommends the courses be taken in the areas of exam deficiency. Section I: General Information and the affidavit section of the applicable exam application must be submitted along with the current application fee and a request to retake the exam will be required.