(1870s-1890s) Michigan innovation in curriculum development
The University of Michigan is one of the earliest examples of the American research university, with its construction of one of the three largest telescopes in the world, the first teaching laboratory for chemistry, and the first courses in new disciplines such as bacteriology, forestry, meteorology, sociology, modern history, journalism, and American literature. In fact almost every American intellectual movement from the mid-19th century onward must include some mention of Michigan (as demonstrated by the remarkable intellectual history of the University compiled by the Bentley Library in 2010 to celebrate its 75th anniversary). Beyond its impact on the traditional literature, arts, and science, the University has led in the creation of many new disciplines such as the quantitative social sciences, biomedical disciplines, engineering sciences, and policy disciplines.
The influence of the University on the professions has also been immense. Michigan was the first university in the West to pursue professional education, establishing its medical school in 1850, engineering courses in 1854, and a law school in 1859. Michigan joined with Columbia and Penn in defining the paradigm for medical practice and education by defining the M.D. as a graduate degree, introducing laboratory science in the curriculum, and opening the first university hospital for clinical training. Decades later this model would be adopted to transform the rest of medicine through the Flexner Report of 1910
The university was among the first to introduce instruction in fields as diverse as zoology and botany, modern languages, modern history, American literature, pharmacy, dentistry, speech, journalism, teacher education, forestry, bacteriology, naval architecture, aeronautical engineering, computer engineering, and nuclear engineering. In fact almost every American intellectual movement from the mid-19th century onward must include some mention of Michigan.
