Evolution of Graduate Education in Electrical Engineering in Metropolitan Areas

The evolution of graduate education in electrical engineering began in the early 1890' s and progressed at a rapid pace in the 1920' s, particularly in metropolitan areas conscious of community needs. In these areas, evening programs held the spotlight because of the ever-demanding need to provide graduate engineers with advanced knowledge. Such cooperation between community interests and colleges has resulted in a wide variety of patterns of part-time study on campus and, more recently, off campus. The later development is viewed with criticism in several educational circles although off-campus programs are filling tremendous requirements arising from industrial concentrations not within easy reach of a university or college. The evolution seems to indicate that off campus programs are not a passing fancy and that such requirements are very likely to be best satisfied in the long run by the establishment of graduate centers with a faculty in residence. As an example, the Polytechnic Graduate Center on Long Island is described. (The Center, actually located in Farmingdale, N. Y., began its operation on September 25, 1961, with a graduate student body of nearly 700 in day and evening programs involving advanced courses in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electrophysics, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, and Industrial Management. Close to 150 part-time day students are attending on a released-time basis, in addition to 45 full-time students in residence.)