- 262 - 
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING 
Commission VI 
Symposium held in Mainz, FR Germany, 22 - 25 September 1982 
TANDARDS QUE COMPETENCE NECESSARY 
S T-R I/A.L P H.OATT.O-GRAMMET RIST'S IN THE 
Z ti 
Co 
an 
USA 
Prof. Dr..H./ M. Karara 
University of Illinois, Newmark Civil Engineering 
Laboratory, Urbana, IL 61801, USA 
ABSTRACT 
The requirements for becoming a registered professional engineer and a registered 
professional surveyor in the USA are briefly outlined. ASP's Voluntary Certifica- 
tion Program which complements the legal registration requirements, is briefly 
discussed together with its Code of Ethics. In such a system, the need for 
standards of competence to further regulate the. activities of industrial photogram- 
metrists does not seem to be justified. 
1. Introduction 
  
In the USA, photogrammetry engineers are normallythe product of four year cur- 
ricula in civil engineering (with a few notable exceptions) with a major in pho- 
togrammetry. Such individuals are expected to be proficient in advanced aerial 
and terrestrial photogrammetric systems and their application in topographic 
and non-topographic fields; the analysis and utilization of metric and non- 
metric data acquisition systems (cameras in particular); principles and practice 
of photography and image processing; computers, computer programming and com- 
puter graphics; cartography; mathematics; solid geometry; method of least squares 
and adjustment of observations; engineering measurements; geodetic engineering; 
stochastics; planning, design and management of civil engineering systems; optics; 
physics; chemistry; legal aspects of engineering contracts and specifications; 
and geology; among other subjects. In most cases, photogrammetric engineers join 
the American Society of Photogrammetry (ASP), and possibly also other technical 
societies during their study days or upon graduation. 
2. Professional Registration 
  
Before being allowed to practice professionally, the photogrammetric Engineer 
is required to practice under the supervision of a registered professional en- 
gineer (or a registered professional surveyor) for a certain period of time, 
and then pass an examination to become a registered professional engineer (or 
a registered professional surveyor). Only then, is he (or she) legally allowed 
to practice as a professional photogrammetrist. 
Registration is a legal act administered by individual states to protect the 
life, health and property of their people. 
3. ASP Voluntary Certification Program 
In simplest terms, certification is an official recognition by one's colleagues 
and peers that the person has truly demonstrated professional integrity and com- 
petence. As such, the ASP Voluntary Certification Program (ASP, 1979) comple- 
ments, but is not a substitute for, registration which is a legal act as mentioned 
in the previous section. Even though this certification program is entirely 
Bibliographic quotation : 
Karara, H. : Are standards of competence necessary for industrial photogrammetrists in 
the USA ? In: Int. Archive of Photogrammetry, 24 - VI, pp 262 - 264, Mainz 1982