Reporting Credits

Professional Development Hours

This information sheet was designed to assist you in completing the form requesting continuing professional education credits to maintain your North Carolina Soil Scientist License.

Continuing education credits are called Professional Development Hours or PDHs. PDHs are earned for attending workshops or training sessions, instructing at a workshop or training session, attending professional society meetings, presenting a paper at a professional society meeting, or presenting a poster at a professional society meeting. Credit is also allowed for college or university courses if it is a soil science course. Credit is also allowed for published papers, articles, and books. Credit is not allowed for membership in a professional society unless applicant is serving as an officer or member of a committee.

All participants must sign-in on a sign-in sheet provided for licensees to record their attendance. Each licensee is responsible for keeping records of all PDHs earned. These records should include: type of activity, sponsoring organization, location, duration, instructor’s name, verification of attendance, and total PDHs earned.

Refer to the attached example of a completed application form used to request PDH credit. Any questions should be submitted in writing to the Board for Licensing Soil Scientists, PO Box 41368, Raleigh, NC 27629 or email elaine@execman.net

Determining Credit for Professional Development Hours

This information was obtained from the final rules as adapted by the Board. (Title 21, chapter 69)

Section .0304 UNITS

The conversion of other units of credit to PDH units is as follows:

  1. 1 college or unit semester hour = 15 PDHs
  2. 1 college or unit quarter hour = 10 PDHs
  3. 1 hour of professional development in course work, seminars, or professional or technical presentations made at meetings, conventions, or conferences = 1 PDH
  4. For teaching in items 1-3 of this rule, PDH credits are doubled; however, teaching credit is valid for teaching a course or seminar for the first time only.
  5. Each published paper, article, or book = 10 PDHs
  6. Active participation in professional and technical society (requires that a licensee serve as an officer or member of a committee of the organization) = 2 PDHs per organization. PDH credits shall not be earned until the end of each year of service is completed. Credit is not granted for organization membership alone.

Section .0305 DETERMINATION OF CREDIT

  1. Credit for seminars and workshops shall be based on one PDH unit for each hour of attendance.
  2. Attendance at programs presented at professional and technical society meetings shall earn PDH units for the actual time of each program with a maximum of 15 for a given meeting.

Example Form: How to Document Professional Development Hours

Continuing Professional Competency

Individuals who are licensed need to be attending continuing education courses for self-improvement and must maintain the necessary records on their own. This information can be found in Title 21 Occupational Licensing Boards, Chapter 69 Board for Licensing of Soil Scientists, Section .0300 and the subsections that follow (page 62 in the First Edition Directory). For the past year, the licensing board has tried to be helpful in this process but we are not staffed for a bookkeeping service in this matter.

The rules provide for A sponsor organizations@ as defined in rule .0302(4). Such organizations will be granted sponsor status by the board upon submission of sufficient information with respect to their ability to provide qualifying instruction. Courses offered by approved sponsors are acceptable for PDH credit without scrutiny of individual course content. A list of these sponsors will be maintained on the Web site and contained in future newsletters.

The renewal period for Professional Development Hours (PDH) is three years with a minimum of 45 PDHs required. If a licensee has accumulated an excess above the 45 minimum, a maximum of 15 PDHs may be carried forward into the subsequent renewal period. Qualifying activities and courses completed after the issuance of the license may be considered for satisfying the PDH requirements. The initial three year period for PDH requirements will begin on July 1st of the first full year of licensing and end on June 30, three years later.

NOTE: A licensing year runs from July 1 through June 30th of the subsequent year.

An example of PDH calculation will be maintained under on the web site. Questions you have are to be directed to Susan Githens.

Example of PDH Calculation:

The Board approves individual and license is issued on October 1, 1996. The applicant submits the following activities, etc. for satisfaction of PDH requirements:

 

Activities Date Completed PDHs Claimed
1. Soils Workshop 9/10/96 8
2. SSSNC Mtg. 1/97 3.2
3. Hydric Soils Workshop 3/97 6
4. SSSA Mtg. 10/97 15
5. SSS NC Mtg. 1/98 15
6. Soils Workshop 1/99 10
7. SSS NC Mtg. 1/00 13
Total 70.2

Item 1. does not qualify since it predates licensing of the individual, thus leaving 70.2 PDHs which are presumed to qualify. The 45 PDH requirement would be met and 15 PDHs could be carried over into the subsequent renewal period.

NOTE: For this individual, PDHs earned after October 1, 1996 could be counted. The initial three year, PDH, renewal period would end on June 30, 2000.

BLANK PDH FORM

 

Date Time Session Topic Content as Related to Professional Competency in Soil Science PDHs Requested Speaker Name (please provide agenda)