Founded in 1903 as the School of Engineering of Milwaukee by Oscar Werwath, the Milwaukee School of Engineering is a premier private technology-focused university located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Spanning a modern 22-acre urban campus integrated directly into downtown Milwaukee's East Town district, MSOE connects hands-on engineering, computer science, nursing, and business management with regional industry partnerships. You can examine its founding charter, industrial roots, and technological expansion through the Milwaukee School of Engineering Wikipedia historical entry.
When you study at MSOE, you enter an intensive STEM-focused academic setting characterized by direct faculty teaching without graduate teaching assistants. Living in downtown Milwaukee places you steps away from corporate engineering headquarters, software firms, medical centers, and Lake Michigan parks.
Premier Academic Programs
MSOE organizes its instruction across specialized academic departments holding national reputations for STEM excellence:
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science: Global leader in software engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and electrical design.
- Roscoe Raider School of Engineering: Delivers hands-on instruction in mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, civil engineering, and architectural systems.
- Rader School of Business: Integrates business analytics, technical project management, supply chain management, and finance. Explore degree options on the MSOE Academic Programs portal.
- User Experience (UX) Program: Pioneer in human-centered design, software usability, and digital product interface development.
- School of Nursing: Prepares clinical nurses through advanced simulation technology and direct clinical rotations in urban hospitals.
"Applications of Theory to Practice, serving as MSOE's guiding institutional philosophy, driving practical career readiness."
Campus Culture and Mascot
Your daily student experience centers on the Dwight and Dian Diercks Computational Science Hall, the Campus Center, and the Grohmann Museum. School spirit revolves around Roscoe Raider, the official mascot representing MSOE Raiders athletic teams in NCAA Division III Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference sports. You can read about spirit traditions and mascot history on the official MSOE Raiders Athletics portal. Cheering inside the Kern Center for hockey games, building projects for national engineering design competitions, and joining over 100 student clubs creates a close-knit campus culture.
Research Infrastructure and Supercomputing Innovation
MSOE operates an active applied research enterprise backed by state-of-the-art computational facilities:
- Rosie Supercomputer Facility: High-powered GPU supercomputer housed in Diercks Hall, driving undergraduate research in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
- Grohmann Museum: Houses the world's most comprehensive art collection documenting the evolution of human work and industrial engineering. Learn more via MSOE Research Operations.
- Fluid Power Institute: Internationally recognized research lab advancing hydraulic systems, fluid power, and industrial automation.
Notable Alumni Legacy
You walk in the footsteps of corporate executives, inventors, engineering leaders, and public servants, including:
- Dwight Diercks: Senior Vice President at NVIDIA who earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at MSOE and endowed Diercks Hall.
- Carl Kiekhaefer: Industrialist and founder of Mercury Marine who studied electrical engineering at MSOE.
- James I. Magestro: Metallurgical engineer and corporate leader in advanced alloy manufacturing.
- Larry A. Schotz: Inventor and pioneer in digital radio tuner technology who studied engineering at MSOE.
MSOE provides guaranteed merit scholarship coverage for admitted undergraduate students, ensuring affordable access to technical education. Review full admission standards and application steps on the official MSOE Admissions portal.