Date of Award
5-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Civil Engineering (MCE)
Department
Civil Engineering
Committee Chair/Advisor
Brandon Ross
Committee Member
Kalyan Piratla
Committee Member
Kapil Chalil Madathil
Abstract
The primary goal of the thesis was to identify barriers that hinder students from taking the Fundamental of Engineering (FE) exam. The secondary goals were to determine the most prevalent barriers and compare the difference in knowledge about the FE between senior and sophomore students. The FE exam is a computer-based exam with questions based on undergraduate-level courses and is an early step in the process of becoming a professional engineer. Data for the thesis came from interviews and surveys. Interviews were done by twenty seniors, while surveys were given to forty-one senior and eighty-six sophomore civil engineering students. Interviews and surveys revealed the following as barriers:
- Cost of the exam (test and materials)
- Lack of career relevance
- No motivation to study
- Not going for a PE license
It is intended that Clemson and other universities can look at the data presented in this thesis and find ways to alleviate students’ barriers to taking the exam.
Recommended Citation
Walker, Cornelius, "Student Barriers to Taking the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam" (2023). All Theses. 3977.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/3977