At MIT, the study of mining and the associated fields of metallurgy and geology were driven by Boston business with interests in Westward expansion, railroads, and industrialization. The evolution of the departmental name reflects changing emphases in study.
Names of Department
1888-1889 Mining Engineering
1889-1920 Mining Engineering and Metallurgy
1920-1927 Mining, Metallurgy and Geology
1927-1937 Mining and Metallurgy
1937-1967 Metallurgy
1967-1975 Metallurgy and Materials Science
1975- Materials Science and Engineering
1865-1871 Geology and Mining
...
1884 Metallurgy absorbed into Course III
1888-1889 Mining Engineering Engineering
1889-1920 Mining Engineering and Metallurgy Metallurgy
1920-1927 Mining, Metallurgy and Geology Geology
1927-1937 Mining and Metallurgy Metallurgy
1937-1967 Metallurgy Metallurgy
1967-1975 Metallurgy and Materials Science Science
1975- Materials Science and Engineering Engineering