Summary

The oldest engineering institution in the United States is the United States Military Academy at West Point, as historically engineering education was handled primarily by the employer, with the military being one of the largest sources of employment for engineers. New York University Tandon School of Engineering was as the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute the second oldest private engineering institution in the United States. Over the year both universities have undergone substantial changes in their scope of education, which open a number of questions. Was Brooklyn Poly substantially influenced by West Point at its founding as the primary example of engineering education in America, or did its curriculum come from similar European institutions? Have the curriculums become more alligned or more differentiated over the last 170 years? What has been the primary driver of these changes? 

Author's Note: While the institution that has come to be known as NYU Tandon has had a numner of different names throughout history it will be referred to as Brooklyn Poly to avoid confusion. Similarly while USMA and West Point are used interchangeably, West Point shall be the de facto name used.