Part II. Entry
18VAC145-20-60. General application requirements.
A. Applicants for licensure shall meet the requirements established in Chapter 22 (§ 54.1-2200 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia.
B. All applications and accompanying materials become the property of the board upon receipt by the board.
C. The board may make further inquiries and investigations with respect to applicants' qualifications and documentation to confirm or amplify information supplied.
D. Applicants who do not meet the requirements of this chapter may be approved following consideration by the board in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR627-02-01 § 2.1, eff. June 1, 1989; amended, Virginia Register Volume 9, Issue 14, eff. May 5, 1993; Volume 31, Issue 10, eff. March 1, 2015.
18VAC145-20-70. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR627-02-01 § 2.2, eff. June 1, 1989; amended, Virginia Register Volume 9, Issue 14, eff. May 5, 1993; Volume 18, Issue 7, eff. January 16, 2002; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 31, Issue 10, eff. March 1, 2015.
18VAC145-20-80. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR627-02-01 § 2.3, eff. June 1, 1989; amended, Virginia Register Volume 9, Issue 14, eff. May 5, 1993; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 7, eff. January 16, 2002.
18VAC145-20-90. Qualifying experience in soil evaluation.
Minimum experience requirements are established in Chapter 22 (§ 54.1-2200 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia. Applicants shall satisfy the length of experience established relative to their education. Applicants shall demonstrate experience in two or more of the following areas:
1. Soil mapping. Compiled soil maps representing at least 5,000 acres as part of a soil survey or surveys with a formal mapping legend under the direct guidance of an experienced technical supervisor. Only maps in a published report, a report scheduled to be published, or a report of a publishable quality shall be deemed as acceptable for this type of experience;
2. Soil evaluation. Conducted at least 20 soil evaluations for specific land uses under the direct guidance of an experienced technical supervisor. Examples of such uses include, but are not limited to, onsite wastewater disposal, residential and commercial development, sanitary landfill sites, forestry or agriculture production, soil erosion and sediment control, shrink-swell, or hydric soils. The finished product must have been submitted to a client or government agency (e.g., Health Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Conservation and Recreation, or local planning commission);
3. Field/Laboratory studies. Conducted at least 10 detailed field or laboratory studies under the direct guidance of an experienced technical supervisor. The field or laboratory study must have resulted in a soil evaluation report that was accepted by the client or government agency;
4. Research/Teaching. Conducted at least one research project as part of a thesis or publication or taught at least one full-time course in a soil science curriculum at an accredited institution of higher education, the quality of which demonstrates to the board that the applicant is competent to practice as a professional soil scientist;
5. Consulting (public/private). Assembled or compiled soil information with existing data or field studies and evaluated data for a specific land use. The work may have been done independently or under supervision. At least three written reports must have been submitted to the client or government agency; or
6. Education. Each year of full-time undergraduate study in a soils curriculum or related natural science may count as one-half year of experience up to a maximum of two years. Each year of full-time graduate study in a soils curriculum may count as one year of experience up to a maximum of two years. One year equals 30 semester credit hours earned or 45 quarter credit hours earned. Any credits used to meet the education requirements established in Chapter 22 (§ 54.1-2200 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia may not be used to meet experience requirements.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR627-02-01 § 2.4, eff. June 1, 1989; amended, Virginia Register Volume 9, Issue 14, eff. May 5, 1993; Volume 18, Issue 7, eff. January 16, 2002; Volume 31, Issue 10, eff. March 1, 2015.
18VAC145-20-91. Core course requirements.
A. At least 15 semester hours selected from the identified courses in this subsection or the equivalent are required for course work or a degree core to be considered a degree in a soil science curriculum or a related natural science degree.
| Intro to Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences | Soil - Plant - Animal Interrelationships in Grasslands |
| Soil Evaluation | Aluminum Chemistry in the Soil System |
| Soils | Soil Physics or Physical Properties |
| Soils Lab | Soil Genesis/Classification |
| Man and Environment | Soil Fertility/Management |
| Soil Survey/Taxonomy | Soil Fertility/Management Lab |
| Soil Microbiology | Soil/Groundwater Pollution |
| Soil Resource Management | Soils for Waste Disposal |
| Soil Chemistry | Soil Microbiology Lab |
| Topics in Soil Genesis | Forest Soils/Hydrology |
| Soil Seminar | Clay Mineralogy |
| Special Studies (Soils Based) | Soil Interpretations |
| Field Studies (Soils Based) | Advanced Concepts in Soil Genesis |
| Soils and Land Use | Independent Studies (Soil Based) |
| Soil Physical and Colloidal Chemistry | Soil Biochemistry |
| Soil Geomorphology | |
| Soil - Plant Relations | Soil Conservation |
B. Applicants may petition the board to review the syllabus and other supporting documents of a course not listed in subsection A of this section for academic credit. The course must contain content that enhances applicants' knowledge in the study of soils. Applicants must demonstrate course equivalency in order to receive academic credit. Petitions to the board for such review must be made in writing.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 7, eff. January 16, 2002; amended, Virginia Register Volume 31, Issue 10, eff. March 1, 2015.
18VAC145-20-100. Examination.
A. Applicants shall be required to pass all parts of the CSSE-prepared exam.
B. Applicants shall meet all other requirements established in Chapter 22 (§ 54.1-2200 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia in order to be granted board approval to sit for the exam.
C. Completed applications must be received by the board no less than 60 days prior to the exam date or applicants may be deferred to the next exam administration.
D. Applicants approved by the board shall be exam-eligible for a period of three years from the date of their initial board approval. Applicants who do not pass the exam at the end of the three-year period are no longer exam-eligible.
E. To become exam-eligible again, applicants shall reapply to the board and meet all entry requirements current at the time of their reapplication. Upon approval by the board, applicants shall become exam-eligible for another period of three years.
F. Board-approved applicants eligible for admission to both parts of the exam must first pass the Fundamentals in Soil Science exam before being admitted to the Professional Practices in Soil Science exam.
G. Applicants will be notified by the board of whether they passed or failed the exam. The exam may not be reviewed by applicants. Exam scores are final and not subject to change.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR627-02-01 § 2.5, eff. June 1, 1989; amended, Virginia Register Volume 9, Issue 14, eff. May 5, 1993; Volume 18, Issue 7, eff. January 16, 2002; Volume 31, Issue 10, eff. March 1, 2015.
18VAC145-20-110. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR627-02-01 § 2.6, eff. June 1, 1989; amended, Virginia Register Volume 9, Issue 14, eff. May 5, 1993; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 7, eff. January 16, 2002.
18VAC145-20-111. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 7, eff. January 16, 2002; amended, Virginia Register Volume 25, Issue 26, eff. October 1, 2009; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 31, Issue 10, eff. March 1, 2015.