Membership in the IEEE is open to individuals who by education or experience give evidence of competence in an IEEE designated field of interest. The designated fields are, in broad terms:

• Engineering

• Computer Science and Information Technology

• Physical Sciences

• Biological and Medical Sciences

• Mathematics

• Technical Communications, Education, Management, Law, and Policy

The Commentary Describing the IEEE Designated Fields establishes the IEEE’s clear interest in providing a welcoming environment for professionals involved in all aspects of technology and technology related professions reflective of the interests of the more than forty IEEE technical societies and councils.

Thus, the IEEE welcomes to membership individuals with professional credentials—in addition to the traditional electrical, electronics, and computer engineering disciplines—in, for example,

information technology

orthopedics     patent law     condensed matter physics

biomaterials     operations research    

technology, law,  and policy     discrete mathematics

computer science     mathematics education     physical chemistry

management of innovation     learning methodology     environmental science

         mechanics     logistics and materials management

science education     knowledge engineering     optics

The following description of the admission, advancement, and election to various grades of membership in the IEEE is based upon those processes as set forth in the IEEE Bylaw I-104.

Admission

Upon application for membership, an individual’s education or experience is reviewed for admission as a Member. An applicant must be either

• an individual who shall have received a three-to-give year university-level or higher degree (i) from an accredited institution or program and (ii) in an IEEE designated field, both of which are defined in IEEE Bylaw I-104.11; or

• an individual who shall have received a three-to-five year university-level or higher degree from an accredited institution or program and who has at least three years of professional work experience engaged in teaching, creating, developing, practicing or managing in IEEE designated fields; or

• an individual who through at least six years of professional work experience has demonstrated competence in teaching, creating, developing, practicing or managing within IEEE designated fields.

Applicants who don’t qualify for designation as a member are invited to join the IEEE as an Associate Member.

A Graduate Student Member must qualify for Member grade and carry at least 50% of a normal full-time academic program as a registered graduate student in a regular course of study in IEEE-designated fields.  The total cumulative period for a member to hold the Student Member grade and/or the Graduate Student Member grade shall be limited to 8 years.  The record of each Graduate Student Member who has graduated, or reached the end of his/her eight-year limit, is transferred to Member grade.

Applicants for admission as a Student Member must carry at least 50 percent of a normal full-time academic program as a registered undergraduate or graduate student in a regular course of study in an IEEE designated field and not yet qualify for Member Grade.  The total cumulative period for a member to hold Student Member grade and/or Graduate Student Member grade is limited to 8 years.  The record of each Student Member who has graduated, or reached the end of his/her eight-year limit, is screened to determine whether he/she is eligible for reclassification as a Member and, if not, is invited  to continue with the IEEE as an Associate.

Provision has been provided in IEEE Bylaws I-104.8, I-104.9, and I-104.10 to, respectively,

• grant professional work equivalency of one year for graduation from an at least 18-month program of study related to one or more of the IEEE designated fields;

• grant professional work equivalency for full-time graduate work, or part-time graduate work with teaching or research, in one or more of the IEEE designated fields; and

• satisfy time requirements for admission or transfer to any grade of membership, by applying pro rata, the experience of the candidate under the various alternative requirements for the grade.

Admission or Advancement

Application for advancement or direct admission to Senior Member calls for experience reflective of professional maturity as an engineer, scientist, educator, technical executive, or originator in one or more of the IEEE designated fields. Specifically, an applicant shall have been in professional practice for at least ten years and is expected to establish significant performance over at least five of those years. Significant performance is expected to include one or more of the following:

• substantial responsibility or achievement in one or more of the IEEE designated fields; or

• publication of papers, books, or inventions in one or more of the IEEE designated fields; or

• technical direction or management of important work with evidence of accomplishment in one or more of the IEEE designated fields; or

• recognized contributions to the welfare of  the professions encompassed by one or more of the IEEE designated fields; or

• development or furtherance of important courses in one or more of the IEEE designated fields; or

• contributions equivalent to those above in areas related to the IEEE designated fields, provided those contributions serve to advance progress in the IEEE designated fields.

Election

Recognition as a Fellow (member) of the IEEE recognizes unusual professional distinction. It is conferred only by invitation of the Board of Directors upon an individual with an extraordinary record of accomplishments in one or more of the IEEE designated fields. The action is taken only upon nomination and review of an individual’s professional credentials, wherein the individual meets prior membership requirements set forth in IEEE Bylaw I-104.2.

The Board of Directors from time to time recognizes an individual who is not a member of the IEEE but who has rendered meritorious service to humanity in one or more of the IEEE designated fields as an Honorary Member of the IEEE. Such election is governed by IEEE Bylaw I-104.1.

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Supplementary and complimentary information is available at the Understanding IEEE Membership web site.