The College of Engineering, formerly the Dwight Look College of Engineering, is the engineering school of
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
in
College Station and is home to over 15,000 students in 14 departments.
According to a 2009 report by the American Society for Engineering Education, the college is 2nd in the nation in undergraduate enrollment, and 6th in graduate enrollment. The same report ranks the College 8th in engineering degrees granted, 8th for the number of Hispanics and 10th for the number of women granted degrees. The college is 11th nationally for the number of doctoral degrees granted and 12th for master's degrees granted.
The college is
recognized among the top public engineering colleges for its undergraduate and graduate programs.
Prior to 2016, the college was known as the Dwight Look College of Engineering. The college was named after the civil engineering graduate, Harold Dwight Look, who served in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and later founded a construction company on the U.S. Territory of
Guam
Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
, where he lived for 40 years until his death on September 5, 2002, at the age of 80.
In 1992, Look donated 1,146 acres in Guam valued at $52 million to the university. It was the largest single gift ever received by the university, which later named the engineering college after Look. It was reported that Texas A&M was looking to sell the property in 2009.
History
![TAMU-Zachry-Engineering-Education-Complex-1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/TAMU-Zachry-Engineering-Education-Complex-1.jpg)
The first engineering department at Texas A&M appeared in 1880, four years after the foundation of the school, with the creation of the Department of Engineering, Mechanics, and Drawing. For the next several years, the curriculum focused on practical training to assist students in finding industrial and vocational work. By 1887, separate departments had been created for
mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, and ...
and for
civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage ...
and drawing.
To assist the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the Department of Mechanical Engineering shifted focus to train blacksmiths, automobile mechanics, machinists, draftsmen, general mechanics, and pipe fitters for the war. Following the war, the department's enrollment continued to increase, and it began offering courses in power, industrial and railway, or transportation engineering. In the 1930s, these options were eliminated, while others, including aerodynamics, air-conditioning and physical metallurgy began to be offered. During the 1936–1937 school year, the Department of Mechanical Engineering was first accredited by the Engineering Council for Professional Development, now known as the
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
By 1940, the engineering school comprised almost half of Texas A&M's enrollment. As
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
dawned, the school again assisted the war effort, with the Department of Mechanical Engineering faculty volunteering to teach at military bases throughout the state. Following the war, college introduced a Ph.D. program, and industries and government began to sponsor research within the college.
Academics
Degrees offered
Aerospace Engineering - BS, MS, MEng, PhDBiological and Agricultural Engineering – BS, MS, MEng, MAgr, PhD, EngDEngineering - ME, DEEngineering Systems Management - MSHealth Physics - MSIndustrial Distribution - BS, MIDIndustrial Engineering - BS, MS, ME, PhDInterdisciplinary Engineering - PhDMarine Engineering Technology - BSMaterials Science and Engineering - MS, ME, PhDMechanical Engineering - BS, MS, ME, PhDNuclear Engineering - BS, MS, ME, PhDOcean Engineering - BS, MS, ME, PhDPetroleum Engineering - BS, MS, ME, PhDRadiological Health Engineering - BSSafety Engineering - MS
Rankings
The 2019 edition of the ''
U.S. News & World Report'' ranks the Texas A&M University College of Engineering graduate program 15th and the undergraduate program 14th.
Individual engineering programs as ranked among public institutions by
U.S. News & World Report:
* Aerospace: 10th graduate (2019), 9th undergraduate (2019)
* Biological and Agricultural: 3rd graduate(2019), 2nd undergraduate (2019)
* Biomedical: 89th graduate
* Chemical: 15th graduate, 19th undergraduate
* Computer Engineering: 13th graduate, 11th undergraduate
* Computer Science: 27th graduate
* Civil Engineering: 8th graduate, 10th undergraduate (2019)
* Electrical: 14th graduate, 9th undergraduate
* Industrial and Systems Engineering: 11th graduate (2019), 11th undergraduate (2019)
* Mechanical: 9th graduate, 9th undergraduate
* Nuclear: 5th graduate (2019), 2nd undergraduate
* Petroleum: 2nd graduate (2019), 2nd undergraduate (2019)
Research
The 2010 ''
U.S. News & World Report''
ranked the college third in engineering research expenditures, with $248.4 million spent.
In 2005, the college had $179 million in engineering research expenditures, making it the 5th college nationally in research expenditures.
The college maintains responsibility for three independent agencies: the
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), the
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX, pronounced "teeks") is a state extension agency that offers training programs and technical assistance to public safety workers, both in Texas and around the world. Established in 1940 as the Industri ...
(TEEX), and the
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) in Bryan/College Station, Texas is a transportation research agency in the United States. The institute was created in 1950, primarily in response to the needs of the Texas Highway Department (now th ...
(TTI).
References
{{Coord, 30.6210, -96.3389, type:landmark_region:US-TX, display=title
Educational institutions established in 1880
Engineering schools and colleges in the United States
Engineering universities and colleges in Texas
Texas A&M University colleges and schools
1880 establishments in Texas