Illinois Institute of Technology

What is the history of Illinois Institute of Technology?

Illinois Institute of Technology is a private research university whose roots go back to the founding of Armour Institute of Technology in Chicago in 1890. Its present name dates to 1940, when Armour merged with Lewis Institute, another Chicago school with strengths in technical and professional education.

Subsequent additions broadened the university beyond engineering. The Institute of Design joined in 1949, and Chicago-Kent College of Law became part of the institution in 1969. Those developments help explain why Illinois Tech now combines engineering and computing with architecture, design, business, law, and the sciences. Its main campus is also known for buildings associated with architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who led its architecture program for many years.

What are the faculties and departments at Illinois Institute of Technology?

Illinois Tech organizes its programs across several colleges and schools: Armour College of Engineering, College of Architecture, College of Computing, Lewis College of Science and Letters, Stuart School of Business, Chicago-Kent College of Law, and the Institute of Design. Applicants should use the current academic catalog to check which school offers a particular major and which degree levels are available.

Undergraduate choices include computer science, architecture, business, and engineering fields such as biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering. Graduate and professional study extends to areas including data science, design, law, and specialized engineering. The university offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degrees; it is not limited to technology majors, although technical and applied study are central to its academic mix.

Program requirements can differ considerably. An architecture student, for example, may need to plan around studio courses, while an engineering student may need a prescribed sequence of mathematics and science. Prospective students should compare the catalog's degree requirements - not just program titles - when estimating time to completion.

What is the location of Illinois Institute of Technology?

Illinois Tech's main campus is in Chicago's Bronzeville area, south of downtown. It is an urban campus with access to Chicago Transit Authority rail and bus service, which matters for students commuting to class or traveling to internships elsewhere in the city.

Not every program is based in the same place. Chicago-Kent College of Law and the Institute of Design have downtown facilities, so students considering those programs should check where their classes and services are located. Chicago Midway International Airport is a practical option for regional and national travel. For everyday commuting, travel time to a particular academic building is more useful than distance to the university's main-campus address.

What is the mission and vision of Illinois Institute of Technology?

Illinois Tech describes its purpose in terms of education, research, and innovation, with an emphasis on applying knowledge to practical problems. Its institutional identity reflects the combination of technological study with design, business, law, and other disciplines.

That stated mission is a useful way to understand the university's academic priorities, not evidence that every student has the same educational experience. Applicants can test how well it fits their goals by examining their intended program's curriculum, research opportunities, and requirements for projects or professional experience.