Michigan Technological University

For more than 125 years, Michigan Tech faculty have explored the boundaries of knowledge while teaching students to become citizens who contribute to the sustainability of our world.

In 1885, the University was founded as the Michigan Mining School, specializing in training for mining engineers, with four faculty members and twenty-three students in the second story of the old Houghton Fire Hall.

During the period of 1887 to 1898, student and faculty numbers increased, and the School was moved to its present location. Between 1925 and 1935, the Michigan Mining School became the Michigan College of Mining and Technology.

By the time the institution became officially known as Michigan Technological University in 1964, several programs had been added to the curriculum: chemical, electrical, civil, mechanical, and geological engineering; forestry; engineering administration; and physics. Under the leadership of J. Robert Van Pelt, from 1956 to 1964, the University’s long-dormant PhD programs were revived and an aggressive research initiative began.

Between 1964 and present time, the University has grown into a leading public research university and a key educational partner within the state of Michigan, the nation, and beyond.