The Consulting Professional's Alphabet Soup

/ DGL Consulting Engineers/

When reviewing a technical report or article that cites a member of the AEC consulting industry, you might wonder what the postnominals following their name actually mean. Some people refer to these acronyms as “alphabet soup”. We wanted to take a minute to decipher the code, below are a few of the most commonly occurring educational and technical registration & certification acronyms at DGL.

 

Educational Acronyms

  • BSCE – Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

  • BSCET – Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering Technology

  • MSCE – Master of Science in Civil Engineering

  • MBA – Master of Business Administration

Registration | Certification Acronyms

  • E.I. (T) – Engineer Intern (In Training) 

  • S.I. – Survey Intern

  • F.E. – Fundamentals of Engineering Exam

  • F.S. – Fundamentals of Surveying Exam

  • P.E. – Professional Engineer

  • P.S. – Professional Surveyor

  • ACI – American Concrete Institute – Various Construction Certifications

  • CPESC – Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control

  • CST – Certified Survey Technician – Various Levels (I, II, III, IIII)

  • HAZWOPER – Hazardous Waste Operations & Emergency Response – 40 Hour Emergency Responder Training & 10-Hour Construction Course Training

  • LEED AP BD+C – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction

  • PMP – Project Management Professional

  • PTOE – Professional Traffic Operations Engineer

  • PTP – Professional Transportation Planner

  • RSP – Road Safety Professional – Various Levels (I, II)

 

Now that we have a better understanding of the code, how does someone acquire these letters and what do they indicate? Many of the educational and technical registrations & certifications provide a sense of accountability to the individual who has prepared the technical report or article you are reviewing.  

No matter the path you are on, each of the acronyms signifies that the individual has put in the time to complete courses, worked for years in their chosen profession, passed a thorough review by a board of industry professionals, has taken rigorous exams and endured annual review/renewal processes.

The procedure is not an easy one and helps to demonstrate the individual’s understanding and commitment to gaining advanced knowledge in specific industry niches. Many of the registrations are governed by state, federal or international organizations and include additional security reviews as well as financial implications.

Every day is an opportunity to learn something new, to refine our craft and to bring our A-game to client projects. We hope this has helped you learn something new and at the very least cleared up some of the confusion. You’ll now have a greater understanding of what these postnominals mean and how each demonstrates the value we provide to our clients.

Do you have a project that would benefit from the assistance of one of our professionals, click here to be put in touch with the proper registered/certified individual at DGL.