PEP study guide
PEP · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam is the licensure examination that engineers in the United States take after passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and completing qualifying work experience under a licensed engineer. Passing it, together with the education and experience requirements of your state board, allows you to be licensed as a Professional Engineer and to sign and seal engineering work. The PEP study guide has 6 sections and about 1,865 words.
01Mathematics and Basic Sciences
Mathematics and Basic Sciences checks whether you can set up and sanity-check engineering calculations: units, algebra, calculus, statistics, chemistry, and physics fundamentals. Questions are usually embedded in an engineering context rather than pure math.
294 words, about 1 min02Engineering Sciences and Mechanics
Engineering Sciences and Mechanics tests equilibrium, stress and strain, beam behavior, dynamics, fluid flow, and thermodynamics. Expect combined problems: a beam load that requires statics first, then a stress calculation.
296 words, about 1 min03Discipline-Specific Technical Knowledge
Discipline-Specific Technical Knowledge tests the design and analysis methods of your chosen branch-for example structural concrete, machine design, power systems, or process control. The exam expects you to combine material behavior, code equations, and constructability, not just plug into a formula.
328 words, about 2 min04Design and Analysis
Design and Analysis covers the process of turning requirements into a verified design: limit states, load combinations, factors of safety, failure modes, and checking that capacity exceeds demand. The exam favors problems where you must choose the governing combination before computing.
303 words, about 2 min05Codes, Standards, and Regulations
Codes, Standards, and Regulations tests how legal requirements reach a design: model codes adopted by statute, referenced standards, the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), and the edition in force. You must know that a standard is not law until adopted, and that local amendments can override the model text.
335 words, about 2 min06Professional Practice, Ethics, and Safety
Professional Practice, Ethics, and Safety tests judgment: licensure and sealing rules, competence, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, truthful reporting, and the duty to protect public safety. Safety questions often turn on the hierarchy of controls rather than on calculations.
309 words, about 2 min