FE Exam Ethics: What It Is & How to Pass

In this article (and video above), I talk about what the FE exam ethics cover, and discuss the three major sections in the Model Rules, that you might get tested on.

The FE Exam Ethics is a test that is designed to assess the ethical understanding of candidates who are seeking to become licensed engineers. This exam is typically taken by individuals who have completed their engineering education and are looking to enter the professional engineering field. The FE Exam Ethics is an important step in the process of becoming a licensed engineer and is intended to ensure that engineers have the knowledge and understanding necessary to act ethically in the professional engineering field.

The vision of NCEES is to provide leadership in the professional licensure of engineers and surveyors through excellence in uniform laws, licensing standards, and professional ethics in order to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the public and to shape the future of professional licensure.

Just like how there are ethical guidelines used by practitioners of medicine, science, finance, real estate, and law, an engineering professional is expected to obey these “ethical codes” in their respective practices.

Modern codes for the practice of engineering place paramount priority on obligations to the public. There are several codes of ethics for engineers. I will briefly summarize the code of ethics provided by the NCEES – Model Rules, Section 240.15 Rules of Professional Conduct. The code is provided on pages. 4-5 in FE Handbook 10.1. You can also access the code by using the following link:

https://ncees.org/wp-content/uploads/Model_Rules_2021_web-1.pdf#page=16

Summary of the NCEES Code of Ethics

The NCEES code of ethics addresses three major sections in the Model Rules. The order of importance is shown as listed, with the most important priority being the safety and welfare of the public.

(1) Licensee’s Obligation to the Public

(2) Licensee’s Obligation to Employers and Clients

(3) Licensee’s Obligation to Other Licensees

Let’s review these three sections in more detail:

1. Obligation to the Public

• Public Welfare is MOST important
• Designs Must be SAFE
• One MUST report when overruled judgment endangers Public Welfare or Safety
• Be HONEST in Reporting & Testimony
• Do NOT Guess or Speculate when offering “Professional Opinions”
• Do NOT take Bribes for Opinions
• Do NOT associate with Dishonest Organizations or Persons
• MUST report any violations to the state board
• MUST cooperate with Investigating Bodies on Matters of Professional Conduct

2. Obligation to Employer and Clients

• ONLY take assignments for which (you) the Engineer has adequate qualifications and competence
• Do NOT
  • Practice outside your Expertise
  • Approve Unsupervised Work
• May, as a “Project Engineer”, delegate work to other Qualified Licensed Engineers
• MUST Respect Confidential Information
• Must NOT take “Kickbacks” or be bribed
• Must DISCLOSE any Potential Conflict(s) of Interest
• NO Double-Dipping (or obtaining an income from two different sources in an illicit way)
• NO divided loyalties between public & private organizations (NO inside Lobbying)

3. Obligation to Other Licensees

• Do NOT LIE on your Résumé
• Do NOT offer BRIBES
• Do NOT purposely harm another Engineer’s Reputation
• Do constructively point out Errors in the work of another Engineer when Public Safety is at concern

The FE exam strives to help you understand the code of ethics for engineers, which is one of the most important codes that an engineer must adhere to.

This Episode Is Brought to You by PPI

PPI has helped engineers achieve their licensing goals since 1975. Passing the FE and PE exams can open doors to career advancement and new opportunities. Check out PPI’s wide range of prep options, including Live Online courses, OnDemand courses, and digital study tools to help prepare you to pass your licensing exam here.

In upcoming articles, I will answer more FE Exam questions and run through more practice problems. We publish videos bi-weekly on our Pass the FE Exam YouTube Channel.  Be sure to visit our page here and click the subscribe button as you’ll get expert tips and tricks – to ensure your best success – that you can’t get anywhere else. Believe me, you won’t want to miss a single video.

Lastly, I encourage you to ask questions in the comments of the videos or here on this page and I’ll read and respond to them in future videos. So, if there’s a specific topic you want me to cover or answer, we have you covered.

I’ll see you next week.

Anthony Fasano, P.E.
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success