Compliance and Ethics
Professional Licensure and Certification Boards- College of Arts and Sciences
Page Content
If you are in a program that you believe leads to licensure but you do not see it listed, please fill out the Potential Professional Licensure/Certification Program Reporting Form by clicking on button below:
Potential Professional Licensure/Certification Program Reporting form.
STUDENT ROLE IN PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE
Students should read all the information regarding the program in which they are interested/are about to enroll to determine if the program leads to licensure in the location that the student is located at the time the student enrolls (i.e., during the first initial semester at the time at which they pay for courses) to verify that the program leads to licensure. Pose questions regarding licensure to the program coordinator listed on the program page and contact the state licensing board, using the licensing information contained on the program licensure page. Keep in mind licensure approval depends on the rules and regulations in effect at the time of your licensure application. Said rules and regulations are overseen by the professional licensing board who oversees the profession.
PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE DISCLOSURE
LICENSING DISCLOSURE INFORMATION
For all programs marketed or designed as leading to licensure or certification, the following federal regulations must be complied with by institutions of higher education:
For Online Programs
34 CFR 668.14(b)(32)
All programs that lead to licensure/certification must meet the educational requirements in each state and protectorate in which any of their students are located at the time of initial enrollment or in the state in which a student attests they intend to seek employment. Students cannot be enrolled into programs if the educational requirements are not met unless they are moving to a state in which the requirements are met and execute an attestation confirming their future relocation.
For Face-to-Face Programs
Regulation- 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v)
All programs that lead to licensure/certification must disclose whether the program meets, does not meet or if a determination cannot be made as to whether the program meets the educational requirements in each state and protectorate.
Since the program is a face-to-face program, students can be admitted even if the state in which they previously resided is a state in which the program does not meet the educational requirements for licensure/certification.
DETERMINATIONS
Determinations made by our subject matter experts (program coordinators) are made
based on state licensing board rules and regulations and/or reciprocity agreements.
For information on teaching reciprocity, please see the NASDTEC website- https://www.nasdtec.net/page/InterstateAgreements
SCOPE OF PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
The information provided regarding USM programs represents an assessment of whether
the educational program, if successfully completed, meets a state or protectorate’s
educational requirements for licensure/certification.
USM's analysis is limited to a determination as to whether their programs meet the
educational requirements for licensure.
Additional requirements may be required to obtain a license or state certification.
For a list of potential additional requirements, see the Professional Licensure webpage-
https://www.usm.edu/professional-licensure-certification-disclosures/index.php
ROLE OF LICENSING/CERTIFICATION BOARD
Keep in mind that final eligibility determinations as to whether a program meets the educational requirements for licensure are made by the state/protectorate licensing/certification boards.
TIMEFRAME OF DISCLOSURES
The disclosure data is current as of July 1 of each year (starting with 2024) unless
the institution is apprised of a change which requires an update prior to the July
1st annual update. Federal Law requires that if an institution discovers that a program
no longer leads to licensure or certification, the institution must notify the students
(both enrolled and prospective) of the change directly (individual disclosure) as
well as updating the webpage.
APPROPRIATE USE OF DISCLOSURE DATA
Review the information about the licensure program and then consider discussing the
information with the program coordinator as well as the state licensing board.
LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS GENERALLY
Licensing boards require more than successful degree completion to obtain a license
or certification and laws relating to licensure/certification may change at any time,
which may affect the educational requirements for licensure/certification.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
In addition to educational requirements, the licensing boards for each of the states and the protectorates (American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau, Puerto Rico, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Virgin Islands) may require applicants to meet other requirements including, but not limited to, age, citizenship, examinations, clinical hours, criminal background checks, professional experience (which may require years of experience), residency, and specialized courses (not offered as part of any institutional curriculum) (i.e., History of the State, Ethics), etc.
MISSISSIPPI LICENSURE
All programs of The University of Southern Mississippi are designed to meet the licensure standards set by the Mississippi Department of Education and prepare students to sit for licensure/certification exams in Mississippi.
RECOMMENDATION
If you are considering a program at USM that leads to licensure or certification and you do not live in the State of Mississippi, it is our recommendation that you contact the appropriate state licensing agency in their state or the state where you intend to work
This will allow you to obtain the most up-to-date information about state licensure requirements before beginning any of our licensure/certification programs.
UPDATES
Due to the frequency at which requirements change, data on this page is only accurate
as of the date listed below. The information contained on this page was last updated
on 7/1/2024.
USM makes every effort to ensure information about educational requirements for licensure/certification
are updated:annually
AND
when changes are discovered If USM discovers that a program no longer meets the licensure/certification
requirements of any state or protectorate, this page will be updated.
See the original Professional Licensure Disclosure in the catalog- https://catalog.usm.edu/content.php?catoid=35&navoid=2239
GEOLOGY, BS
- National Website- https://asbog.org/state_boards.html
- Program Website- https://www.usm.edu/undergraduate-programs/geology.php#Geology%20BS
- For questions regarding licensure, please contact Dr. Frank Heitmuller at franklin.heitmuller@usm.edu (601) 266-4729
State/Protectorate | Determination | Determination Based on Reciprocity/State or Protectorate Requirements | Board Contact Information |
Alabama | Yes | State requirements | Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Geologists 2777 Zelda Road, Montgomery, Alabama 36106 (334) 420-7236 geology@alstateboard.com https://www.algeobd.alabama.gov/ |
Alaska | Yes | State requirements | Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing P.O. Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811 (907)465-2691 ProfessionalGeologists@alaska.gov https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/ProfessionalGeologists.aspx |
Arizona | Yes | State requirements | Arizona Board of Technical Registration 1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 240, Phoenix, AZ 85007 (602) 364-4930 https://btr.az.gov/contact-us https://btr.az.gov/ |
Arkansas | Yes | State requirements | Arkansas State Board of Registration for Professional Geologists 900 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 400, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-3108 (501) 683-0150 pgboard@arkansas.gov https://www.arpgboard.org/ |
California | Yes | State requirements | California Department of Consumer Affairs Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists 2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 300, Sacramento, California 95833-2944 (916) 999-3600 geology@dca.ca.gov https://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/ |
Colorado | licensure not required | N/A | N/A |
Connecticut |
licensure not required Yes-For Licensed Environmental Professional |
State requirements | N/A |
Delaware | Yes | State requirements | Delaware Division of Professional Regulation 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Cannon Building, Suite 203, Dover, Delaware 19904-2467 (302) 744-4500 customerservice.dpr@delaware.gov https://dpr.delaware.gov/ |
District of Columbia (D.C.) | licensure not required | N/A | N/A |
Florida | Yes | State requirements | Florida Board of Professional Geologists 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0783 (850) 717-1411 lina.hurtado@myfloridalicense.com http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/geologists/ |
Georgia | Yes | State requirements | Georgia Office of The Secretary of State Professional Licensing Board Division 237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, Georgia 31217-3858 (404) 355-4509 walker@sos.ga.gov https://sos.ga.gov/ |
Hawaii | licensure not required | N/A | N/A |
Idaho | Yes | State requirements | Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses 11351 W. Chinden Blvd., Bldg. #6 Boise, Idaho 83714 (208) 334-3233 kim.aksamit@dopl.idaho.gov https://dopl.idaho.gov/DOPLPortal/Home.aspx |
Illinois | Yes | State requirements |
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation |
Indiana | Yes | State requirements |
Indiana Board of Licensure for Professional Geologists |
Iowa |
licensure not required for Geologist
YES For Certified Groundwater Professional
|
State requirements |
Iowa Department of Natural Resources 6200 Park Avenue 515-725-8200 |
Kansas | Yes | State requirements |
Kansas State Board of Technical Professions |
Kentucky | Yes | State requirements |
Kentucky Board of Registration for Professional Geologists |
Louisiana | Yes | State requirements |
Louisiana Board of Professional Geoscientists |
Maine | Yes | State requirements |
State Board of Licensure of Geologists and Soil ScientistsDepartment of Professional/Financial
Regulation |
Maryland | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Massachusetts | Yes for Licensed Site Professional | State requirements | N/A |
Michigan | Yes | State requirements | N/A |
Minnesota | Yes | State requirements |
Board of AELSLAGID |
Mississippi | Yes | State requirements |
Mississippi State Board of Registered Professional Geologists |
Missouri | Yes | State requirements |
Board of Geologist Registration |
Montana | licensure not required | N/A | |
Nebraska | Yes | State requirements |
Nebraska Board of Geologists |
Nevada | licensure not required | Bureau of Mines and Geology 1664 N Virginia Street Reno, NV 86503 Phone: (775) 682-8751 Contact: jfaulds@unr.edu |
|
New Hampshire | Yes | State requirements |
Office of Professional Licensure and Certification |
New Jersey | YES (For Licensed Site Remediation Professional) | State requirements | |
New Mexico | N/A | N/A |
New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources |
New York | Yes | State requirements |
NY State Education Department |
North Carolina | Yes | State requirements |
The North Carolina Board for Licensing of Geologists |
North Dakota | N/A | N/A |
Department of Mineral Resources |
Ohio | N/A | N/A |
ODNR Division of Geological Survey |
Oklahoma | N/A | N/A |
Oklahoma Geological Survey |
Oregon | Yes | State requirements |
Oregon State Board of Geologist Examiners |
Pennsylvania | Yes | State requirements |
Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs |
Rhode Island | licensure not required | N/A | N/A |
South Carolina | Yes | State requirements |
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation |
South Dakota | Licensure not required | N/A |
Geological Survey Program |
Tennessee | Yes | State requirements |
Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance |
Texas | Yes | State requirements |
Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists |
Utah | Yes | State requirements |
Utah Professional Geology |
Vermont | Licensure not required | N/A | Department of Environmental Conservation Davis Building - 3rd Floor One National Life Drive Montpelier, VT 05620-3520 (802) 828-1556 N/A https://dec.vermont.gov/geological-survey |
Virginia | Yes | Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation 9960 Mayland Drive Suite 400 Richmond VA 23233-1485 (804) 367-8514 bpssandwp@dpor.virginia.gov https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/SSWPG |
|
Washington | Yes | Geologists Program Business and Professions Division Department of Licensing 405 Black Lake Blvd SW Olympia, WA 98502 (360) 664-1497 geologist@dol.wa.gov https://www.dol.wa.gov/business/geologist/ |
|
West Virginia | Yes for Licensed Remediation Specialist | State requirements | Department of Environmental Protection 601 57th Street SE Charleston, WV 25304 (304) 926-0499 DEPLRSProgram@wv.gov https://dep.wv.gov/dlr/oer/brownfieldsection/LRS%20Program/Pages/default.aspx |
Wisconsin | Yes | State requirements | Professional Geologist Section DSPS PO Box 8366 Madison, WI 53708-8366 (608) 266-2112 dsps@wi.gov https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/BoardsCouncils/GHSS/Default.aspx |
Wyoming | Yes | State requirements | Wyoming Board of Professional Geologists 2617 E. Lincolnway, Suite I, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001 (307) 742-1118 prof.geo@wyo.gov https://wbpg.wyo.gov/ |
American Samoa |
Licensure not required | N/A | N/A |
Federated States of Micronesia | Licensure not required | N/A | N/A |
Guam | Licensure not required | N/A |
Guam PEALS Office |
Northern Mariana Islands | Licensure not required | N/A | N/A |
Republic of Palau | Licensure not required | N/A | N/A |
Puerto Rico | Yes | Protectorate requirements |
Department of State Assistant Secretary of Examination Boards Board of Examiners of Geologists P.O. Box 9023271 San Juan, PR 00902-3271 787-722-2122, Extension # 4308 or 4309 |
Republic of the Marshall Islands | Licensure not required | N/A | N/A |
Virgin Islands | Licensure not required | N/A | N/A |
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