W. Samuel Easterling, James L. and Katherine S. Melsa Dean of Engineering
Arun Somani, Senior Associate Dean
Sriram Sundararajan, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Connie Hargrave, Associate Dean for Equity and Engagement
Sri Sritharan, Assistant Dean for Research
Aligning Education in Engineering with the University Mission
The mission of Iowa State University is to create, share, and apply knowledge to make Iowa and the world a better place. Students will become broadly educated, global citizens who are culturally informed, technologically adept, and ready to lead. The College of Engineering echoes this philosophy and emphasizes preparing its graduates to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Engineering education seeks to develop a capacity for objective analysis, synthesis, and design to obtain a practical solution. The engineering programs at Iowa State University are designed to develop the professional competence of a diverse student body and, by breadth of study, to prepare students to solve the technical problems of society while considering the ethical, social, and economic implications of their work at state, national and global levels.
The focus of each curriculum is to strengthen students’ critical thinking, creative abilities, and communication skills. Students in engineering will have the opportunity for interdisciplinary and experiential learning through learning communities, service learning, internships and cooperative education, as well as research, capstone, and study abroad experiences.
The problem-solving skills learned from an engineering education at Iowa State University also provide an excellent launching pad for careers not only in engineering, but also medicine, law, business, and many other fields.
Registration as a professional engineer, which is granted by each individual state, is required for many types of positions. The professional curricula in engineering at Iowa State University are designed to prepare a graduate for subsequent registration in all states.
Seniors in accredited curricula of the College of Engineering are encouraged to take the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination toward professional registration during their final academic year. Seniors in engineering curricula who have obtained at least 6 semester credits in surveying may take the Fundamentals Examination for professional registration as land surveyors.
Concurrent Graduate/ Undergraduate Programs
Several engineering programs offer the opportunity for well-qualified undergraduate juniors and seniors to pursue a graduate degree in their program while finishing the undergraduate requirements. The programs offering concurrent undergraduate/graduate degrees are: aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, biological systems engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering and software engineering.
Programs offering concurrent bachelor of science/master of business administration degrees are: aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, biological systems engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, construction engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering and software engineering. For more information, refer to the graduate study sections for each engineering program. Advanced work in engineering is offered in the post-graduate programs. See the Graduate College section of this catalog.
Joint Undergraduate Programs
A bachelor of science degree in software engineering is offered in the College of Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Accreditation
Thirteen undergraduate engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. These thirteen programs are: aerospace, agricultural, biological systems, chemical, civil, computer, construction, cyber security, electrical, industrial, materials, mechanical and software engineering. Accreditation status is indicated in the Courses and Programs section for each engineering program.
Organization of Curricula
All curricula in engineering are designed as four-year programs. They are structured in two phases: a basic program and a professional program. The basic program consists primarily of subjects fundamental and common to all branches of engineering and includes chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering computations, and English. The professional phase of a curriculum includes intensive study in a particular branch of engineering, as well as a continuation of supporting work in mathematics, basic sciences, humanities, and social sciences.
Students should complete the requirements of the basic program before proceeding to a professional program.
Preparation for the Engineering Curricula
In addition to the freshman admission requirements for direct from high school students, the college also requires 2 years of a single foreign language. Students coming in without the 2 years of a single foreign language must meet this requirement by no later than the time of graduation. Other high school credits particularly important to students wishing to study engineering include:
- 2 years of algebra,
- 1 year of geometry
- 1/2 year of trigonometry
- 1/2 year of pre-calculus
- 1 year each of chemistry, biology, and physics
- 3 years of social science
- 4 years of English
See Index for specific admission requirements.
Placement in mathematics, English, and chemistry will generally be based on high school preparation and test scores. Advanced placement is possible for exceptionally well-prepared students. Students who are not adequately prepared may be encouraged or required to take additional preparatory coursework and should expect to spend more than the customary time to complete the engineering program. Any coursework which is preparatory or remedial in nature cannot be used to satisfy credit requirements for graduation in any of the engineering curricula.
Engineering Basic Program
Please see "Basic Program for Engineering Curricula" section.
Requirement for Graduation
In order to graduate in a professional engineering curriculum, students must have a minimum GPA of 2.00 in a department-designated group of 200-level and above courses known as the Core. These courses will total no fewer than 24 semester credits.
Engineering Minors
The College of Engineering offers five undergraduate minors which are open only to students in the College of Engineering. These are minors in biomedical engineering, cyber-physical systems, energy systems, engineering sales and nondestructive evaluation. These minors must include at least nine credits which are beyond the total used to meet curriculum requirements.
The biomedical engineering minor is a 17-credit interdisciplinary program that complements a student’s major discipline by providing additional insight into the interactions between various engineering disciplines and biomedically-relevant systems. The minor is administered by a supervisory faculty committee. For minor course requirements, refer to Biomedical Engineering in Courses and Programs.
The energy systems engineering minor is a 15 credit program that provides engineering students with focused educational opportunities in the broad area of energy systems. Students will understand broad energy perspectives, the language of energy systems and the economic, environmental, and policy issues related to energy. The minor is administered by a supervisory faculty committee. For minor course requirements, refer to Energy Systems Engineering in Courses and Programs or see http://www.me.iastate.edu/energy-systems-minor/ .
The engineering sales minor is a 15 credit minor that complements the technical training in the student’s major discipline by providing the tools and knowledge required for technical (i.e. business-to-business) sales careers. The minor is administered by a supervisory faculty committee. For minor course requirements, refer to Engineering Sales in Courses and Programs.
The nondestructive evaluation minor (16 credit minimum) open to engineering students who have met the basic program requirements and are not on academic warning or probation. The minor is supervised by an inter-disciplinary Engineering faculty committee. For minor course requirements, refer to Nondestructive Evaluation Engineering in Courses and Programs.
Engineering Minor (Interdisciplinary)
The College of Engineering offers an undergraduate minor in cyber security which is open to all students at ISU who meet the prerequisites. The cyber security minor is a 15 credit minor that is intended for students studying computer engineering, computer science, software engineering or management information systems with the goal of enabling them to work in cyber security. For minor course requirements, refer to the Cyber Security in Courses and Programs.
Undergraduate Majors and Minors Outside the College of Engineering
In addition to the engineering degree program, students may earn majors or minors in other colleges of the university. A major or minor program must meet all requirements of the offering department or program and its college and contain credits beyond the requirements for a B.S. degree in engineering. A minimum of 15 additional credits is required for each major area of study and an additional 9 credits for each minor.
Advising System
The purpose of the advising system in the College of Engineering is to work constructively with students in developing their individual academic programs and to provide a resource contact person for students during their college careers.
The college offers an orientation program during the spring and summer for students planning to enter in the fall, and during the fall for students planning to enter in the spring. Students may also complete orientation online. All entering students are encouraged to attend orientation which includes meeting with an academic advisor to register for classes. Placement assessments given during the orientation program help determine the student’s current level of proficiency which enables the academic advisor to prepare an appropriate course schedule for the student.
Special Programs
All engineering students are strongly encouraged to participate in either the cooperative education or internship programs. Students who are qualified to participate in the engineering honors program are also urged to do so. These programs are integrated into the professional engineering curricula and may require additional work. However, both these professional and academic programs offer opportunities that will enrich the standard academic experience. Engineering students are also encouraged to take advantage of study abroad opportunities available through the College of Engineering’s International Programs Office.
a. Cooperative Education Program. The College of Engineering offers, through its curricula, an experiential education program. Enrollment in the program allows students to gain practical work experience in their career field while attending college. In general, students enrolled in the co-op program will require an additional semester to complete curriculum requirements.
Cooperative programs are a mechanism by which a student may work full-time for one semester per academic or calendar year. The student has the opportunity to assess career paths within her/his chosen curriculum and the employer evaluates the student’s potential as a future full-time employee. Both domestic and international co-op programs are allowed.
Cooperative education students pay no tuition to the university during their work periods and do not receive credit hours for their work experience. Students register for a non-credit cooperative education course (398) for fall or spring and are considered full-time students while enrolled in these courses. For additional information contact your academic advisor and the Office of Engineering Career Services.
b. Internship Program. The College of Engineering offers, through its curricula, an experiential education program. Internships are a mechanism by which a student may work full-time for the summer. Enrollment in the program allows students to gain practical work experience in their career field while attending college.
Internship students pay no tuition to the university during their work periods and do not receive credit hours for their work experience. Students who register for the internship course (396) for the summer are considered to be full-time students. For additional information contact your academic advisor and the Office of Engineering Career Services.
c. Honors Program. The College of Engineering participates in the University Honors Program (see Index). The honors program is designed for students with above average ability who wish to individualize their programs of study. For further details consult the chair of the Engineering College Honors Program Committee or your departmental honors program advisor.
d. Engineering International Engagement. In a world where the sun never sets, engineers must be prepared to understand other cultures and other ways of doing business. Engineers must expand their exportable skills, language and cross-cultural skills.
The College of Engineering has formed worldwide partnerships to create opportunities for students to work and study with leading universities in other countries and multinational corporations. With careful planning, students may earn credit in courses that fulfill their degree requirements. To learn more about work and study abroad, visit the Engineering International Engagement website: http://www.engineering.iastate.edu/studyabroad/
Departments of the College
For information on undergraduate options refer to the following curriculum sections, and for graduate specializations or certificate programs, refer to the Courses and Programs section of the catalog.
- Aerospace Engineering
- Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
- Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
Degree Programs
Aerospace Engineering
Agricultural Engineering
Biological Systems Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Engineering
Construction Engineering
Cyber Security Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Engineering Mechanics
Environmental Engineering
Industrial Engineering
Materials Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Software Engineering
Systems Engineering
Minors
Biomedical Engineering
Cyber-Physical Systems
Cyber Security
Energy Systems Engineering
Engineering Sales
Non-Destructive Evaluation Engineering
Engineering
Two Bachelor's Degrees versus a Degree and Second Major
A student with multiple curricula within the College of Engineering is permitted to earn only multiple degrees. All requirements for each curricula must be met plus an additional 30 credits for each curricula being pursued beyond the curriculum which requires the most credits.
Students in the College of Engineering are able to earn a degree with a second major/curriculum as long as the second major/curriculum is within another college, meets all requirements of the additional programs and contains a minimum of 15 additional credits beyond the requirements for a B.S. degree in engineering for each additional area of study.
Basic Program for Engineering Curricula
The Basic Program is a set of courses that provides a foundation common to all engineering curricula. Students normally enroll in most of the Basic Program courses during their first year. Before enrolling in engineering courses at the 200-level and above, students enrolled in the College of Engineering must do the following:
- Complete the Basic Program with a Basic Program grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.00.
- Earn an ISU cumulative GPA of at least 2.00.
A grade of C or better is required for any transfer credit course applied to the Basic Program. Grades from transfer courses will not be used in computing the Basic Program GPA.
Students enrolled in the College of Engineering who have not met the above requirements may enroll for no more than two semesters in 200-level engineering courses. Students not enrolled in the College of Engineering may take engineering courses as long as they meet the prerequisites and space is available; only the first two semesters of engineering courses at the 200-level and above taken at ISU while a student is not enrolled in the College of Engineering can be applied toward an engineering degree.
Entering undergraduates must demonstrate proficiency in trigonometry based on test scores, or by having transfer credits from a college trigonometry course, or by passing MATH 143 Preparation for Calculus before enrolling in MATH 165 Calculus I.
The Department of English may recommend placement in one or more sections of ENGL 099 or ENGL 101 English for Native Speakers of Other Languages if the placement test administered to students whose first language is not English indicates deficiencies. Satisfactory completion of the recommended English course(s) will be required of students to complete their Basic Program.
Basic Program
(A minimum GPA of 2.00 required for this set of courses. Transfer courses are not used in the Basic Program GPA computation).
| MATH 165 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 166 | Calculus II | 4 |
| ENGL 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication (Must have a C or better) | 3 |
| CHEM 167 | General Chemistry for Engineering Students | 4-5 |
| or CHEM 177 | General Chemistry I | |
| or CHEM 201 | Advanced General Chemistry | |
| ENGR 101 | Engineering Orientation * | R |
| PHYS 231 | Introduction to Classical Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 231L | Introduction to Classical Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| LIB 160 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| ENGR 160 | Engineering Problems with Computer Applications Laboratory | 3 |
| Or one of the following in place of ENGR 160 | ||
| Aerospace Engineering Problems With Computer Applications Laboratory | ||
| Systematic Problem Solving and Computer Programming | ||
| Engineering Problems with Computational Laboratory | ||
| Chemical Engineering Problems with Computer Applications Laboratory | ||
| Introduction to Computer Engineering and Problem Solving I | ||
| Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Problem-Solving I | ||
| Information Engineering | ||
| Mechanical Engineering Problem Solving with Computer Applications | ||
| Problem Solving in Software Engineering | ||
| Total Credits | 24-25 | |
ENGL 250 Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition is normally taken in the second year. With advanced placement to ENGL 250, credit for ENGL 150 Critical Thinking and Communication is earned upon successful completion of ENGL 250 Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition, but only when ENGL 250 Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition is completed at Iowa State.
* Students enrolled in the joint software engineering degree program should take S E 101 Software Engineering Orientation, note that ENGR 101 can be substituted for S E 101.