Nebraska Board of Geologists

Initial Licensure

Initial License Qualifications

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

  • Hold a bachelor’s or advanced degree in geology or a related geologic 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.

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

ASBOG® Exam Schedule

Exam Date

 Application/Supporting Documents   Deadline 

Registration Closes
March 20, 2025
March 21, 2025		 December 27, 2024 March 17, 2025
March 18, 2025
October 3, 2025 June 27, 2025 September 30, 2025
Dates are subject to change without notice 
 
Applications must be completed by the Application/Supporting Documents Deadline to be considered for the next available exam/s.
 
Registration must be completed by the Registration Close Date.
 
Rescheduling must be completed by the Registration Close Date (a rescheduling fee may be required).
 
Cancellations must be completed no later than the day before the scheduled exam.
 

Once the approval is uploaded into the Prometric system, approved candidates will receive an email from registrations@isoqualitytesting (Prometric/ISO-Quality Testing (IQT)).

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, spring and fall.

A candidate for the Fundamentals of Geology (FG) and/or Practice of Geology (PG) exams must be approved by the Board before registering with Prometric. A candidate may take both exams during the same exam administration if the requirements for each exam have been met. Completed applications, application fees, and all supporting documentation must be received by the Application/Supporting Documents Deadline.

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 geologic specialty degree has been earned; and 
  • Submit two character references

FG Exam Application Process

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

  • Complete and submit the Fundamentals of Geology Exam application along with the application fee;
  • Request a copy of your official transcripts to 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; and
  • 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 the Board’s office has received all the above, the application will go to the Board for review and action at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Approved candidates will receive a link and additional registration information from registrations@isoqualitytesting (Prometric/ISO-Quality Testing (IQT)) once the approval is uploaded into the Prometric system.

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

See below for additional information on Exam Failures, Study Materials, and Special Accommodations Requests.

Upon successfully passing the FG exam in Nebraska and providing verification of graduation with a bachelor’s in geology or related geologic specialty, a candidate will be enrolled as a Geologist Intern in Nebraska.

Experience

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

  • Each full-time month of experience carried out for a client under the direct supervision of a licensed professional or qualified geologist or another professional with similar experience, education, and professional character in a related field will count as one month of geologic work.
  • Part-time work may be converted to its full-time equivalent.
  • Successful completion of a Master’s degree in geology or geologic specialty may be used for one year’s experience credit. A PhD in geology or geologic specialty may be credited for two years of experience. If the PhD is obtained without the Masters 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 period.

The following is a guideline for determining if an applicant’s experience is geologic:

Geologic work involves analyzing and representing 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 seven (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 that may not be at a professional level and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis:

  • Multi-authored technical reports – some companies put everybody’s name on a report if they had anything to do with its production. Only those 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 and of itself, is not “geologic” work since many companies do not require a college degree or any training in geology for mud loggers. However, if you describe formations or identify 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- is not “geologic” since a baccalaureate degree in geology is not required. Only activities requiring training in the necessary geologic core courses are considered to represent geologic 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 and do not require knowledge based on the necessary 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 activities, it is not a professional geologic experience.
  • Management – supervising geologists in and of 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.

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 geologic specialty;
  • Have completed at least thirty semester 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 requirement; and
  • Submit four references, two of which must be from licensed professional geologists. (If an applicant passed the FG exam in Nebraska in the last five years, only the two professional geologist reference forms are required).

PG Exam 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.

  • 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.
  • 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)
  • 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 passed the FG exam in Nebraska in the last five years, only the two professional geologist references are required.) Reference forms will not be accepted from the applicant.

Once the Board’s office has received all the above, the application will be sent to the Board for review and action at its next scheduled regular meeting. Approved candidates will be sent a link and additional information from registrations@isoqualitytesting (Prometric/ISO-Quality Testing (IQT)) once the approval is uploaded into the Prometric system.

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

Upon successfully passing 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.

Exam Failures

After the third and each subsequent failure of the FG or PG, the examinee will be required to:

  • Successfully complete two of the seven core geology courses listed in Chapter 3.4.8 of the Board’s Rules and Regulations and submit official proof of such for Board approval before being authorized to retake the exam. The Board recommends the courses be taken in the areas of exam deficiency; and
  • Complete 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.

Board approval to retake the exam must received before registering with Prometric. Approved candidates will be sent a link and additional information from registrations@isoqualitytesting (Prometric/ISO-Quality Testing (IQT)) once the approval is uploaded into the Prometric system.

Study Materials

ASBOG® publishes a Candidate Handbook to assist you in studying for the exams. It is highly recommended that you download the handbook to become familiar with the type of questions on the exam and the rules for taking the exam. A list of the reference materials may also be found on the Cross Section Documents page on the ASBOG’s website. 

ASBOG® has developed an online preparatory course designed to aid candidates in preparing for the Fundamentals of Geology (FG) exam. The 8-hour modular program provides an overview of topics tied to the FG exam domains and interactive quizzes. Participants have the flexibility to select one of the three packages to best suit their individual needs. Options include the Full Course (consists of all eight study modules), one of the more focused study courses – the Core Doman Bundle (includes five study modules, or the Applied Doman Bundle (consists of four modules). Additional information can be found on the ASBOG® website on the Candidate Resources > Candidate Study Material page.

Special Accommodation Requests

Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified candidates with disabilities. If you require special accommodations to take the examination, please contact the Board office at 402-471-8383 or nebog.board@nebraska.gov as soon as possible and inquire about the request process. If accommodations are not requested in advance, availability of on-site accommodations cannot be guaranteed at the time of testing. Any request for modification(s) to the examinations must be submitted by the Board and received by Prometric no later than ninety (90) calendar days before the scheduled examination.

Fundamentals of Geology (FG) Application

Practice of Geology (PG) Application

Reference Form 

Verification of Licensure/Examination Form

ASBOG® Examination Registration Process

If you have any questions, please contact us.