Drexel University History Reference Tools
Historical Overview of Drexel University
The school opened its doors in 1892 as the Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry. Founded by financier Anthony Joseph Drexel, the Institute was established to improve employment opportunities for both men and women by providing higher education that emphasized technical and vocational training.
Drexel did not offer degree granting programs like a traditional school of higher learning until 1914, when the Institute first awarded the bachelor of science degree in engineering. The first graduate degrees were offered in 1931 in the School of Home Economics. The school name was officially shortened to the Drexel Institute of Technology in 1936. In 1969, school officials requested university status from the state of Pennsylvania. In 1970, Drexel Institute of Technology became Drexel University.
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