About the QEP

The Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) is the first and only multi-media, multi-disciplinary, fully-accredited credential that requires environmental professionals to have a broad perspective along with the knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems. The QEP examination contains no questions related to policies or regulations specific to any country, so it is truly international. The QEP evaluates environmental practitioners by evaluating them against BGC’s accredited  professional standard and by providing a career track for new practitioners entering the field. BGC will only grant the Qualified Environmental Professional to practitioners who achieve the requirements for education and experience, agree to abide by BGC’s Code of Ethics, and through examination, demonstrate both general environmental science knowledge by passing the General Environmental Science (GES) Exam and  professional-level knowledge and skills by passing two exams covering the topics outlined in the GES and QEP Exam blueprints. 

The Environmental Professional In-Training (EPI) program is an optional first step toward obtaining QEP status for environmental students and professionals just beginning their careers. Holding the EPI designation allows students who anticipate entering the environmental field, or for graduates who have entered the field within the last five years, to demonstrate personal knowledge of general environmental science. As explained in more detail in the EPI handbook, this designation is earned through meeting the academic requirements, passing the General Environmental Science (GES) exam and agreeing to adhere to BGC’s Ethical code.  EPIs do not have to retake the GES exam in order to achieve the QEP credential.  

The QEP does not take the place of specialized certifications or registrations, but rather is a unique credential, that links and coordinates environmental fields.  BGC places no restrictions or qualifications on the career paths of a QEP as long as the person meets the ongoing requirements in the certification maintenance program and adheres to the professional, enforceable BGC Code of Ethics.

QEP certification not only demonstrates the breadth and depth of environmental professionals’ knowledge and experience, it also allows one to show their commitment to excellence in applied environmental science, adherence to a strict code of ethics, and the dedication to make contributions to the environmental profession and community. This lets you advance your career and stand out among a corps of highly-skilled environmental professionals. The QEP program also provides opportunities for networking. Our online roster of QEPs increases the visibility of this elite group among their peers and professional contacts; BGC also provides access to a professional badging service, LinkedIn groups, an EPI mentoring program, and a free Career Center for posting resumes.

Route 1: If you have 5 or more years of professional environmental work experience, and have the academic prerequisites and appropriate letters of recommendation, you will obtain the QEP after you pass two exams:

• The GES Exam
• A QEP Specialty Exam

Route 2: If you are early in your career with less than 5 years of professional environmental work experience, you can work toward your QEP through a three-stage process that will give you an interim designation as an Environmental Professional In-Training (EPI). This helps in your career search and gives you access to information, networking, mentoring, and organization discounts for up to seven years:

1. Pass the GES Exam. This gives you the EPI designation.
2. Obtain at least 5 years of professional environmental work experience and meet any remaining eligibility
3. Pass a QEP Specialty Exam.

The following table summarizes the two routes is available to you:

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Application Steps

There are two steps to the application process for becoming certified as a QEP. Please familiarize yourself thoroughly with the requirements before you begin your application. Please also note that you must meet all current eligibility requirements.

Step 1:         Submission of General Application Documents:

• Apply online through the BGC website where you will tell BGC about yourself and confirm your agreement to abide by the BGC Code of Ethics.
• Ask your university/universities to send official transcripts to BGC.
  • They must show all degree courses with conferral dates.
  • They must be sent directly to BGC via surface mail or email to applications@GoBGC.org.
  • Official transcripts in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s stamp across the seal are acceptable.
  • We can NOT accept transcripts uploaded, mailed, or emailed directly from the applicant.
  • If your degree was earned outside the U.S. or Canada, you must not only submit your transcript(s) but also a report documenting the results of a transcript evaluation. This can be obtained from a member organization of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. or a member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators.

Below is a list of different services that our applicants have used for transcript evaluations. BGC does not specifically endorse or recommend one service over another.

• • Academic Evaluation Services
  • Spantran
  • Foundation for International Services
  • World Education Services
  • International Education Evaluations (IEE)

Where to Send Transcripts:

email: applications@gobgc.org

surface mail:
BGC attn: Applications
6005 W St Joe Hwy Ste 300
Lansing, MI  48917 USA

 

• Describe your work experience.
  • You will need to show that you have worked for at least 5 years (60 months) at a professional level
  • Each reference must be provided on the Board’s QEP Professional Reference Questionnaire (PRQ) electronic form.
• Pay the Application Fee (non-refundable) and submit your application on the BGC website.

Step 2:          Examination:

• If you have a documented disability, you may submit a Test Accommodation Request Form before the application deadline.
• Pay all examination fees.
• Schedule the exam.

If you successfully meet the requirements of both steps and pass the exam, you will be awarded the QEP credential.  A QEP Eligibility Checklist has been designed for you to determine whether you have met the requirements for steps 1 through 2 before applying for your QEP exam and is included at the end of this document.

Evaluation

BGC will evaluate all applicants using the criteria established for QEP eligibility and will not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, or marital, parental, military, or any other legally protected status.

We may ask you for additional documentation when initial review of your application (or reapplication) indicates that pertinent information is missing or unclear. In that case, review of your application or reapplication will not proceed until we receive the requested information.

Submit Early! Submitting your application well in advance of when you want to take the exam may give you sufficient time to provide additional information without den to sit for the exam.

Confidentiality

Original applications and supporting documentation are treated by the BGC Board of Directors and staff as confidential information. As noted in the BGC Privacy Policy, all reasonable precautions are taken to prevent unauthorized access to individual information. BGC does not disclose personal information obtained from you or any other applicant to third parties except when authorized in writing by you or if necessary to complete the process – for example, arranging for you to sit for the exam.

Record Retention

In accordance with the BGC record-retention policy, paper files and electronic documents provided by applicants that have been inactive for three years will be destroyed. Prior to destroying a file, the staff will attempt to notify you using your last known address.

 

BGC Director Assessment of Your Eligibility: A Director of the Board is not authorized to give you a determination on your eligibility, either before or after your application is filed.

QEP Reapplicants

An application is considered to be active for four consecutive exam windows, which equals two years. After the second year, your application expires. You must update the description of your current practice, provide an updated supervisory reference, and pay a reapplication fee to reactivate an expired application in order to sit for the exam. To reactivate an expired application and sit for the exam, you must complete the following steps:

• Submit a Reapplication Form
• Obtain a Professional Reference Questionnaire Form (PRQ) submitted to BGC by a work supervisor that is no more than 12 months old (see the Professional References section)
• Update your work experience information
• Meet all current application requirements
• Pay the $150 reapplication fee (non-refundable)

Don’t Lose your Application! If your application file is inactive for more than three years without your being approved to sit for the exam, it will be automatically purged, and you will have to follow the procedure as a new applicant if you wish to apply again. Please notify us in writing before three years of inactivity to keep your file open and contact information up to date.

Requirements to Be Eligible for the QEP

Academic Requirements

Your stage in your career determines whether you qualify to apply for the EPI designation or the full QEP credential. Your career stage also determines the academic requirements that you must meet to qualify to sit for an exam.

Individuals with less than five years of professional work experience are only eligible for the EPI. College or university seniors working toward a bachelor’s degree in physical sciences, earth sciences, natural sciences, engineering, or mathematics are eligible for the EPI as are graduates who already have one of those degrees.

Individuals who have 5 or more years of professional work experience are only eligible for the QEP and must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree in physical sciences, earth sciences, natural sciences, engineering, or mathematics. However, individuals with eight years of professional environmental work experience may apply with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree in any discipline.

Degrees must be conferred by a regionally accredited college or university or from another college that is acceptable to the Board (see details below).

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Experience Requirements

Early career professionals with less than 5 years of professional environmental work experience and students are only eligible to apply for the EPI designation, which does not require documentation of professional work experience to sit for the General Environmental Science Exam.

Professional-Level Experience

To be recognized as “professional-level” work acceptable to the Board, your experience must meet the following four criteria:

• Independence of actions. This relates to the amount of planning, self-direction, decision-making, and autonomy involved in your work experience.
• Depth of work. This relates to the extent to which your work experience requires data-gathering, analysis, and interpretation.
• Level of interaction. This relates to the degree to which you interact with a broad spectrum of contacts, including decision-makers.
• Responsibility for work outcome. This relates to accuracy and the extent to which you are held accountable for your work and decisions.

Experience credit may be given for research, teaching, or industrial hygiene program administration if you have done them at a professional level.

Experience Equivalency

A maximum of one year of experience equivalency may be credited for certain environmental degrees from institutions acceptable to the Board. Only the completed degree will be credited toward experience equivalency.

• For bachelor’s level environmental degrees, six months’ experience credit will be awarded only when the program is accredited by the National Environmental Health Science & Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC).
• For master’s level environmental degrees, one year of experience credit will be awarded only when the program is accredited by EHAC.

Internships (not receiving university credit) where you performed professional-level activities and where you can provide a supervisory reference may be counted toward the work experience requirement.

Ineligible Professional Experiences:  The following do not count toward the work experience requirement: Pre-professional level experience Courses or research done for academic credit Teaching course content that is pre-professional level

Avoid Investigations about the Validity of Your References and Documents: When references from different people have identical wording, they will be investigated to determine who actually prepared the reference. This can cause delays that may cause you to be prevented from taking the exam or being blocked permanently if you are found to have prepared the content of the reference. Sometimes, your supervisors and colleagues who are providing your references may need a memory jog about the work that you have done for them. Provide it verbally, not in writing or from a written job description, so that they are not tempted to cut and paste. Make sure that what you tell them is unique to the job that you did to avoid giving exactly the same information to other references and employers.

Ethics Requirement

Regardless of any other professional affiliation, the BGC Code of Ethics applies to each individual seeking certification (candidates) and each individual certified by BGC credentialing programs or holding a BGC designation (certificants). The Code serves as the minimum ethical standards for your professional behavior and is designed to provide both appropriate ethical practice guidelines and enforceable standards of conduct. The Code also serves as a professional resource for EHS professionals, as well as for those served by BGC candidates and certificants. Consequently, you are required to adhere to the BGC Code of Ethics and to be governed by the BGC Ethics Case Procedures.

Required Documentation for QEP Applicants

U.S. and Canadian Degrees

Official transcripts must be submitted for each degree. An official transcript is one sent directly to BGC by your college or university through mail or as secure e-transcripts. Alternatively, you may submit official transcripts if they are in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s stamp across the seal. When a degree includes credits that were transferred from another college or university, official transcripts for those course credits must be sent upon request.

The Board will consider a U.S. college or university to be acceptable when it holds institutional accreditation from one of the six U.S. Regional Accrediting Bodies or the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the U.S. Department of Education. Your degree must be awarded during the time that the institutional accreditation is in effect.

A Canadian college or university will be considered acceptable if it is recognized under applicable provincial standards, depending on where the school is located. In addition, it may hold specialized program accreditation as noted by membership in Universities Canada (formerly the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada).

QEP Candidate Handbook

International Degrees

A degree from a college or university that is located outside the United States or Canada will be considered for acceptability based on the institution’s accreditation status in the education system that has jurisdiction. Applicants with international degrees will be required to submit their transcript(s) for a credential evaluation unless the academic program is authorized by BGC or through a BGC-recognized accreditation agency to issue BGC verification statements. (BGC verification statements streamline and shorten the review for applicants.  Please contact your program director to find out if verification statements are available to you.)

A member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. or a member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators must be used to prepare a credential evaluation report. You must request that the report be forwarded to BGC. Below is a list of different services that our applicants have used for transcript evaluations. BGC does not specifically endorse or recommend one service over another.

• World Education Services
• International Education Evaluations (IEE)
• Spantran
• Academic Evaluation Services
• Foundation for International Services

Professional References

Individuals wishing to apply for an EPI designation or a QEP credential must provide three references from environmental professional. Applicants for the EPI must minimally have references submitted from three environmental professionals who are familiar with your academic abilities and achievements such as professors from your degree program. Applicants for the EPI who also have actual environmental work experience are encouraged to obtain references from supervisors or others who are familiar with your environmental work.

Applicants for the QEP must have references submitted from three environmental professionals who have personal knowledge of your professional work, particularly those who can substantiate and provide an evaluation of “time in responsible charge.” That is, a leadership role or position of influence held in direct relationship to work assignments, job responsibilities, and to key roles in the projects or program assigned. References will be used to corroborate your work experience documented in your Record of Experience form.

These requirements are summarized in the table below.

Submitting References

References are required to document, from firsthand experience, your abilities, achievements, and the nature of your environmental practice using a QEP Professional Reference Questionnaire Form (PRQ).  A PRQ must comply with the requirements of this section. Each PRQ will remain confidential between the author and BGC.

• You must initiate communication with your references to request that they submit the completed QEP Professional Reference Questionnaire Form (PRQ) that you will send them. BGC does not initiate communication with references for you.

Each reference must be provided on the Board’s QEP Professional Reference Questionnaire Form (PRQ), have a hand-written signature (not a typed or script font) or a digital signature, and be prepared only by the person giving the reference. This form can be found on the BGC website in the QEP Documents & Forms section.

• It is unacceptable for you to provide the response on the form and then have it signed by your reference. We may use the contact information provided to verify the authenticity of the reference and confirm who prepared the text.
• Each PRQ must be submitted on the BGC website by the person writing the reference.

You must communicate with your reference(s) as frequently as needed to ensure that the PRQ is submitted in time to meet BGC application deadlines.

Unqualified and Suspicious Documentation

Professional Reference Questionnaires (PRQs) that appear to have been prepared by any of the following individuals may result in your application being rejected or delayed:

• Your spouse or other relatives
• A person whom you supervise
• Yourself, preparing your own PRQ (even when it is for someone else to sign)

QEP Application and Exam Fees

Examinations are generally held at testing centers. If you fail an exam, you must wait 120 days before you will be allowed to retake it.

QEP Application Fees

The application, examination, and credential maintenance processes require you to pay fees on or before the due dates. The fees are listed in the table below.
The application fee must be paid prior to the review of application materials.
Fees may be subject to change, so please check the BGC website to obtain the most current fee schedule.

Application or reapplication fees are neither refundable nor transferrable. Your examination fee is not refundable either, but if you cancel your examination with the testing center at least 48 hours in advance of the exam time, the fee will be carried over to when you schedule your re-examination as long as the additional test date is within the 2 year application when. If your cancellation is made less than 48 hours in advance, your fee is forfeited.

Overview of the QEP Exam

To establish the topics covered by both the GES and QEP Exams, BGC conducted a Job Task Analysis (JTA) study, also known as the Role Delineation Study (RDS) for each exam. The results of the JTA were described in documentation and reports consistent with ISO/ANSI/NCCA, and CESB accreditation standards.  JTA Panel members identified the domains, tasks, knowledge, and skills essential to performing the work of an environmental practitioner.  The JTA results were then distilled into the 4 Broad topics and 16 sub-topics covered that comprise the GES exam Blueprint and in the QEP exam Blueprint. In order to ensure that credentialed practitioners protect the public through their work, it is BGC’s goal to conduct a JTA at least every five to seven years so that domains, tasks, knowledge, skills, examination, recertification, and ethical requirements reflect current, real-world practice.

Once each Blueprint was completed and approved by the BGC Board, a panel of  Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) with expertise on the Blueprint topics was convened to draft and review multiple choice exam questions.  These SMEs represented a variety of practice settings, geographic regions, educational levels, gender, ethnicity, and years of experience. This effort was led by former BGC board members with exam expertise who worked under BGC Staff direction.  These former Board members also coordinated with the appointed BGC Board liaison to ensure the BGC Board was kept informed as the exam updates were being done.

Examination Purpose and Format

Passing both the General Environmental Science (GES) exam and the QEP exam is required to obtain the QEP.  Each of these exams has 100 scored multiple-choice questions, which you may go back and review at any time during the exam.  Both exams also have some unscored questions which are being tested for possible use in future exam updates.  Wrong answers on unscored questions will not count against the examinee.  Exam takers will not know which questions are being scored.

Exams are given at Pearson Vue exam centers as well as at other approved, secure exam centers.  The exam is taken via a computer and there is a short tutorial prior to the examination followed by a short survey following the exam. Instructions for the exam also explain how you can submit comments about the content of specific questions during the exam. BGC staff will review your comments; however, for exam security reasons, staff will not be able to discuss your comments with you.

Preparing for the QEP Exam

Click Here for information on preparing for the GES exam.

The BGC Board encourages you to consider your knowledge and experience and to assess your recognized strengths and weaknesses. Self-study, specific training, and group discussions are recognized methods of improving perceived weaknesses. However, the Board does not endorse or support specific training courses, study guides, or other activities that are intended or purported to be prepared for its examinations.

Questions on the QEP exam are derived from many sources and do not rely solely on books and other documents. They are drawn from tasks that many environmental professionals with five or more years of experience routinely do. The questions and the Job Task Analysis they were derived from were developed by, and independently reviewed by, other environmental Subject Matter Experts. 

Obligations of Credential Holders

After you pass the exam and are issued your credential, you are required to meet several obligations, not limited to: 

• Continually updating your knowledge and skills.
• Documenting your continuing education and professional development through the Certification Maintenance Process. 
• Upholding the BGC Code of Ethics and to be governed by the BGC Ethics Case Procedures.
• Paying your fees on or before the due date.

Sample Questions

The following are provided to familiarize you with the nature and form of questions that may be found in the Board’s examinations. Their subject matter and level of difficulty do not necessarily reflect the content of BGC examinations.

Part I: General Environmental Science

1. The deposits of stream-borne sediments are called
   1. clays.
   2. alluvium.
   3. erosion.
   4. silt.

    

2. The driving force for diffusion of a contaminant is
   1. chemical species.
   2. chemical gradient.
   3. atomic number.
   4. atomic weight.

    

3. The second law of thermodynamics says that
   1. energy cannot be created or destroyed.
   2. heat flows from a hotter to a colder surface.
   3. for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.
   4. systems tend to gravitate toward a condition of greater order.

    

   Part II: Air Quality

4. Two primary gaseous pollutants that transform to fine particles during long-range transport are
   1. carbon monoxide and ozone.
   2. NOx and ozone.
   3. NOx and SOx.
   4. carbon dioxide and methane.

    

5. Gaussian dispersion models assume that pollutant concentrations are
   1. normally distributed in a bell-shaped curve about the plume centerline.
   2. higher at the leading edge of the plume and decrease exponentially toward the tail of the plume.
   3. less than 1% of the total concentration of the plume.
   4. inversely proportional to elevation.

    

6. A critical concern when sampling for particulate, which is not as important when sampling for gases, is
   1. wet versus dry sampling.
   2. sample fractionation.
   3. isokinetic sampling.
   4. time-averaging.

    

   Part II: Water Quality

7. The most frequently used measure of water quality in domestic wastewater is
   1. chemical oxygen demand.
   2. biochemical oxygen demand.
   3. total organic carbon.
   4. total dissolved solids.

    

8. Iron and manganese in a water supply is typically
   1. a health issue.
   2. a regulatory issue.
   3. an aesthetic issue.
   4. a corrosion issue.

    

9. The typical cause of lakes turning eutrophic is
   1. excess nutrients.
   2. heavy metal contamination.
   3. severe diurnal dissolved oxygen fluctuation.
   4. high coliform count.

    

   Part II: Waste Management

10. Transfer stations are used to control
    1. rodents.
    2. recyclables.
    3. spread of disease.
    4. cost.

     

11. In the hierarchy of solid waste management, incineration is considered
    1. pollution prevention.
    2. source reduction.
    3. treatment.
    4. disposal.

     

12. The single largest component of the residential solid waste stream in developed countries such as the U.S. is
    1. plastics.
    2. food waste.
    3. paper products.
    4. grass clippings/yard waste.

     

    Part II: Environmental Science, Management, and Policy

13. Electric power plants can cause damage to aquatic life in their vicinity because
    1. the chemical coolant of the plant mixes with the water body.
    2. the gaseous effluent of the plant acidifies the water body.
    3. warm water holds less dissolved oxygen than cold water.
    4. ethylene glycol is toxic.

     

14. Exposure assessment of contaminated sediments and soils is considerably more complex than to air or water because
    1. sediments and soils hold contaminants longer.
    2. contaminants are more stable in solids.
    3. solids hold more contaminants than gases and liquids.
    4. life forms may ingest contaminants from air, water, and solids.

     

15. Regarding the greenhouse effect,
    1. carbon dioxide is the major human-made contributor to global warming.
    2. water vapor has little to do with this effect.
    3. it is caused solely by man-made gases.
    4. SOx gases are precursors.

Scheduling Your QEP Exam

The Board for Global EHS Credentialing’s certification examinations are delivered at PSI Test Centers located throughout the United States and internationally. A current listing of PSI Test Centers, including addresses and driving directions, may be viewed at the PSI website. The examinations are administered by appointment only, Monday through Saturday.

Your eligibility to take the examination is valid for two years from the last day of the month when your application was approved and will expire after that time. If you fail to schedule an appointment for this examination within the two-year period, you will forfeit the application and all fees paid to take the examination. A complete application and examination fee are required to reapply for the examination.

Scheduling Your Appointment

After your application information is received by PSI from the Board for Global EHS Credentialing, you will receive confirmation of eligibility to schedule an examination appointment. You may schedule the examination by one of the following methods (be prepared to confirm a date and location for testing. Individuals are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Online Scheduling

When you receive the email confirming your eligibility to sit for the examination, you may schedule an examination appointment online at any time on the PSI website.  Internet scheduling is available 24 hours a day.

Go to http://schedule.psiexams.com and select “Begin Scheduling” from the home page.

1. Select a category – choose “Other” from the pull-down menu.
2. Select a program – choose “Board for Global EHS Credentialing” from the pull-down menu.
3. Select an examination – choose the BGC QEP examination listed on the pull-down menu.
4. Click the “Register for this Exam” option. Enter your Username and Password to log in if returning to this site.
5. First time users of PSI’s online scheduling must select “New User.”
6. Enter the information requested to create an account. When finished, select the “Continue” button to proceed.
7. If account creation is successful, a page requesting you to confirm/enter your contact information will appear. Enter the required information. When finished, select the “Next” button to proceed.
8. Select three security questions and provide answers which can be used to verify your identity when retrieving a username or password. Click the “Submit” button to proceed to the scheduling page.
9. Begin typing the zip code or city name of your preferred test area and select the name from the list displayed. Click “Search” to find the closest Test Centers. The closest Test Center may be in a neighboring state.
10. Select a test center location to see available dates (all available dates are shown in green). Select the date, then time you want. Submit your request by clicking on the “Schedule” button. You will be sent a confirmation email of the appointment scheduled.

Telephone Scheduling

Call PSI at 833-256-1420 to schedule an examination appointment. This toll-free number is answered from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Confirmation Number

When you schedule your appointment, either by telephone or online, you will receive an email from PSI containing your confirmation number, appointment date, time, location, and driving directions to the center. Make sure you keep a record of your confirmation number and appointment information. You will need your confirmation number if you want to confirm, reschedule, or cancel your appointment. BGC will not have your confirmation number in our records.

Test Site Location

You may take your examination at PSI Testing Centers in the United States, Canada, and internationally.

Determine the best PSI location for taking your examination by performing the following steps:

1. Go to http://schedule.psiexams.com and select “Begin Scheduling” from the home page.
2. Select a category – choose “Other” from the pulldown menu.
3. Select an examination – choose the examination listed from the pulldown menu.
4. Select “Locate a Testing Center.”
5. From the map, select the state in which you wish to test. This will show you all available testing centers in that state.

When scheduling your appointment, you should confirm the address of your test center and obtain directions. You may obtain directions to the PSI Testing Center at PSI’s website at or by calling customer service at 833-256-1420.

Confirming Your Appointment

It is your responsibility to verify that you have been scheduled for the date, time, and place you have requested.

You may confirm your appointment in two ways.

• Call (833) 2561420 and speak to the customer service representative.
• Confirm your appointment online.
• International candidates may confirm their appointment by emailing AMPIntlExamServices@goAMP.com.

You can confirm your appointment online even if you scheduled your appointment by telephone.

Special Arrangements for Candidates with Disabilities

PSI and the Board for Global EHS Credentialing comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and strive to ensure that no individual with a disability (as defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment) is deprived of the opportunity to take the examination solely by reason of that disability. PSI will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities. Candidates requesting special accommodations must call PSI at 833-256-1420 to schedule their examination.

1. Wheelchair access is available at all established Test Centers. Candidates must advise PSI at the time of scheduling that wheelchair access is necessary.
2. Candidates with visual, sensory, physical, or learning disabilities that would prevent them from taking the examination under standard conditions may request special accommodations and arrangements.

Verification of the disability and a statement of the specific type of assistance needed MUST BE MADE IN WRITING TO the Board for Global EHS Credentialing at least 45 calendar days prior to your desired examination date by completing the Test Accommodation Request Form. BGC will review the submitted forms, consult with the vendor, and contact you regarding the decision for accommodations.

Missed Appointments/Forfeitures

You will forfeit the examination registration and all fees paid under the following circumstances:

• You wish to reschedule an examination but fail to contact PSI at least two business days prior to the scheduled testing session.
• You wish to reschedule a second time.
• You appear more than 15 minutes late for an examination.
• You fail to report for an examination appointment.

A completed application form and examination fee are required to reapply for examination.

Inclement Weather/Power Failure/Other Emergency

In the event of inclement weather or unforeseen emergencies on the day of an examination, PSI will determine whether circumstances warrant the cancellation, and subsequent rescheduling, of an examination. The examination will usually not be rescheduled if the Test Center personnel are able to open the Test Center.

You may visit www.psionline.com/openings prior to the examination to determine if PSI has been advised that any Test Centers are closed. Every attempt is made to administer the examination as scheduled; however, should an examination be canceled at a Test Center, all scheduled candidates will receive notification following the examination regarding rescheduling or reapplication procedures.

If power to a Test Center is temporarily interrupted during an administration, your examination will be restarted. The responses provided up to the point of interruption will be intact.

Cancellation and Rescheduling of Exams

You may reschedule your examination once, at no charge, online or by calling PSI at 833-256-1420 at least two business days prior to your scheduled examination appointment. The following schedule applies:

Problems with PSI Scheduling and Testing

You should call the BGC office at (517) 853-5763 (between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, U.S. Eastern Time) if you encounter either of the following problems:

• You cannot schedule an exam because the PSI operator does not have a file with your name and identification number.
• You arrive at your scheduled examination appointment but are unable to test due to PSI technical or personnel difficulties.

What to Expect on QEP Exam Day

Plan to arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled exam time. If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the scheduled testing time, you will not be admitted. You may bring a non-programmable calculator to the examination. Calculators built into cellular/smartphones are not permitted in the Test Center. Calculators with text storage capability are not permitted in the Test Center. PSI will provide both onscreen and handheld calculators.

What to Bring

The Test Center will provide materials for working out calculations. You must bring the following items:

• A copy of the confirmation that you received via email.
• To gain admission to the Test Center, you must present two forms of identification. The primary form must be government-issued, current, and include your name, signature, and photograph. Temporary ID is not accepted. You will also be required to sign a roster for verification of identity.
  • Examples of valid primary forms of identification are current: driver’s license with photograph, state identification card with photograph, passport, or military identification card with photograph.
  • The secondary form of identification must display your name and signature for signature verification (e.g., credit card with signature, social security card with signature, or employment/student ID card with signature).
  • If your name on your registration is different than it appears on your identification, you must bring proof of your name change (e.g., marriage license, divorce decree, or court order).

You must have proper identification to gain admission to the Test Center. Failure to provide appropriate identification at the time of the examination is considered a missed appointment.

Avoid Identification Headaches:  The name on your government-issued photo identification document must match the name that you used to register for the exam. If you have a name change, such as by marriage, please notify BGC (at applications@GoBGC.org) and PSI via the scheduling portal or by contacting customer service at (833) 256-1420. This information must be submitted no less than 48 hours before your exam. If you do not provide the required identification or fully participate in the identity validation process during check-in and breaks, you will not be permitted to test, and you will forfeit your testing fees.

Examination Restrictions

You are prohibited from bringing items into the examination room except for the items specified above. Banned items include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Pencils and pens will be provided during check-in.
• You will be provided with one piece of scratch paper at a time to use during the examination unless noted on the sign-in roster for a particular candidate. You must return the scratch paper to the proctor at the completion of testing, or you will not receive your score report.
• The use of reference materials is not allowed.
• No documents or notes of any kind may be removed from the Test Center.
• No questions concerning the content of the examination may be asked during the examination.
• Eating, drinking, or smoking is not permitted in the Test Center.
• You may take a break whenever you wish, but you will not be allowed additional time to make up for time lost during breaks.

PSI administration and security standards are designed to ensure all candidates are provided the same opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. The Test Center is continuously monitored by audio and video surveillance equipment for security purposes.

The following security procedures apply during the examination:

• Examinations are proprietary. No cameras, notes, tape recorders, pagers, or cellular/smartphones are allowed in the testing room. Possession of a cellular/smartphone or other electronic devices is strictly prohibited and will result in dismissal from the examination.
• Only silent, non-programmable calculators without alphabetic keypads or printing capabilities are allowed in the testing room.
• No guests, visitors, or family members are allowed in the testing room or reception areas.

Personal Belongings

No personal items, valuables, or weapons should be brought to the Test Center. Only wallets and keys are permitted. Coats must be left outside the testing room. You will be provided a soft locker to store your wallet and/or keys with you in the testing room. You will not have access to these items until after the examination is completed. Please note the following items will not be allowed in the testing room except securely locked in the soft locker:

• Watches
• Hats
• Wallets
• Keys
• Cellphones
• Pagers
• Books and manuals
• Notes or reference materials
• PDAs or other electronic devices
• Food or drinks
• Jewelry
• Jackets

Once you have placed your personal items into the soft locker, you will be asked to pull out your pockets to ensure they are empty. If all personal items will not fit in the soft locker, you will not be able to test. The site will not store or be responsible for any personal belongings.

If any personal items are observed or heard (cellular/smartphones, alarms) in the testing room after the examination is started, you will be dismissed, and the administration will be forfeited.

Examination Process

After arriving at the Test Center and having your identification confirmed, you will be directed to a testing carrel. You will be instructed on-screen to enter your identification number. Your photograph, taken before beginning the examination, will remain on-screen throughout your examination session. This photograph will also print on your score report.

Practice Examination

Prior to attempting the examination, you will be given the opportunity to practice taking an examination on the computer. The time you use for this practice examination is NOT counted as part of your examination time or score. When you are comfortable with the computer testing process, you may quit the practice session and begin the timed examination.

Timed Examination

Each part of the QEP examination is 3 hours long. Before beginning the examination, instructions for taking it are provided on-screen. The computer monitors the time you spend on the examination. The examination will terminate if you exceed the time allowed. You may click on the Time box in the lower menu bar on the screen to monitor your time. A digital clock indicates the time remaining for you to complete the examination. The Time feature may be turned off during the examination.

Only one examination question is presented at a time. The question number appears in the lower right portion of the screen. Choices of answers to the examination question are identified as A, B, C, or D. You must indicate your choice by either typing in the letter in the response box in the lower-left portion of the computer screen or clicking on the option using the mouse. To change your answer, enter a different option by typing in the letter in the response box or by clicking on the option using the mouse. You may change your answer as many times as you wish during the examination time limit.

To move to the next question, click on the forward arrow (>) in the lower right portion of the screen. This action will move you forward through the examination question by question. If you wish to review any question or questions, click the backward arrow (<) or use the left arrow key to move backward through the examination.

An examination question may be left unanswered for return later in the examination session. Questions may also be bookmarked for later review by clicking in the blank square to the right of the Time button. Click on the double arrows (>>) to advance to the next unanswered or bookmarked question on the examination. To identify all unanswered and bookmarked questions, repeatedly click on the double arrows (>>). When the examination is completed, the number of examination questions answered is reported. If all questions have not been answered and there is time remaining, return to the examination and answer those questions.

Candidate Comments

During the examination, you may make comments for any question by clicking on the Comment button to the left of the Time button. This opens a dialogue box where comments may be entered. Comments will be reviewed, but individual responses will not be provided.

Following the Examination

After completing the examination, you are asked to answer a short evaluation of your examination experience. You will be contacted by BGC within four weeks with your exam results.

Failing to Report for an Examination If you fail to report for an examination, you will forfeit the registration and all fees paid to take the examination. A completed application form and examination fee are required to register for another examination.

Examination Scoring

You must receive a passing score on both the General Environmental Science (GES) and QEP exams in order to receive the QEP Certification.

• All questions have the same point value.
• There is no penalty for incorrect answers (such as “number correct minus a percentage of the number of incorrect answers”).
• A “passing” score is not required in each of the individual subareas.

Examinees may request a review of their exam score by submitting the Review of the Exam Score Form, which will be forwarded to our testing vendor to conduct a score verification. The examinee should consider that, given the quality control procedures that are in place, it is highly unlikely that the score will change.

Notification of Examination Results

Once the exam has been completed on-line, a preliminary score is sent to the computer where the exam was taken. This preliminary score is not final or official. Examinees will receive their official results in writing approximately four to six weeks after the examination. If you fail the exam, we will inform you of your overall score. All examinees will also receive a performance report indicating their scores in each of the 4 major topical areas.

Confidentiality

As noted in the BGC Privacy Policy, examination reports, scores, and failures are not released outside of BGC without your authorization. Studies and reports concerning candidates will contain no information identifiable with any candidate unless authorized by the candidate. The names of those who pass the examination will be listed on the BGC website and entered in the appropriate BGC rosters which are posted on the BGC website.

Re-Examination

If you are not successful in your examination attempt, you must wait 120 days after you take the exam before you may retake the examination.

Documents and Forms for QEP Applicants

Applications

	QEP Application Form for Non-CIHs
	QEP Application Form for those who hold a CIH
	QEP Professional Reference Questionnaire (PRQ) Form
	QEP Eligibility Checklist

Exam Blueprints

	General Environmental Science (GES)
	Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP)

Test Accommodations

	Test Accommodations Policy
	Test Accommodations Guidelines
	Test Accommodation Request Form

Other

	BGC Certifications Reapplication Form (except CIH)
	BGC Certifications Appeal Procedure
	Review of Exam Score Form
	BGC Privacy Policy

QEP Applicants Payments

Please use the buttons below to pay for your QEP Application and Exams:

Note – if you are using your company’s network, you may get an error due to security reasons. Please try again from your mobile or your home (or another) network. We do not take payment over the phone. Alternatively, you can mail a check to:

BGC
Attn: QEP Applications
6005 W St. Joe Hwy Ste 300
Lansing, MI USA 48917

QEP Fees