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The Sociology of Professions: Application to Civil Engineering Abstract

This paper applies the sociological theory of professions, as espoused by Abbott and Freidson, as a conceptual framework to assess the critical issues associated with the ongoing American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Policy Statement 465 initiative. The sociology of professions provides an objective basis for judging the appropriateness of various aspects of Policy 465 implementation, such as publication of the civil engineering body of knowledge, raising educational standards for licensure, collaboration with other engineering disciplines, and the role of university-based research. This analysis demonstrates that Freidson’s model of professionalism is highly applicable to civil engineering; that most aspects of Policy Statement 465 implementation are consistent with the model; and that this initiative is contributing to the strength of the profession as intended. Based on this analysis, the authors derive concomitant recommendations for the future direction of the “Raise the Bar” initiative.

Background

In 1988, sociologist Andrew Abbott revolutionized the study of occupations with the publication of his groundbreaking book, The System of Professions: An Essay on the Division of Expert Labor.1 Abbott’s work effectively created a theory of professions, which profoundly influenced subsequent sociological research in this area. In more recent years, Eliot Freidson incorporated and expanded upon Abbott’s work. In Professionalism: the Third Logic—On the Practice of Knowledge, Freidson articulated a comprehensive theoretical model for professionalism—a rich conceptual framework, within which the professions can be analyzed and better understood.2

Ten years after The System of Professions first appeared in print, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) initiated a far-reaching effort to better prepare civil engineers for entry into the civil engineering profession.3 This effort ultimately resulted in the adoption of Policy Statement 465 by the ASCE Board of Direction. The most recent version of this policy statement, published in October 2004, is as follows:

The American Society of Civil Engineers supports the attainment of a Body of Knowledge for entry into the practice of civil engineering at the professional level. This would be accomplished through the adoption of appropriate engineering education and experience requirements as a prerequisite for licensure.4

In conjunction with the implementation of Policy Statement 465, ASCE initiated a broad-based effort to formally define the profession’s body of knowledge (BOK). The Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century was first published in January 2004,5 and a revised edition appeared in February 2008.6 A concurrent analysis showed that the civil engineering BOK cannot be adequately addressed in the current four-year undergraduate degree program; thus, the “Raise the Bar” initiative is also attempting to influence professional licensure laws, such that a master’s degree or equivalent will become the academic prerequisite for entry into the civil engineering profession.7 (A more comprehensive account of the development and implementation of ASCE Policy Statement 465 can be found in Reference 8.)

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Ressler, S., & Russell, J. (2009, June), The Sociology Of Professions: Application To Civil Engineering Paper presented at 2009 Annual Conference & Exposition, Austin, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--4927