In 1903, the Agricultural College of Utah (A.C.U.), created the School of Engineering and Mechanic Arts. Prior to that, students geared their studies toward one of four different curriculums, Engineering and Mechanic Arts, Home Economics, Commerce, or Agriculture. In 1907, the Utah State Legislature restricted the curriculum, requiring the institution to drop engineering and the school became the School of Mechanic Arts. The Utah Legislature later changed its mind and in 1914 again allowed the A.C.U. to create a new school, called the School of Agricultural Engineering. It stayed that way until after WW II when they began teaching other branches of Engineering, particularly electrical. By then, the Schools had divided into departments, among which was the Department of Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering. This designation endured even after the old schools became colleges and the institution became Utah State University in 1957. The name of the department changed in 1992 to Biological and Irrigation Engineering, at approximately the same time that the academic calendar switched from quarters to semesters. As of summer 2011, the Irrigation Engineering program has been folded into the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.
From the description of USU Irrigation Engineering Department slide collection, 1950-1995. (Utah State University). WorldCat record id: 773623587
