FAQ

• 3D Printing and Design
  • Designing 3D models on the computer is one thing, but turning those models into real objects can be a whole other world! 3D printers are becoming more and more practical, and can be very useful for engineers, designers, and entrepreneurs. This club will learn about and practice using 3D printers, while meeting others with the same interests.
• Algorithmic Trading Club
  • ATC is for students interested in computer applications for financial trading. The club is focused on researching and creating computer programs for stocks, options, and other financial trading applications.
• Cardinal Space Mining Club
  • The Cardinal Space Mining Club consists of students in the STEM fields coming together to design and build a robotic mining system to compete in the NASA Robotic Mining Competition.
• Computer Science and Software Engineering Club
  • The Computer Science and Software Engineering Club provides students within the Computer Science and Software Engineering majors to share their passion for technology, as well as connect with other students, faculty, and industry professionals.
• Critical Tinkers
  • Critical Tinkers consists of a group of students coming together to develop their critical thinking skills through their own exciting, challenging, and hands on projects.
• Cyber Defense Competitions
  • Center for Cybersecurity Innovation & Outreach at ISU hosts five Cyber Defense Competitions (CDC) each year. CDCs are held on a Friday and Saturday. Friday is for final set up and the actual competition starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday. These are a great and free opportunity for students to learn more about Cyber Security in a fun, hands on environment.
• Data Science Club
  • The Data Science Club is an organization aiming to promote data science among all students and by bringing together students with an interest in data for networking opportunities, company visits, as well as technical workshops.
• Digital Women
  • Digital Women is an Iowa State University student organization dedicated to encouraging, supporting, and retaining women in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and MIS. We want to help you succeed by providing opportunities for networking, career development, and much-needed fun with other like-minded women in technical majors.
• Emerging Leaders in Engineering
  • Emerging Leaders in Engineering (ELE) is a student organization at Iowa State University that creates a space for students in engineering to interact and work with each other to develop leadership skills, as well as, help each other with class work. We focus on soft skills not covered in most classes that make a big difference in the professional world. Our hope is that we would be a community committed to fun, challenging ourselves and others, and growing to become great leaders in engineering.
• Engineering Student Council
  • Engineering Student Council (ESC) is the governing body of the engineering student organizations at ISU.
• Engineers for a Sustainable World
  • Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW-USA) was founded on the belief that engineers and community members can work together to identify and solve technology-based problems, employing solutions that can be locally sustained, leading to an improved quality of life. Here in Ames, the Iowa State University chapter focuses on the improvement of campus through the design and execution of projects that fit into the ESW values.
• Engineers Without Borders
  • Engineers Without Borders is a non-profit humanitarian organization established to partner with developing communities worldwide in order to improve their quality of life. This partnership involves the implementation of sustainable engineering projects, while involving and training internationally responsible engineers and engineering students.
• Engineers’ Week
  • The mission of Iowa State University Engineers’ Week is to involve the College in a celebration of engineering that encompasses all students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The goals of the week are to provide students the opportunity to interact with fellow students, faculty, and company representatives in both a professional and social manner, to educate the public about engineering and to provide service to the community.
• Freshmen Leaders in Engineering
  • Freshmen Leaders in Engineering (FLiE) offers an opportunity to freshmen students to quickly make strides toward their long-term leadership goals. This student organization focuses on leadership development and provides a mechanism for mentoring and support activities. The deadline to apply for Freshmen Leaders in Engineering is in August before your freshmen year at Iowa State. Please do not request to join if this deadline has passed.
• Gaming and Esports Club
  • This club is comprised of individuals who enjoy getting together online and at LAN parties to play the games we’ve all come to love over the years. Whether you’re looking for gaming friends, wanting to join a competitive collegiate team, or itching to talk about the latest games, tech, and news in the gaming industry, look no further. All types (PC/Console/Mobile, competitive or casual) are welcome to join. Pick your controller, press Start, and join this club for fun-filled time.
• Game Development Club
  • The purpose of this club is to bring together students of different disciplines in order to explore the creation of video games. The club also seeks to expand its members’ knowledge of the tools, techniques, and processes used in contemporary video game development. Members will collaborate on game development projects of their own choosing and explore their creativity in the game development space.
• Hackathon Club
  • Hackathon Club’s goal is to facilitate meetings before hackathons at Iowa State and at surrounding Universities. At these meetings, we will make teams and come up with ideas for projects, as well as relay any information about the upcoming Hackathon. We will also help organize transportation to and from the event. We will also host workshops and events.
• IASG
  • The Information Assurance Student Group (IASG) holds weekly meetings on information security topics consisting of conference-style presentations about various InfoSec-related topics including hacking, exploits, recent vulnerabilities in the news, web app vulnerabilities, and general hacker subjects such as radio, operating systems, and networking. We often feature guest speakers from the security field, as well as offer introductory-level presentations for those interested in security, but without an extensive background in designing and building information systems.
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is the world’s largest professional technical society devoted to the advancement of technology. The ISU Chapter of IEEE is devoted to serving the students of the Electrical and Computer Engineering department.
• IEEE: Etta Kappa Nu (HKN)
  • The Eta Kappa Nu Association is the International Honor Society for Electrical and Computer Engineers. There are approximately 200 chapters and 175,000 members in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Eta Kappa Nu has a broader purpose than merely to award scholastic distinction. Another aim is to assist its members throughout their lives in becoming better professionals and citizens. Members are to be a constructive force, helping members and non-members to improve the standards of the profession, the courses of instruction, and the institutions where a chapter is established in general.
• National Society of Black Engineers
  • The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is an international professional organization with an Iowa State student run chapter that promotes the development and retention of all, especially underrepresented and multicultural, students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related curricula. The mission of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is “to increase the number of culturally responsible Black Engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.”
• Robotics Club
  • The purpose of the Robotics Club at Iowa State University is to provide students the extracurricular opportunity to learn about, build, and compete with robotics, in robotics competitions, groups, and independently.
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers & Latinos in Science and Engineering
  • The purpose of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers & Latinos in Science and Engineering is to enhance the personal & professional development of Hispanic Engineers and Scientists.
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
  • The Society of Women Engineers Collegiate Section at Iowa State University (ISU SWE) was founded over 40 years ago and currently has more than 200 members. As well as being part of the national professional organization, it is a student-run organization at Iowa State. They offer our members leadership experiences, great networking opportunities, and community involvement.
• Cardinal Solar Car (PrISUm)
  • PrISUm exists at Iowa State University as much more than a student organization one can join as a freshman, senior, or graduate student. PrISUm is an advanced Research and Design (R&D) project for the applications of renewable and automotive technology.Its members are dedicated, passionate, and skilled individuals who want to make an impact on the world around them. Through members’ dedication, PrISUm is able to design, fabricate, and race our creation, raise capital, and share our story with millions, all while attending class as full-time students.
• Tau Beta Pi
  • The Iowa Alpha chapter of Tau Beta Pi, founded in 1907, is the oldest continually active honor society at Iowa State University and one of the most celebrated of the 248 Tau Beta Pi chapters located at universities throughout the country.
• Web Development Club
  • The purposes of the Web Development club are to promote learning and professional growth in the field of web development, establish a network of like-minded individuals who want to pursue web development as well as give back to the Iowa State University community and local community by offering web development services to students, faculty, and clubs and organizations.
• Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE)
  • The Program for Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) was founded in 1986 by a group of Iowa State University faculty and staff concerned about the underrepresentation and underutilization of women in science and engineering. WiSE provides:
    • Outreach programs to over 9,000 K-12 students to create awareness and enthusiasm about pursuing STEM careers
    • First-Year Experience and Transfer Experience as well as programming for undergraduate women in STEM majors
    • Opportunities for alumnae, professionals, and businesses to ‘give back’ and support the mission of WiSE via their time, talent and resources

NOTE: For a list of all current Student Organizations (Clubs), please visit https://www.stuorg.iastate.edu/.

• The Software Engineering Program at Iowa State University works hand in hand with the College of Engineering International Programs to provide opportunities for enriching, productive, and once-in-a-lifetime international experiences for our students. Visit the College of Engineering International Programs website https://www.engineering.iastate.edu/studyabroad/ for details.
• Software Engineering students have studied abroad in: Australia, England, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Panama, Scotland, Spain, Singapore, Taiwan, Wales

First Hand Account from an SE Alum on Interning

Software Engineering Program alum, Kamini Saldanha (SE ’20), shares what it’s like to be a Software Engineer intern (including “Tips to Have a Succesful Internship) at Nordstrom in Seattle, WA.

List of Companies – SE Internships

Since 2015, Iowa State University Software Engineering students have registered internship through the College of Engineering Career Services with the following companies:

• Every field needs Software Engineers. Popular job fields Iowa State University Software Engineering graduates enter include: Personal and Mass Communication, E-Commerce, Web Development, Medicine, Entertainment, Financial, Robotics, Automotive, and Transportation.
• The Software Engineering Program at Iowa State University does not offer a graduate program but we do have partnerships with Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Ivy College of Business for concurrent programs that allow students to get a Bachelors of Science in Software Engineering and a Masters in one of those three options. Visit https://www.se.iastate.edu/academics for details.

• According to the College of Engineering Career Services 2017-2018 Six Month Follow-Up released on 7 December 2018:
  • The Average Starting Salary for Iowa State Software Engineering graduates is $75,368.
  • Starting Salary Range for Iowa State Software Engineering graduates is $60,000 to $125,000.
  • 96% of Iowa State Software Engineering graduates are Placed (Employed, Military Appointment/Commission, Graduate/Professional School, Offers, and Not Seeking)

• In addition to university-awarded scholarships, each year the College of Engineering grants approximately $3 million in scholarships to engineering students. The generous support of hundreds of individuals and corporations allows us to recognize the academic accomplishments of outstanding, hard-working students. For the 2019-2020 College of Engineering Scholarship Opportunities, click here.
• If you are a current Software Engineering student at Iowa State, please check the OneApp application to see what scholarships you are eligible for at this time.

Please visit the For Students tab here on the Undergraduate Research website.

Undergraduate students at Iowa State University have many opportunities to work alongside faculty on a variety of research projects. Working with a professor on a research project provides students hands-on, practical experience, enhances a student’s academics and provides students a mentor. For more information, please visit the Undergraduate Research website.

Iowa State University is the largest State of Iowa Board of Regents institution. Thus, Iowa State students will experience various class sizes throughout their years on campus for various reasons. One of the benefits of majoring in Software Engineering is that you are in classes with the same groups of students – Software Engineers, Computer Engineers, and Computer Scientists. This collaborative learning environment fosters relationship-building and encourages students to analyze problems from multiple points of view. As Software Engineering students progress in the program, their class sizes typically decrease as they enroll in the more specialized courses they take to meet their degree requirements.

• Iowa State University is home to the world’s first electronic digital computer, the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (The ABC).
• Launched in 2007, Iowa State University’s Software Engineering Program is well-established and ABET-accredited.
• Jointly administered through the College of Engineering and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Iowa State University offers a unique, standalone Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering degree that allows you to tailor your interdisciplinary program.