TBPG Exam NewsTwo examinations are required to obtain a Professional Geoscientist license in Texas
- The Fundamentals of Geology Examination (8:00am to noon, 110 questions)
- The Practice of Geology Examination (1:00pm to 5:00pm, 80 questions)
They will next be given on October 7th, 2005. The exams are given by the Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG®), but you must make preliminary application through the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) because eligibility must be determined before an applicant may register with ASBOG® for an exam. A $25 administrative fee for each exam part is required when registering to take the exam(s). You are permitted, but not required, to take both parts of the examination during the same test period. These fees are in addition to the $150 initial license and annual license renewal fee to be paid after you have passed both exams.New applicants for a Geoscientist license in Texas must first submit information regarding their qualifications to TBPG, plus an $25 administrative fee per exam part. Once this has been submitted to TBPG and it is determined that you are eligible to take that particular exam, you will be sent an ASBOG® registration form which you will submit to ASBOG® along with the $200.00 exam fee. A courtesy copy of the completed ASBOG® registration form should be forwarded to TBPG. To request registration for either portion of the exam from TBPG, applicants must submit:• A TBPG license application, • 3 professional reference forms, • 2 personal reference forms, and, • A resume that reflects at least five years of work experience and 30 hours of course work in geology. Work experience is waived on the first part of the examination.If you are registering for both parts of the exam at the same time, a similar set of forms must be submited for each part.The required forms, referenced above, as well as a license application check list, are available on the TBPG Website under the "Forms" tab. Note that as of March 1, 2005, the checklist does not exactly match the instructions presented here, but we have researched the details with TBPG officials and believe our version is accurate. It will be your responsibility to determine exactly what is required in your situation and requirements may change.The last day to register with ASBOG® for the next examination period is August 23, 2005. The exams will be given on October 7, 2005. Applicants will be notified of the exam location when they are accepted. The Texas examinations are normally held in Austin. Additional ASBOG® dates for examinations in 2005/2006 can be found in the TBPG News. An exam Candidate Handbook is available on the ASBOG® Website. Andrea Reynolds, a Director of the HGS, and Arlin Howles of the HGS Government Affairs Committee has researched ways to study for these tests. Their conclusions are available in a separate article on this Website.