Our Departmental History at Texas A&M University
In 1952, Texas A&M University (then the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas) established an Industrial Technology degree program in the Department of Industrial Education, a unit of the College of Engineering. In 1956 the Industrial Distribution degree program was founded in that same department.
In 1966, the university created the College of Education, and teacher education activities were transferred there from the Industrial Education Department. In 1967, the department's remaining activities in the College of Engineering were renamed Engineering Technology.
At that time, the department administered four degree programs:
- Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution
- Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology, which received Technology Accreditation Commission/Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (TAC/ABET) accreditation in 1975.
- Master of Science in Industrial Technology, which was eliminated in 1981.
In 1981, the Industrial Technology program was strengthened to become a manufacturing specialty under Engineering Technology. When consolidated, Engineering Technology was formed from three technology specialties: electronics, manufacturing, and mechanical. The Industrial Distribution program remained separate.
In 1994, the Telecommunications Engineering Technology program, which had been part of the Electronics Engineering Technology (EET) program since 1976, received TAC/ABET accreditation as a separate program closely related to EET.
In 2001, a distance learning master's degree program in Industrial Distribution (MID) was launched, and the inaugural class graduated in 2003.
In 2108, a distance learning master's degree program in Engineering Technical Management (METM) was launched, and the inaugural class graduated in 2020.
In 2019, a resident master's degree program in Engineering Technology (MSET) was launched, and the inaugural class graduated in 2020.
The department currently has four TAC/ABET-accredited programs - Electronic Systems Engineering Technology (ESET), Industrial Distribution (IDIS), Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology (MMET) and Multidisciplinary Engineering Technology (MXET).