College of Science and Engineering

Dean: Lyle Castle, Ph.D. 
Associate Deans: Rene Rodriguez,  Ph.D.;  Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar, Ph.D.

Mission

The College of Science and Engineering provides students with a comprehensive education to prepare for careers in mathematics, science, engineering, and related fields such as education and the health professions. This is accomplished not only through classroom training but especially through laboratory-, project-, and field-based instruction. Scholarly research is integral to our mission as a means of teaching students to be original and critical thinkers, as well as improving our world through discovery and invention.

College Structure

The College includes nine departments: Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Geosciences, and Mathematics and Statistics. The College also directs the Physics program. Collaboration between units is a characteristic feature of the college: students take courses from several departments; faculty co-advise students; and research teams cross disciplinary boundaries.

Degrees Offered

Each department offers a range of undergraduate degrees pertinent to its discipline. Depending upon the department, these may include the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees as well as various minors, emphasis areas, and tracks. Each degree requires the student to take a unique set of classes within the discipline as well as classes from other departments within and beyond the College. The degrees are described in detail on the following pages and each department can provide additional information.

Advising

Students interested in a major or minor offered by the College of Science and Engineering are strongly encouraged, as soon as possible in their college career, to contact an advisor within the appropriate discipline(s). These advisors are intimately familiar with the degree requirements and can recommend the sequence of classes best suited for each student. They can also describe the culture, extracurricular activities, and job opportunities associated with their degree programs. Depending upon the department, this advisor may be the department chair, a program director, a specific faculty member within the department, or any other faculty member. To find the appropriate person, students should contact the department directly and ask for advising assistance.

ISU's Office of Academic Advising provides academic assistance to all students and is particularly useful for students who have not selected a major field of concentration.