CSI/ELG/SEG 2911

Professional Practice in Engineering and Computing

Module 1: Professionalism and Regulations

The original meaning of “professional” is

derived from the Middle English “profes”, an
adjective meaning having professed one’s vows,
which meant to profess and confess.

Riadh Habash. Professional Practice in Engineering and Computing: Preparing for Future Careers, CRC Taylor and Francis Group, 2019
Professional and Professionalism
• Professionals are those who profess their specialized knowledge and
skill to others, vowed to perform their profession to the highest
standard, and acquired special rights and responsibilities.
• Professionalism is the conduct and standards which guide the work of
professionals. It describes the qualities, skills, competence, and
behaviors they are expected to bring to the workplace.
• Professionalism in the workplace means taking responsibility for
work; pride in the quality of work; acting ethically to clients,
colleagues, management, community, and the environment;
understanding risks and inhibiting failures; and persistent
improvement of the profession.
Elite Professions
The so-called élite professions, such as engineering, medicine,
education, nursing, and law, share common set of principles including:

• Providing valuable services in the pursuit of important human and

social ends.
• Possessing fundamental knowledge and skills.
• Developing the capacity to engage in complex forms of practice.
• making judgments under conditions of uncertainty.
• learning from past experiences;
• Creating and participating in a responsible professional
community.
https://www.coablog.org/home/2017/4/6/help-what-are-the-differences-between-accreditation-licensing-and-certification
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CSI/ELG/SEG 2911
Professional Programs Accreditation
• Accreditation is the public recognition accorded to a professional
program that meets recognized professional qualifications and
educational standards through initial and periodic evaluation.
• Its principal aim is to maintain the standards of professional training
with the ultimate goal of providing the community with the
confidence of a professional practice that meets competency
standards, ethical standards, and ensures public safety.
• Accreditation provides educators and institutions with validation of
higher education programs, as well as the opportunity for academic
administrators, faculty, and practitioners to build consensus on
expected learning outcomes and graduate competencies.
Accreditation Bodies
• In the US, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
(ABET), founded in 1932, is a not-for-profit body which accredits
associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs in the applied
sciences, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.
• Programs in computer science can be accredited by the Computing
Sciences Accreditation Board (CSAB).
• Programs applying for ABET accreditation are evaluated by one of the
body’s four commissions based upon their academic discipline:
Applied Science Accreditation Commission (ASAC); Computing
Accreditation Commission (CAC); Engineering Accreditation
Commission (EAC); and Engineering Technology Accredited
Commission (ETAC).
Accreditation Bodies
• In 1965, Engineers Canada established the Canadian Engineering
Accreditation Board (CEAB), a board of specialists tasked with
accrediting Canadian undergraduate engineering programs that meet
or exceed educational standards acceptable for professional
engineering registration in Canada.
• Programs eligible for CEAB accreditation must be in Canada, delivered
at the undergraduate level, and include the word “engineering” in
their title.
• The ABET and CEAB share a similar accreditation process that includes
internal evaluation, on-campus evaluation, external review reports,
and notification of decision.
Accreditation
• Accreditation is a non-governmental, voluntary process that
evaluates institutions, agencies, and educational programs.
• It means that engineering graduates from the program have
the academic qualifications necessary for registration as a
professional engineer (P.Eng.).
• In Canada, engineering programs are evaluated by the
Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) at the
request of the institution offering the program, and with
consent of the regulatory association in the province or
territory where the institution is located.
• There are currently 200 accredited engineering programs, in a
wide range of engineering disciplines.

CSI/ELG/SEG2911 8
Engineering Accreditation Criteria
• CEAB Accreditation Criteria and Procedures Report 2016

• Uses Accreditation Units (AU) to assess the program

o 50 minutes of lecture = 1 AU
o 60 minutes of laboratory or tutorial = 0.5 AU
• Minimum Curriculum Components
o Math and Natural Science (≥195 AU each, total ≥ 420 AU)
o Eng Science and Eng Design (≥225 AU each, total ≥ 900 AU)
o Complementary Studies (≥ 225 AU)
o Laboratory experience and safety procedures (≥ 405 AU)

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 9
Engineering Accreditation Criterion
Engineering Design
“Engineering design integrates mathematics, basic
sciences, engineering sciences and complementary studies
in developing elements, systems and processes to meet
specific needs. It is a creative, iterative, and often open-
ended process subject to constraints which may be
governed by standards or legislation to varying degrees
depending upon the discipline. These constraints may relate
to economic, health, safety, environmental, social, or other
pertinent interdisciplinary factors.”
CEAB Accreditation Criteria and Procedures Report 2016

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 10
Engineering Accreditation Criterion
Complementary Studies
“While considerable latitude is provided in the choice of suitable courses for
the complementary studies component of the curriculum, some areas of study
are considered to be essential in the education of an engineer. Accordingly, the
curriculum must include studies in the following:
• Subject matter that deals with the humanities and social sciences
• Oral and written communications
• Professionalism, ethics, equity and law
• The impact of engineering on society
• Health and safety
• Sustainable development and environmental stewardship
• Engineering economics and project management”
CEAB Accreditation Criteria and Procedures Report 2016

CSI/ELG/SEG2911 11
Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB)
Graduate Attributes
The institution must demonstrate that the graduates of the program possess the attributes under the
following headings:
1. A knowledge base for engineering
2. Problem analysis
3. Investigation
4. Design
5. Use of engineering tools
6. Individual and team work
7. Communication skills
8. Professionalism
9. Impact on society and the environment
10. Ethics and equity
11. Economics and project management
12. Life Long learning

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 12
Graduate Attribute
Design
“An ability to design solutions for complex, open-ended
engineering problems and to design systems,
components or processes that meet specified needs
with appropriate attention to health and safety risks,
applicable standards, and economic, environmental,
cultural and societal considerations”

CEAB Accreditation Criteria and Procedures Report 2016

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 13
Graduate Attribute
Communication Skills
“An ability to communicate complex engineering
concepts within the profession and with society at
large. Such ability includes reading, writing, speaking
and listening, and the ability to comprehend and
write effective reports and design documentation,
and to give and effectively respond to clear
instructions.”

CEAB Accreditation Criteria and Procedures Report 2016

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 14
Graduate Attribute
Professionalism
“An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the
professional engineer in society, especially the primary
role of protection of the public and the public interest”

CEAB Accreditation Criteria and Procedures Report 2016

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 15
Graduate Attribute
Impact of Engineering on Society and the
Environment
“An ability to analyze societal and environmental aspects of
engineering activities. Such ability includes an
understanding of the interactions that engineering has with
the economic, health, safety, legal, and cultural aspects of
society, the uncertainties in the prediction of such
interactions; and the concepts of sustainable design and
development and environmental stewardship. ”

CEAB Accreditation Criteria and Procedures Report 2016

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 16
Graduate Attribute
Ethics and Equity

“An ability to apply professional ethics, accountability, and

equity.”

CEAB Accreditation Criteria and Procedures Report 2016

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 17
Graduate Attribute
Economics and Project Management

“An ability to appropriately incorporate economics and

business practices including project, risk, and change
management into the practice of engineering and to
understand their limitations.”

CEAB Accreditation Criteria and Procedures Report 2016

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 18
Licensing and Certification
• Licensing and certification processes often co-exist in a single
jurisdiction and complement one another. They are often
confused, because they are both intended as mechanisms to
assure the competence of professionals.
• Licensing is a mandatory process administered by a
governmental authority, while certification is a voluntary
process administered by a profession.
• The term registration is also sometimes used for similar
mechanisms.
Licensing
• The objective of licensing is the protection of the public. Engineering is a
licensed profession. Licensure is the highest restrictive form of
credentialing and implies the granting of a license by a governmental or
delegated (for example, regulatory) body to practice a profession.
• The primary purpose of licensure is to protect the health, safety, and
welfare of the public by restricting practice of the profession to individuals
who possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to do so safely
and competently.
• For licensing, one typically has to meet eligibility requirements and pass an
examination that covers a comprehensive range of knowledge and skills,
usually at the entry level. Education and experience prepare a graduate for
technical engineering work.
• The license legally allows an engineer to take personal responsibility for the
engineering work performed for public and private clients.
 Licensing
• Licensing is a non-voluntary process by which an agency of government
regulates a profession. It grants permission to an individual to engage in an
occupation if it finds that the applicant has attained the degree of competency
required to ensure the public safety, and welfare will be reasonably protected.
• Professional licensure protects the public by enforcing standards that allow
qualified individuals to practice who have met specific qualifications in
education, work experience, and exams. In the US and Canada, licensure for the
engineering is regulated by states and provinces.
• Licensed engineers are a select group. Because the requirements are stringent
and because there are some exemptions that allow engineers to work under the
supervision of a professional engineer, not all engineers become licensed. Those
who do achieve licensure, however, enjoy the professional benefits that
supplement this merit.
CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 21
Admission to the Engineering Profession

To qualify for a license, an applicant must:

• Be a citizen of Canada, or permanent resident;
• Reached the age of majority;
• Satisfy the academic requirements;
• Pass the professional practice exam;
• Satisfy the experience requirements;
• Be of good character, as confirmed by references;

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 22
Academic Requirements
• Must have a bachelor's degree in engineering from a Canadian
university program accredited by the Canadian Engineering
Accreditation Board (CEAB) or equivalent academic qualifications.
• If bachelor's degree in engineering was obtained from a non-CEAB-
accredited program, qualifications will be assessed against the Canadian
Engineering Qualification Board (CEQB) criteria in the engineering
discipline.
• academic background is assessed by PEO to determine whether it is
equivalent to the established standards. PEO assigns technical
exams to give applicant an opportunity to confirm (Confirmatory
Examination Program) that his/her academic preparation is
equivalent or to remedy any identified deficiencies (Specific
Examination Program).

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 23
Experience Requirements
• Ontario law requires that an engineer have four years of engineering
work experience before he/she can obtain his/her professional
engineering licence. At least one year of experience must be obtained
in a Canadian jurisdiction under supervision of licensed engineer.
• Work experience must be documented and will be assessed against 5
criteria:
• application of theory;
• practical experience;
• management of engineering;
• communication skills; and
• awareness of the social implications of engineering.
• PEO provides guidance and a template to record work experience.

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 24
Experience Requirements

• Pre-graduation work experience may be credited (ex. Co-op)

• Only pre-graduation engineering experience gained after the mid-point of the
bachelor's degree course is eligible for assessment;
• A maximum of 12 months is eligible for assessment; and
• Pre-graduation experience cannot be credited in lieu of the required
minimum 12 months of Canadian experience.
• The same criteria are used to assess the work experience.

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 25
Professional Practice Exam
• The PPE is a three-hour, closed-book exam on ethics,
professional practice, engineering law and professional
liability.
• It is held three times a year (in April, August and December)
in major centres across the province.
• To reduce the time to licensure, applicants are encouraged
to write the PPE early in the licensing process.

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 26
How to Become Licensed?
• Earn a degree from an accredited
engineering program.
• Pass the professional engineering exam.
This exam is mainly on ethics and law.
• Gain acceptable work experience
(typically a minimum of four years). This
must be completed under the supervision
of a professional engineer.
• As a professional engineer, you would be
able to perform certain tasks, such as
stamp and seal designs, bid for
government contracts, be principal of a
firm, perform consulting services, and
offer services to the public.

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 27
Other Types of Licenses in Ontario

• In addition to the P.Eng License discussed, there are several types of

Professional Engineering Licenses each with particular requirements
• In Ontario, these are:
• Limited Licence
• Provisional Licence
• Temporary Licence
• Certificate of Authorization

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 28
Limited Licence (Ontario)
• A limited licence can be issued to an individual who, as a result of at least eight
years of specialized experience, has developed competence in a certain area of
professional engineering. Regulation 941, amended to O. Reg. 71/15, sections
45 to 50.1 apply to the limited licence:
http://peo.on.ca/index.php?ci_id=2072&la_id=1
45. The following conditions apply to every limited licence:
1. The practice of professional engineering by the holder of a limited licence
must be limited to the services specified in the limited licence.
2. When the holder of the limited licence ceases to provide the services
specified in the limited licence, the holder must notify the Registrar, and
return to the Registrar the limited licence and the seal issued to the holder.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 941, s. 45.

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 29
Provisional Licence (Ontario)
A provisional licence may be issued to an applicant for a
professional engineer (P.Eng) licence who has satisfied all of
PEO’s licensing requirements except for the minimum 12
months of verifiable and acceptable engineering experience
in a Canadian jurisdiction, under the supervision of a
professional engineer licensed in the jurisdiction in which
the work was undertaken.
• Requirements
• Satisfied PEO’s academic requirements for
licensing;
• Passed PEO’s Professional Practice Examination;
and
• Demonstrated to PEO’s satisfaction at least 36
months of acceptable and verifiable engineering
experience outside of Canada.

CSI/ELG/SEGELG2911 30
Provisional Licence (Ontario)
Conditions
• The provisional licence is valid for 12 months from the date
of issue. It may be renewed once for up to 12 months if the
Registrar is of the opinion that renewal is necessary to
enable the applicant to acquire the experience.
• The holder of the provisional licence is entitled to practise
professional engineering only under the supervision of a
professional engineer, and shall not issue a final drawing,
specification, plan, report or other document unless the
supervising professional engineer also signs, and dates it
and affixes his or her seal to it.

CSI/ELG/SEGELG2911 31
Temporary Licence (Ontario)
42. (1) Every temporary licence must specify,
(a) the works, facilities, machinery, equipment or other property in
Ontario to which the temporary licence relates;
(b) the name of the person, firm or corporation by whom the
holder of the temporary licence is employed or engaged to
perform services in Ontario within the practice of professional
engineering;
(c) the name of the Member, if any, with whom collaboration is
required under this Regulation; and
(d) the period of time, not exceeding twelve months, for which the
temporary licence has been issued. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 941,
s. 42 (1).
(2) It is a condition of every temporary licence that the services
within the practice of professional engineering that may be
provided by the holder of the temporary licence are limited to
the services specified in the temporary licence. R.R.O. 1990,
Reg. 941, s. 42 (2).
CSI/ELG/SEGELG2911 32
43. The requirements and qualifications for the issuance of a temporary
licence are payment of the fee prescribed by this Regulation for the
temporary licence and one of the following:
1. Residence in a province or territory of Canada other than Ontario and
membership in an association of professional engineers in another
province or territory of Canada that has objects similar to the objects
of the Association and that requires qualifications for membership at
least equal to the qualifications required for the issuance of a licence
to engage in the practice of professional engineering in Ontario.
2. Qualifications at least equal to the qualifications required for the
issuance of a licence to engage in the practice of professional
engineering in Ontario.
3. Not less than 10 years of experience in the practice of professional
engineering that is relevant to the work to be undertaken under the
temporary licence, and wide recognition in relation to that practice.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 941, s. 43; O. Reg. 71/15, s. 14.

CSI/ELG/SEGELG2911 33
Certification
• Professional certification is a designation earned by a person to
ensure qualification to perform a work or task. It is a license that
provides the authority to independently practice and take legal
responsibility for work done by way of a seal or stamp on the relevant
produced documents, including design, drawings, specifications,
reports, and calculations.
• Certification is an earned credential awarded through an evaluation
process. It indicates the command of advanced or specialized
knowledge and expertise.
• Certification provides an individual’s capability as measured against a
highest standard of competence, a symbol of achievement, and an
assurance of quality, while ensuring a key point of accountability.
Certification
• Certification is a voluntary process of publicly attesting that a
specified quality or standard has been achieved or exceeded.
• Specialty certification is a recognized mechanism providing
independent testimony to the expertise possessed by individuals.
• Benefits to individual engineers of specialty certification include
independent testimony to capability in one or more of
engineering specialties.
• Benefits to consulting engineering firms of the specialty
certification include marketing, professional development.
• Benefits to public utilities and private industry of the specialty
certification include screening potential employees and
consulting engineers.
CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 35
Professional Certification Requirements

Certification is voluntary,
involves no legal
requirement, and does not
grant permission to practice.
It is usually managed by a
professional society.
It shows to certain
qualifications and
demonstrates specialty
expertise beyond a minimum
competence.
Why Certification?
• Valued expertise
• Proven competence
• Heightened marketability
• Advanced career
• Expand your professional network
• Heightened recognition
• Increased credibility
• Polished leadership skills
• Increased knowledge base
• Increased earnings potential
• Global market place recognition

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 37
How to Become Certified?
• To become a Certified Engineer, you must be a licensed as a
professional engineer and have several years of full-time engineering
and/or teaching experience.
• Qualifying experience includes active and responsible participation
and involvement in design, management, research, administration, or
teaching primarily in one or more fields of environmental engineering.
• You must take a written exam and sit for a Peer Review. If you have
more than 16 years of work experience, you may request a waiver of
the written exam.
• You then become certified as a BCEE and must maintain your
engineering practice and ongoing professional education
• You may also become a Board Certified Environmental Engineer
Member (BCEEM). This does not require you obtain a P.E.; however,
the Academy now only certifies BCEEMs “by eminence.”
• BCEEMs need to have at least 20 years of experience and be very well
known and respected in the discipline of environmental engineering.
CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 38
Certificate of Authorization (C of A)
• Required to offer engineering services directly to the public.
• Purpose:
• To identify the licensed engineers who assume responsibility for the
corporation’s engineering work.
• Additional licensing requirements to obtain certificate of authorization
• A C of A is a licence issued by PEO to allow individuals and business
entities to offer and provide professional engineering services to the
public, as distinct from a license issued to individuals to practise
professional engineering.

• Section 12(2) of the Professional Engineers Act states: "No person shall
offer to the public or engage in the business of providing to the public
services that are within the practice of professional engineering except
under and in accordance with a certificate of authorization."

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 39
Do you Need a “C of A”?
• If you "hang out your shingle"; advertise and promote yourself - either
personally or through a legal entity such as a company or partnership - as
offering professional engineering services, a C of A is required.
• If you provide professional engineering services to the public through the sale
of a product that is custom-designed or an original (as opposed to an off-the-
shelf product), a C of A is required.
• If you work for others, but offer professional engineering services directly to
the public on a part-time, moonlighting, or volunteer basis, you must hold a C
of A.
• Under these circumstances, you should also, as a matter of professional
courtesy, inform your employer that you are undertaking such work, so as to
avoid potential conflicts of interest.
• In addition, you should provide your client with a written statement of the
nature of your status as an employee and the attendant limitations on your
services to the client.
CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 40
“C of A” Requirements
Section 47(1) of the Regulation 941 made under the Professional
Engineers Act requires that an applicant for a C of A designate a
professional engineer who is an employee or partner in the firm
to assume professional responsibility for the services provided.
• The designated engineer must have at least five years of professional
engineering experience following the conferral of a degree from an
accredited university or the completion of an equivalent education,
e.g. PEO exams.
• C of A holders are required to carry professional liability insurance as
laid out in the regulations under the Professional Engineers Act.
• In the absence of insurance, they are required to disclose to each and
every client that they do not hold liability insurance, and obtain the
client's written acknowledgement of this disclosure.
CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 41
Professional Associations for Computing Professionals

CIPS - Canadian Information Processing Society

• The national society for computing in Canada
• Affiliated with Réseau Action TI (Québec)

Two US-based associations with international membership

• ACM - Association for Computing Machinery
• IEEE Computer Society

And if you are also an engineer

• PEO

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 42
Some Activities of CIPS
Networking opportunities
Certification of IT professionals (I.S.P. and ITCP
designations)
Accreditation of IT university and college programs
A niche IT Job Board
A voice to government on issues that affect the
profession and industry

Presents professional development and social-networking events

Certifies individual practitioners
• ISP - Discussed on next slides
Accredits academic institutions
• CSAC - Computer Science Accreditation Council
• Head (2008-2014): Tim Lethbridge
Adopts standards of practice
Advocates on behalf of the profession

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 43
The Information Systems Professional (ISP)
Certification

http://www.cips.ca/isp
The terminology is a little bit outdated
Français: EATI: Expert agréé en technologies de l'information
• anciennement IPA ou Informaticien professionnel agréé
Goals
• Protection of the public
• Professional credibility
• Personal integrity and competence
• Enhanced customer confidence
• Enhanced professional profile
• Increased value to employer

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 44
 The ISP
• A provincially-administered national standard
o Recognized by statute in 6 provinces as a self-regulating profession
o Canadian Information Processing Society of Ontario Act, 1998, c.Pr5
o See http://cips.ca/ontario/documents/pr21_final.pdf
o And http://cips.ca/ontario/
o Mutual recognition with other countries

• Unlike the P.Eng does not grant an exclusive license

o But you have the same types of responsibilities
o Many computing professionals don’t want a licensing model

• Areas of ISP/P.Eng overlap of scope of practice have yet to be resolved

o In Alberta they are actively working on this

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 45
Benefits of Professional Status in Computing (ISP)
Social and societal standing
• Computing professionals have similar responsibilities to society as engineers, doctors, lawyers, accountants, financial
analysts, etc.
• Other professionals, members of the public and the media need to know who to consult
Legal reasons
• Judges and lawyers need to know who can be considered an expert witness in a court case involving computing or IT
• The Chief Information Officer (CIO) of a corporation needs to know who has the expertise to certify that the
corporation has adhered to laws and regulations
• Privacy acts like PIPEDA
• Corporate regulatory compliance such as Sarbanes Oxley Act in the US
We need better software and IT services, hence better people to develop and deliver these
• Professional status comes with a requirement to maintain competence
• The more professionals there are, the more clients and employers will decide to insist on hiring a certified
professional
• It will give them extra confidence
• As a result, the quality of products and services should rise

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 46
Routes to the ISP
There are various routes to ISP certification. To be eligible, you must provide
documented evidence that you meet one of the following ISP designation
criteria routes:

• Established Academic Route

• IT Industry Leader Route
• Established IT Professionals Route
• Education Plus Experience Route
• Exam Route
• Professional Experience Only Route (Must have entered the field prior to
1976)
• Upgrade from Candidate Membership (AITP) to ISP

NOTE: Successful completion of the CIPS Ethics Exam is now required for
applicants who have not graduated from a CIPS accredited program.

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 47
Routes to the ISP
Established Academic Route
• CS or MIS Professor in a recognized Canadian University for ≥ six (6)
years.
• PhD in CS or MIS or in a closely related discipline.
• taught undergraduate CS or MIS courses for ≥ five (5) years.
• taught Graduate level or senior (final year) undergraduate level CS or MIS
or equivalent courses for ≥ two (2) years.
• supervised to completion project or thesis work of at least two senior
level undergraduate students or the post-graduate thesis work of at least
2 graduate students.
• published at least four articles in refereed journals or conferences
• obtained funding for her/his research project(s) from (a) sources outside
her/his department.
• utilized their expertise in taking an active role in the
administrative/service work of her/his department, university or
profession.

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 48
Routes to the ISP
IT Industry Leader Route
• Must be a Senior Executive (CTO, CIO)
• Established career for ≥ 12 years
• Sponsored by existing I.S.P. holders who can vouch for their
professional competence and integrity
• Must have undergrad or advanced degree (may be non-IT)
• Must hold a legally recognized professional designation
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge or awareness of 11
BOK knowledge areas (see website for details)

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 49
Routes to the ISP
Established IT Professional Route
• Competency based review and assessment
• The overarching principles that apply to this route are:
• A point based scoring system linked to competency levels is used to measure
mastery of the BOK.
• A minimum BOK Competency Score (BCS) of 21 points is required, whereby a
minimum of Level 2 (3 points) in the core of the BOK (the professional issues
in IT) and additional 18 points (minimum) from at least 6 technical areas of
the BOK needs to be achieved.
• An overall familiarity with the CIPS BOK areas and its component area.

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 50
Routes to the ISP
Education plus Experience Route
• A) Accredited University Degree
• 4 yr CS, SEG, MIS, or BTM degree + 2 yrs experience
• 3 yr CS, SEG, MIS, or BTM degree + 3 yrs experience
• 4 yr Interdisciplinary degree + 7 yrs experience
• B) Non-Accredited University Degree (CS, SEG, MIS, BTM)
• 4 yr degree + 4 years experience
• 3 yr degree + 5 yrs experience
• C) College/Technical Program
• Accredited 3 yr degree + 4 yrs experience
• Accredited 2 yr degree + 5 yrs experience
• Non-Accredited 3 yr degree + 6 yrs experience
• Non-Accredited 2 yr degree + 7 yrs experience
• D) Accredited 1 yr post-grad IT program + 7 years

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 51
Routes to the ISP
Exam Route
• For applicants that have already passed a recognized certification
exam
• Passed Institute for Certification of Computer Professionals (ICCP) exam
leading to the CCP, CBIP Mastery Level or Equivalent and 5 years experience,
or

• Passed the British Computing Society (BCS) Diploma Level Exam offered by
the plus 5 years experience, or

• Passed the British Computing Society (BCS) Professional Graduate Level exam
plus 4 years experience

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 52
Routes to the ISP
Professional Experience Only Route
For experienced ISP applicants who entered the field prior to 1976,
when computing education was in its infancy and offered only at a few
educational institutions
• Minimum 12 years experience

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 53
Routes to the ISP
Upgrade from AITP

• Associate Information Technology Professional (AITP)

is a new designation for recent graduates
• AITP holders have completed required education,
abide by the CIPS Code of Ethics
• Once work experience is obtained they can upgrade
to I.S.P. designation
• Similar to the Engineer in Training (EIT) designation in
PEO.

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911 54
 55

CIPS Common BOK for Computing and IT (CBOK)

A CIPS effort: http://www.cips.ca/CBOK
• Basis for Certification, Curriculum Development and Accreditation in
Canada
• Latest version released in 2012
• Our own Dr. Tim Lethbridge was the chair for development
Knowledge areas
•Professionalism and Ethics in Computing and IT
•Law and Regulations Relevant to Computing and IT
•Mathematics Foundations for Computing and IT
•Technical Knowledge for Computing and IT
•Quality Issues for Computing and IT
•Process Knowledge for Computing and IT
•Business Knowledge for Computing and IT

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911
Software Engineering Body of 56

Knowledge - SWEBOK
An IEEE Computer Society effort: http://www.swebok.org
• Basis for Certification, Curriculum Development and US Accreditation
Knowledge areas:
• Requirements
• Design
• Construction (detailed design)
• Testing
• Maintenance
• Configuration management
• Software engineering management
• Process
• Tools and methods
• Quality
The upcoming version will add four knowledge areas:
• Engineering economics
• Computing foundations (core computer science)
• Mathematical foundations (discrete math and statistics)
• Engineering foundations (cost benefit analysis, etc.)

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911
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Accreditation of Computing Programs

• Provides evidence that computing education meets the standards
of the profession

• Performed in Canada by the CIPS agency CSAC

• Computer Science Accreditation Council
• Accredits CS and SE Programs in Canada
• Analogous to CEAB that accredits engineering
• SE programs accredited by both CSAC and CEAB

• CS accredited programs: http://www.cips.ca/node/288

• SE accredited programs: http://www.cips.ca/node/289

CSI/ELG/SEG 2911
Knowledge Acquisition
• What is a profession? Who is a professional?
• What is expected from a professional?
• What does good professional practice in the workplace consist of?
Provide three examples.
• What does poor professional practice in the workplace consist of?
Provide three examples.
• Why did software engineering emerge as such a compelling model for
professional development?
• Why is professional accreditation important?
• What must one do to maintain professional certification?
• For what reason can a certificate of authorization be canceled?