Make to Innovate FAQ

Q.  What is Make to Innovate (M:2:I)?

Make to Innovate is a program in the Aerospace Engineering Department that engages students in hands-on projects to augment their understanding of engineering fundamentals.  It is a course that students sign up for (AerE 2940 or AerE 4940), and students will learn the fundamentals of working in a team and on a real-world project.

Q.  How do I get involved in Make to Innovate?

The first step is to speak with your advisor and ensure that Make to Innovate fits into your schedule and course plan.  The next step is to sign up for the AerE 2940 or AerE 4940 course.  Afterward, you must find a project you can join and work with during the semester.  You must talk to the project leader to ensure they have room.  If you have problems with this step, please visit the Program Coordinator, Christine.  Finally, you must get involved and work with your team during the semester.

Q.  Can I still sign up for Make to Innovate after classes have started?

Maybe.  The cutoff for students to add the course on Workday is Friday at 5:00 p.m. of the first week of classes.  After that, the course must be added using an add/drop request.  The policy of Make to Innovate is that students must be signed up for M2I by Friday at 5:00 p.m. so we can start to assign students to projects early in the second week of class.  After that, students are not permitted to join unless they have permission from the Make to Innovate Program Director.

Q.  Which course do I sign up for?

Freshmen and Sophomores will sign up for AerE 2940.  Juniors and Seniors will sign up for AerE 4940.  For AerE 4940, only team leads and sub-team leads may sign up for 3 credits. All other students must sign up for 2 credits.  AerE 2940 only allows for 1 credit to be taken.

Q.  Will AerE 2940 or AerE 4940 count as a technical elective?

AerE 2940 does not count as a technical elective.  AerE 4940 does count as a technical elective for students in Aerospace Engineering.  In general, most engineering departments will accept other engineering courses that are 400 level as a technical elective.  However, this decision is determined by your home department and their respective curriculum committee.  Please see your advisor if you have any questions if it will count as a technical elective.

Q.  Does AerE 2940 or AerE 4940 count towards my GPA?

Yes, AerE 2940 and AerE 4940 count towards your semester and cumulative GPA like any other course you take at Iowa State University.

Q.  Are there any prerequisites for AerE 2940 or AerE 4940?

Yes, AerE 2940 requires that you be classified as a Freshman or Sophomore as determined by ISU.  AerE 4940 requires that you be classified as a Junior or Senior as determined by ISU.

Q.  I am a student at Iowa State University, but I am not in the College of Engineering.  Can I still take the courses and participate in Make to Innovate?

Yes!  The course is open to any student in good standing at Iowa State University.  Students from any other college are welcome to join M:2:I.

Q.  I am not a student at Iowa State University, can I still be part of Make to Innovate?

Unfortunately, no, you must be enrolled in the course to be part of Make to Innovate, which requires you to be a student at Iowa State University.

Q.  I am currently on Co-Op with a company and/or taking classes through distance education.  Can I be involved in Make to Innovate?

No, Make to Innovate is not designed to be a distance education course and requires students to be on campus to work with their teams.