In 1885, the Rochester Mechanics' Institutes was founded as a school for fostering technical development in the Rochester area. In 1891, the Mechanics Institute merged with the Rochester Athenaeum, forming the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute, in order to provide more comprehensive education for both of the student bodies. In 1944, the university adopted its current name of Rochester Institute of Technology. At this point, the RIT campus was still in downtown Rochester, and the College of Engineering was still in the original Mechanics Institute buildings. In 1968, the RIT moved to a combined campus in Henrietta, New York. The College remains there today and is housed at the James E. Gleason Building and the Center for Microelectronic Engineering. In 1998, the College of Engineering was renamed the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, the only engineering college in the United States to be named after a woman.
Programs
The college includes the following departments and programs: Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial & Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Microelectronic Engineering, Microsystems Engineering, Center for Quality and Applied Statistics, Manufacturing Leadership, and Product Development
Academics
All seven of KGCOE's bachelor's degree programs are ABET accredited, which is a prerequisite for licensure as a professional engineer in many states. In their final semester of study, graduating seniors in ABET approved majors are eligible to sit for the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering section of the New York State Professional Engineering examination, which is the first step in the process for licensure as a Professional Engineer. Students may choose to focus their upper-level studies on a particular field of interest such as robotics, energy, supply chain, manufacturing, sustainability, automotive, aerospace, wireless communication, digital devices, biomaterials, ergonomics, systems, embedded systems, networks and security, Lean Six Sigma. The college offers the following degrees: Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Master of Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy. Advanced certificates in Vibrations and Lean Six Sigma are also offered. Undergraduate certificates are also offered in mechatronics and integrated circuits.
Organizations and clubs
The college also hosts many engineering student organizations and clubs, such as:
