Canadian Professional Engineering and Geoscience

Most Associations stock the texts required for the National Professional Practice Exam and they can be ordered for a similar price to Amazon.  However, PEO does not stock texts for the PEO Professional Practice Exam and most people purchase the textbooks directly through Amazon.  

Keep in mind these textbooks can be rented for half the price of purchasing in the form of an online textbook at VitalSource.   This text, Canadian Professional Engineering and Geoscience, is required reading for both the National Professional Practice Exam and the PEO Professional Practice Exam thus it is in high demand.

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The Professional Practice Exams have two subjects that are tested: Professional Law and Ethics.  This text covers the Ethical components and the text Law for Professional Engineers addresses the Professional Law component.

This text was written by Gordon C Andrews and is kept up to date with all legislative changes, so today students are advised to purchase the 5th edition. The book is also helpful to those who want to learn more about the licensing and engineering practices in Canada, in accord to all ethical obligations. Many universities have added Canadian Professional Engineering and Geoscience—Practice and Ethics on the list of required texts, as it brilliantly complements the Law and Ethics classes.

Not only students can extract valuable information from this title, as the author made sure that it is an interesting and practical reading to engineers and geoscientists alike. It remains the go-to book for those who prepare for the PPE exam, with a full chapter being dedicated to those who plan on taking this test.

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Key aspects

The text is structured into five parts and eighteen chapters.  The first five chapters are more general in nature as they talk about the history and structure of engineering and geoscience, as well as the licensing acts. It describes professional misconduct and also explains your Association's disciplinary process.

The second part of the book is also comprised of five chapters and they present the basic principles that engineers and geoscientists need to thoroughly understand. It tackles a several subjects, ranging from private practice, consulting and business, to more abstract one such as fairness and equity at the workplace.

It also explains the hazards and liability, while teaching readers how to avoid them and even dwells on subjects such as intellectual property (such as patents and trademarks), software and computers.

Those who want to learn more about the professional ethics should fast-forward to part three, where the basic principles of justice and ethics are described. The author starts from very basic concepts and formulates the principles, correlated to codes of ethics and relevant texts.

Chapters 12-14 take a more hands on approach and provide essential information about ethics in professional employment, management or private practice and consulting. By applying this source of information in real life situations, professionals can avoid a string of legal problems.

Part four is dedicated to ethics, but it also has an environmental component as it focuses on the professional’s obligation to protect the environment. It is slightly shorter than the previous parts, with only three chapters, but it is still rich in practical information. The fourth part tackles sensitive issues such as whistleblowing and talks about the major threats to the nation's environment in the threats and disasters chapter. Last but definitely not least it defines sustainability and makes some powerful observations about how this could be achieved.

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A golden nugget

Part five consists of a single chapter, number 18, but this represents the cornerstone of Canadian Professional Engineering and Geoscience—Practice and Ethics as far as students are concerned. This final chapter describes the syllabus and format of the Professional Practice Examination and should be just as useful to anyone preparing for an ethics test.

It includes essay writing tips and a total of 30 questions that are likely to feature in such an exam, most of them with answers.

The book itself and the fifth part in particular are easy to read, covering all Canadian provinces and territories. Since this is the fourth edition, it comes as no surprise that the topics were organized in a manner that will appeal to all readers, regardless of background and purpose of study.

Compared to the recent instalment, this release features an entire chapter on environmental sustainability while expanding the ethical theories chapter.

Those who own an older copy would be right to consider this acquisition, as 20 new case studies and 30 examination questions have been added. These are particularly helpful when preparing for an exam, especially with their format being very similar if not identical to the ones that are likely to feature in the test. Professional practice is analyzed thoroughly and from different points of view, so engineers, geoscientists, employees and managers alike will find it useful.

At the end of each chapter, students will find different topics that are suitable for further study and can check out specific discussions for a better understanding of the subject. The bonus assignments are organized by chapter and case studies feature the solutions recommended by the author, which greatly simplifies the readers’ mission while increasing efficiency.

Reading the entire book from cover to cover is not necessary to be completely prepared for the NPPE or the PEO PPE.  Students should take a targeted approach and study according to your Associations exam syllabus.

Below you can also purchase a study guide for either the NPPE or the PEO PPE (depending on your province or territory) and sign up for a newsletter full of help preparing for either.