Welcome to the College of Engineering

Congratulations on joining the College of Engineering community! Your academic advisors are excited to work with you and help you prepare for your first semester at the University of Iowa.

The materials in this section focus on the critical academic information you will need to prepare for meeting with an advisor at Orientation. Take time reviewing this – it may take you a few hours to watch videos, review handouts, and practice using registration tools to prepare for your Orientation registration and advising appointment.

We know this is a lot of information to review! Our team is here to support you and eager to help personalize your experience in the College of Engineering. If you have questions about the academic advising process after you review the materials here, do not hesitate to contact us by calling 319-335-5763.

Sincerely,

Your Engineering Academic Advisors

Getting Started & Understanding Your Degree

Before you begin searching for classes, you must understand the basics of a University of Iowa degree and other content specific to engineering students. We recommend you set aside time and find a place where you can concentrate so you can actively review each of these videos and handouts.

This video highlights common college terms and how you will work with your college advisor at Orientation and beyond.

This video highlights the requirements to graduate with an Engineering degree and resources available to you.

    This video highlights how you will select your first semester courses and things to consider when building your schedule.

    The links below provide step by step instructions on how to complete various steps around searching for classes.

    How to Select & Add Courses to the Schedule Builder

    Follow the steps below to select courses and begin adding them to your Schedule Builder on MyUI!

    1. Review your Individualized Recommendations Document (IRD) 3-5 days before your Orientation Registration and Advising appointment. This document will help you better understand the required coursework and suggest courses that will set you up for success in engineering, so we recommend you review it carefully. You will be notified via your University of Iowa email when your IRD is ready (at least 3 days before your appointment). You will be able to view your IRD and any additional attachments your advisor has shared at the top of the MyUI Orientation Tile, below the boxes displaying your personal information. The attachments will appear first, followed by an advising note. Be sure to regularly check your UI email account!

    1. Add selected courses to your Schedule Builder Course Cart. The handout below provides a step-by-step instructions.

     

    Schedule Builder How-to Videos (OPTIONAL)

    The videos below are available for assistance navigating Schedule Builder and searching for courses on MyUI. You do not need to review them to complete this section of the Tile, but please reference them if you have questions while using the Schedule Builder.

    • How to add courses to your Course Cart
      • Highlights how to search for courses using Schedule Builder.
      • This search option is best for adding Math, Science, Engineering, and Rhetoric courses before completing initial registration.
    • How to use Course Browse to search for courses in MyUI
      • Highlights an alternative way to search for courses, while still allowing you to add courses to the Course Cart.
      • This search option is recommended when looking for College of Engineering general education courses or searching for courses once you have already registered.
    • How to build and save schedules
      • Highlights details of building schedules once courses have been added to the Course Cart. It covers how to navigate and read the details of schedule options, how to pin/exclude courses from schedules, and how to save and manage preferred schedules.
    • Using filters in Schedule Builder
      • Highlights how to add filters before building schedules. The most frequent filters include the unavailable time filter (helpful to build schedules around work/athletic practice times) and the honors filter (used to search for honors sections of specific courses).
    • Troubleshooting Schedule Builder error messages
      • Highlights how to navigate error messages including checking for filter limits, course restrictions, prerequisite requirements, course conflicts, and seat availability.
    • How to register with Schedule Builder
      • Highlights how to register for classes using either a saved preferred schedule or a schedule that has just been created.

    Preparing for Your Orientation Registration & Advising Appointment

    Thanks for working through the advising section of the Orientation tile! Please review the checklist below to ensure you are prepared for your appointment. Refer back to this section 2-3 days before your advising appointment.

    Checklist – Orientation Registration and Advising Appointment

    Download a copy of this checklist here to keep track of your progress.

    Once you have completed everything on this list, you are ready to meet with your advisor!

    Ensure you have:

    • Taken the ALEKS math placement OR the Advanced Math Placement. If you took a year or more of Calculus in high school or earned college credit for Calculus, you should take the Advanced Math Placement Test (AMPT).
    • Taken chemistry placement test. This test is REQUIRED for College of Engineering students.
    • Reported any AP/IB exam and/or college transfer credit. This is very important in order for your advisor to provide accurate course recommendations.
      • If you have not reported credit, refer back to the Reporting Transfer and Post-Secondary Coursework and Credit by Examination section of the Orientation Tile.
    • Watched all the videos and reviewed handouts.
    • Reviewed your Individualized Recommendations Document (found at the top of the Orientation Tile). This individualized PDF will be available 3-5 days before your Orientation Registration and Advising appointment.

    Prepare your materials: