National professional practice examination

The NPPE is prepared under the supervision of the National Professional Practice Exam Advisory Committee (NPPEAC). The exam is administered by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Alberta (APEGA). The content of the exam has been developed by the NPPEAC, which includes representatives appointed by APGNS. The NPPE is a computer-based exam, set for APGNS candidates, and consists of 110 multiple choice questions with two and one half hours allotted for completion.

By passing the NPPE you ensure that you have access to full mobility in Canadian jurisdictions. Many other countries follow Canadian requirements and thus allow Canadian licensed professional geoscientists to practice in their jurisdictions.

Introduction to the NPPE

The NPPE is a requirement of membership in the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Nova Scotia (APGNS). All members of the Association from September 2001 onward must write and pass the exam. Only applicants in the category of License to Practice (LTP) do not require a pass on the NPPE. This requirement is waived because LTP applicants are already registered in another jurisdiction in Canada and have been required to write and pass the NPPE.

Further information including the Exam Scope & Syllabus, Example Questions, and the Application to Write the NPPE are available as a package on our Forms page.

The application form must be accompanied by proof of payment of the applicable fee. Candidates should make cheques or money orders payable to “APGNS”, or alternatively, payment may be made using the secure e-payment system available on our Payments page.

NPPE preparation workshop

Engineers Nova Scotia offers a workshop to help prepare candidates to write the NPPE. This one day workshop covers the topics which are applicable to engineering and/or geoscience, including law, professional practice, business and professional ethics. These are the same subjects that are tested in the NPPE. APGNS’s recommends that candidates attend the workshop.


Candidates must apply, and pay the applicable fees to attend the workshop, directly to Engineers Nova Scotia. Information is available on the Engineers Nova Scotia website (www.engineersnovascotia.ca).

Study materials

There are several reference texts available for exam preparation. These study materials are available directly from the publishers, at prices which are applicable to APGNS candidates.

The recommended texts are:
  • Canadian Professional Engineering and Geoscience: Practice & Ethics, Sixth Edition (2014 Gordon C. Andrews; Nelson Education, ISBN 13: 978-0-17-650990-3); and

  • Practical Law of Architecture, Engineering, and Geoscience, Second Canadian Edition (2011 Samuels & Sanders; ISBN 13: 978-0-13-700408-9).
 
Please visit the Forms page to download the files you will need in order to study, prepare for, and take the NPPE.