LET’S GET YOU

CHARTERED
GUIDE TO KNOWLEDGE
ASSESSMENTS
September 2020
CONTENTS
WHY YOU NEED A KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT 1

DEMONSTRATING YOUR EQUIVALENT KNOWLEDGE 2

ELEMENT 1 – NATURAL SCIENCES KNOWLEDGE 2
ELEMENT 2 – MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE 2
ELEMENT 3 – ENGINEERING FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE 2
ELEMENT 4 – SPECIALIST ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE 3
ELEMENT 5 – DESIGN PROCESS KNOWLEDGE 3
ELEMENT 6 – ENGINEERING PRACTICE KNOWLEDGE 4
ELEMENT 7 – ENGINEERING IN SOCIETY KNOWLEDGE 4
ELEMENT 8 – RESEARCH BASED KNOWLEDGE 5

OUR PROCESS 6
STAGE 1: PREPARATION 6
STAGE 2: VALIDATION 6
STAGE 3: EVALUATION 6
STAGE 4: DECISION 6
WHY YOU NEED A KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT
To apply to become a Chartered Member or Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng), you need to meet an
internationally-benchmarked educational standard. The required educational standard is a Washington
Accord-accredited qualification or equivalent level of knowledge.

If you don’t have a qualification, combination of qualifications, or overseas registration that we recognise
as meeting the required educational standard, we can assess if you have gained the equivalent level of
knowledge.

To demonstrate that you’ve gained the equivalent level of knowledge, you’ll need to complete our
knowledge assessment. You’ll need to show you have a level of technical knowledge and understanding
gained through your work and learning that is equivalent to a Washington Accord-accredited qualification.
You’ll need to show you can deal with complex engineering problems and carry out complex engineering
activities.

If your Knowledge Assessment is successful, you can complete a Chartered assessment for Chartered
Membership and/or CPEng. This is where you’ll demonstrate your competence for independent practice
against an internationally-benchmark competence standard.

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DEMONSTRATING YOUR EQUIVALENT
KNOWLEDGE
You’ll need to demonstrate your equivalent knowledge in eight areas, known as elements. The elements
are determined by the knowledge profile expected of a graduate of Washington Accord-accredited
qualification.

Each element is described below, together with the performance indicators we’re looking for. You’ll
need to provide evidence for at least a majority of each element’s performance indicators.

ELEMENT 1 – NATURAL SCIENCES KNOWLEDGE

Description
A systematic, theory-based understanding of the natural sciences applicable to the discipline
eg calculus-based physics.

Performance Indicators

• Fundamental quantitative knowledge underpinning nature and its phenomena.

• Knowledge of the physical world including physics, chemistry and other areas of physical or biological
science relevant to your discipline.
• Knowledge of key concepts of the scientific method and other inquiry and problem-solving processes.
• Application of knowledge from one or more of the natural sciences to the solution of complex
engineering problems relevant to your discipline.

ELEMENT 2 – MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE

Description
Conceptually-based mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics and formal aspects of computer
and information science to support analysis and modelling applicable to the discipline.

Performance Indicators

• Knowledge of mathematics, statistics and numerical methods that supports the development
or application of models that replicate ‘real world’ behaviours.
• An understanding of the assumptions behind theoretical models and their impacts in the
development and use of those models.
• Ability to organise and analyse a data set to determine its statistical variability.
• Knowledge of trigonometry, probability and statistics, differential and integral calculus,
and multivariate calculus that supports the solving of engineering problems.
• Ability to apply differential equations to characterise time-dependent physical processes.

ELEMENT 3 – ENGINEERING FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE

Description
A systematic, theory-based formulation of engineering fundamentals required in the engineering discipline.

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Performance Indicators

• Ability to define key factual information in core areas of fundamental engineering knowledge relevant
to your engineering discipline.
• Evidence of sufficient depth of knowledge of engineering fundamentals to demonstrate an ability
to think rationally and independently within and outside a chosen field of specialisation.
• Evidence of sufficient breadth of knowledge of engineering concepts and principles to allow
subsequent professional development across a broad spectrum of engineering.
• Ability to apply knowledge of engineering fundamentals to solve complex engineering problems
relevant to your discipline.

ELEMENT 4 – SPECIALIST ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE

Description
Engineering specialist knowledge that provides theoretical frameworks and bodies of knowledge for
the accepted practice areas in the engineering discipline, much is at the forefront of the discipline.

Performance Indicators

• Evidence of sufficient depth of knowledge to support practice within one or more recognised field
of engineering.
• Evidence of a systematic understanding of the coherent body of knowledge related to a particular
field of engineering; its underlying principles and concepts; its usage and applications; and analytical
and problem-solving techniques.
• Ability to apply specialist engineering knowledge to solve complex engineering problems.

ELEMENT 5 – DESIGN PROCESS KNOWLEDGE

Description
Knowledge that supports engineering design in a practice area.

Performance Indicators
• Ability to undertake research and analysis to support the design process.
• Ability to investigate a situation or the behaviour of a system and identify relevant causes and effects.
• Ability to develop from first principles and construct mathematical, physical and conceptual models of
situations, systems and devices, with a clear understanding of the assumptions made in development
of such models.
• Application of technical knowledge, design methods and appropriate tools and resources to design
components, systems or processes to meet specified criteria.
• Ability to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of alternative design options to support the
development of an optimised design alternative.
• Ability to analyse the constructability or manufacturing feasibility of a project or product.
• Experience of personally conducting a significant design exercise, providing evidence of the
consideration of various realistic constraints, such as safety, reliability, ethics, economic factors,
aesthetics and social impact.
• Ability to apply appropriate design methods in solving complex engineering problems

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ELEMENT 6 – ENGINEERING PRACTICE KNOWLEDGE
Description
Knowledge of engineering practice (technology) in the practice areas in the engineering discipline.

Performance Indicators
Tools and technologies

• Awareness of critical issues affecting current technical and professional practice.

• Awareness of current tools of analysis, simulation, visualisation, synthesis and design, particularly
computer-based models and packages, and competence in the use of a representative selection of
these.
• Appreciation of the accuracy and limitations of such tools and the assumptions inherent in their use.
• Knowledge of materials and resources relevant to the discipline and their main properties and ability
to select appropriate materials and techniques for particular objectives.
• Knowledge of a wide range of laboratory procedures relevant to the discipline and a clear
understanding of the principles and practices of laboratory safety.
• Knowledge of current types of systems, equipment, information technology, and specifications
that accomplish specific design objectives.
Communication

• Write correspondence that clearly and concisely communicates facts and circumstances related
to a project, product or process.
• Plan, prepare and deliver an oral presentation, with appropriate visual aids and other supporting
materials.
• Communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical individuals and audiences.
Engineering management principles and economic decision making

• Apply appropriate tools and techniques to monitor project schedules and costs.
Team work

• Operate as an effective team member or leader of a multidisciplinary team.

ELEMENT 7 – ENGINEERING IN SOCIETY KNOWLEDGE

Description
Comprehension of the role of engineering in society and identified issues in engineering practice in
the discipline: ethics and the professional responsibility of an engineer to public safety; the impacts
of engineering activity: economic, social, cultural, environmental and sustainability.

Performance Indicators

• Demonstration of ethical behaviour in accordance with ethical codes of conduct and established norms
of professional conduct.
• Evidence of making ethical decisions and regulating one’s own professional conduct in accordance with
a relevant code of ethical conduct.
• Implementation of appropriate health and safety practices.

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• Application of safe practices in laboratory, test and experimental procedures.
• Awareness of the social and environmental effects of their engineering activities.
• Awareness of sustainable technologies and sustainable development methodologies.
• Ability to identify risks as a consequence of engineering compromises made as a result of project
or business constraints, and understanding of techniques to mitigate, eliminate or minimise risk.
• Knowledge of appropriate risk management techniques used to assess the accuracy, reliability
and authenticity of information.
• Understanding of the role of quality management systems tools and processes.

ELEMENT 8 – RESEARCH BASED KNOWLEDGE

Description
Engagement with selected knowledge in the research literature of the discipline.

Performance Indicators

• Advanced knowledge in at least one area within your discipline, to a level that engages with current
developments in that area.
• Understanding of how new developments relate to established theory and practice and to other
disciplines with which they interact.
• Describe advancements in engineering research and technology and science in a particular area
of engineering practice.
• Review research articles pertaining to a project component typically encountered in a specific area
of engineering design.
• Commitment to lifelong learning.

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OUR PROCESS
Your knowledge assessment will go through four stages of our process.

STAGE 1: PREPARATION
Through your career, you’ll accumulate enough engineering experience to be ready to complete a
knowledge assessment. The easiest way to keep track of your development is to record you work and CPD
in our member area online. When you’re ready, complete every section of the required assessment online.
Your evidence can
be from academic study, work experience or further learning.

Suggested evidence for elements 1 to 4

Ensure all relevant evidence is available to your assessor:

1. Upload academic transcripts for all your engineering qualifications.

2. Upload a single pdf file for each qualification that gives a brief description of the content of each
paper/unit of the qualification. We suggest 20–30 words for each description.
3. Upload four work samples in total that demonstrate application of your knowledge. For each work
sample, limit the number of pdf files to no more than three in total. Your work samples should give
evidence of use of calculations or computer modelling to predict the performance of an engineering
system.
4. In the commentary for these elements, give brief notes on any other work or study experiences that
add to your knowledge for the element. We suggest two or three paragraphs for each element.

Suggested evidence for Elements 5 to 8

Simply write brief notes to address the performance indicators for each element. Add your notes in the
commentary boxes for each element.

STAGE 2: VALIDATION
When your application is complete, submit it to our team for validation. One of our Competence
Assessment Advisors will look after your application from start to finish. Your advisor will check the
information you’ve provided and will aim to give you feedback within 10 working days. They’ll let you know
if you need to make any changes before submitting your application.

If you do need to make changes, try to get them done as soon as possible and then resubmit for validation.

STAGE 3: EVALUATION
Once your application is finalised, an assessor will be assigned to you. They’ll review your application over
8–10 weeks and may contact you to ask for additional information or ask for a video meeting.

STAGE 4: DECISION
We’ll let you know the outcome of your application by email. If successful, your next step is to complete a
Chartered assessment for Chartered Membership and/or CPEng.

If your application is unsuccessful, we’ll talk you through your options.

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