Georgia Institute of Technology

Overview

Georgia Institute of Technology, known to many as Georgia Tech, is among the top-ranked research institutes and universities in the United States. Located in the heart of Atlanta, this university follows a semester-based academic calendar and is recognized for its STEM programs, particularly engineering and computer science. Its tree-lined 400-acre campus promotes a collegiate atmosphere. In addition, although Atlanta is an urban city, Georgia Tech students, faculty, and personnel have access to cultural and recreational attractions and activities off-campus.

Officially established in 1885 as a trade school, the Georgia Institute of Technology is the brainchild of John Fletcher Hanson, an industrialist, and Nathaniel Edwin Harris, a politician). It was born out of the two founders’ belief that the South needed to enhance its technology to keep up with the industrial revolution that was dominating the area at the time. In 1882, with authority from the Georgia State Legislature, Harris led a committee to see how tech schools in the Northeast worked. The committee ended up recommending adapting the “theory and practice” model of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (known then as Worcester County Free Institute of Industrial Science).

Now a coeducational institute, Georgia Tech accepted its first female students in 1952. It is also historically known to be the first university in the American South to accept African-American students without requiring a court order in 1961.

Currently, Georgia Tech comprises six colleges that collectively contain around 30 departments. The university offers technologically-focused minors and majors for both undergraduate and graduate studies. As one of the top public universities in the United States, Georgia Tech is also known for its competitive cooperative education program, which is the largest in the country. The university has strong ties with various government and corporate organizations, allowing it to effectively facilitate co-ops that better prepare students for the future.

The Georgia Institute of Technology also boasts of state-of-the-art facilities. It has over 100 centers that facilitate interdisciplinarily research and studies, as well as other academic and extracurricular activities. Among these is the 3,000-square-foot Invention Studio, which is accessible to students 24 hours a day. The studio provides students with resources to help them maximize collaboration, brainstorm ideas, and develop needed prototypes.

Furthermore, Georgia Tech’s Centre for Career Discovery and Development is recognized as one of the most effective university career support units in the U.S. Offering strong academic programs and professional support, there is no doubt why the Georgia Institute of Technology is perceived as one of the leading scientific and technological academic institutions not just in the U.S., but across the globe as well.