What Is the FE Other Disciplines Exam?
The FE Other Disciplines exam is a general-purpose version of the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. It is designed for engineering graduates whose degree specialty does not align with the six discipline-specific FE exams (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Environmental, and Industrial). This includes graduates of programs like biomedical engineering, aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, mining engineering, nuclear engineering, and other specialized fields.
Who Should Consider This Exam?
You should consider the FE Other Disciplines exam if your engineering degree is in a field not represented by a discipline-specific FE exam. Common candidates include:
- Biomedical engineering graduates
- Aerospace engineering graduates
- Agricultural engineering graduates
- Mining and geological engineering graduates
- Nuclear engineering graduates
- Materials science and engineering graduates
- Engineering technology graduates seeking licensure
- Graduates with general or multidisciplinary engineering degrees
Additionally, some engineers who graduated many years ago and have forgotten discipline-specific material prefer this exam because it focuses on fundamental topics common to all engineering disciplines.
Content Coverage
The FE Other Disciplines exam covers a broad range of foundational engineering topics:
- Mathematics and Statistics (7-11%) - Calculus, differential equations, statistics
- Ethics and Professional Practice (3-5%) - Professional and ethical responsibilities
- Engineering Economics (5-8%) - Time value of money, cost analysis
- Statics (7-11%) - Force systems, equilibrium, trusses
- Dynamics (7-11%) - Kinematics, kinetics, energy methods
- Strength of Materials (7-11%) - Stress, strain, beam analysis
- Fluid Mechanics (5-8%) - Fluid properties, Bernoulli's equation, pipe flow
- Thermodynamics (7-11%) - Laws, cycles, properties, processes
- Heat Transfer (5-8%) - Conduction, convection, radiation basics
- Materials Science (5-8%) - Material properties, phase diagrams
- Chemistry (5-8%) - General and organic chemistry principles
- Instrumentation and Controls (3-5%) - Measurement systems, feedback control
- Engineering Sciences (5-8%) - Electricity, computer science basics
Advantages of This Exam
The FE Other Disciplines exam covers topics from the first two years of most engineering programs. If you had a strong foundation in math, physics, and core engineering science courses, much of the material will be familiar regardless of your specific discipline. The exam does not go as deep into any single area as the discipline-specific exams, which can be an advantage if you prefer breadth over depth.
Challenges to Watch For
The breadth of this exam is both its strength and its challenge. You need to be comfortable with topics spanning from thermodynamics to materials science to fluid mechanics. If your program focused heavily on one area (such as biomedical engineering) and did not cover traditional engineering science topics deeply, you may need additional study in areas like statics, dynamics, or thermodynamics.
Study Recommendations
Start by reviewing the NCEES exam specification and honestly assessing your knowledge in each content area. Rank each topic from strongest to weakest, then allocate your study time accordingly. Focus most of your effort on the highest-weighted topics where your knowledge is weakest.
The NCEES FE Reference Handbook is your best friend for this exam. Since the topics span many disciplines, the handbook contains all the formulas you will need. Practice using it during every study session so you can navigate it quickly on exam day.