Final answer:
The first modern engineering colleges in the U.S. were established at land-grant institutions in the nineteenth century, with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University being an example. Professional societies like the American Society of Civil Engineers also helped shape engineering education.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first "modern" engineering college in the United States can be traced back to the land-grant colleges established during the latter third of the nineteenth century. These institutions, born out of the Morrill Land-Grant Acts, were among the earliest to offer formal programs in engineering disciplines such as Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, and Electrical engineering. One notable example is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, which is known for using "Hokie Stone" provided by the Virginia legislature for its construction, implying a focus on practical engineering fields.
Engineering education underwent significant changes as it transitioned from apprenticeship-based training to more structured academic programs at universities. By the late nineteenth century, professional societies like the American Society of Civil Engineers, founded in 1852, contributed to defining the education and qualifications necessary for professional engineers, further institutionalizing engineering as an academic discipline.
The rise of engineering schools at land-grant colleges and their evolution into modern engineering colleges represents a pivotal transformation in the education and professionalization of engineers in United States history.