Eligibility for Certificate of Licensure

1. Law
2. Tennessee Code
3. Professions, Businesses and Trades
4. Land Surveyors and Soil Scientists
5. Soil Scientist Licensure Act of 2009
6. Eligibility for Certificate of Licensure

1. To be eligible for a certificate of licensure, an applicant shall meet each of the following minimum qualifications:
   1. Be a graduate of an accredited college or university with a bachelor of science degree or higher in soils, agronomy or a closely related field. The applicant shall have successfully completed a minimum of fifteen (15) semester hours of course work in soil science;
   2. Have at least three (3) years of soil science professional experience. Any combination of the following kinds of education and experience qualify toward accumulating the required three (3) years:
      1. Masters of science degree in soils, agronomy or a closely related field and two (2) years of professional experience;
      2. Doctor of philosophy degree in soils, agronomy or a closely related field and one (1) year of professional experience; or
      3. Each year of teaching or soil science research by persons teaching upper-level soil science courses at the college or university levels; provided, that such teaching or research can be demonstrated to be of a sufficiently responsible nature to be equivalent to a year of professional experience; and
   3. Have successfully passed such examination or examinations developed or determined by the commissioner to assess adequately the knowledge and skills that are common to the competent practice of soil science as a profession. The commissioner shall waive the examination requirement for licensure as a soil scientist for an applicant who makes written application to the commissioner not later than July 1, 2011, and who otherwise meets the requirements of this subsection (a).
2. Any person who meets subdivisions (a)(1) and (2) and who is:
   1. Approved by the department of environment and conservation prior to July 1, 2011;
   2. An employee of the federal government 470 series;
   3. A soil scientist employed by this state; or
   4. A member of the Soil Scientist Association of Tennessee certified list prior to July 1, 2011;

      shall be deemed to have met the requirements of subdivisions (a)(1)-(3). Such person shall be issued a certificate of licensure when renewal is due under the established renewal cycle upon applying for and meeting all requirements for renewal. The commissioner shall assign the registration number of the registration certificate as the certificate of licensure number. Any person holding an active certificate as a registered soil scientist or licensed professional soil scientist prior to July 1, 2011, who does not renew such certificate when renewal is due shall be required to apply for licensure under this part and meet all requirements of subsection (a) except that a reasonable period of time shall be accorded by the commissioner for late renewals.

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