The present Department of Metals and Corrosion Engineering is a successor of the Department of Chemical Metallurgy and Metallography established at the Czech Technical University in 1923 on the grounds of the Cabinet of Chemical Metallurgy that was a part of the Department of Theoretical and Physical Chemistry and Metallurgy lead by professor Frantisek Wald at the Czech Technical University.
Educating metallurgy has had a long tradition on the Czech territory. Commencing at the Imperial Czech Estate College it dates back to 1806. The Metallurgy of Iron was included in the study programme as an independent course in 1871 and it was lectured by Jan Dušánek. Professor František Wald who had been appointed professor of theoretical and physical chemistry and chemical metallurgy had a huge influence on the development and improvement of metallurgy education, and even more so it was professor Otakar Quadrat, who joined the Cabinet in 1923 and took the Cabinet of Chemical metallurgy transformed into the Department of Chemical Metallurgy and Metallography over from professor Wald. He lead the department until 1956. At the end of the fifties and in the beginning of the sixties, new courses were included in the metallurgy and metallography education: Corrosion Engineering and Metallic Materials Studies. In 1958, professor Josef Koritta was appointed as the Head of the Department. A modern study programme focused on the technology of metals was carved under his management. The education started to prioritise physical metallurgy and corrosion engineering to the original specialisation in metallurgical analytic chemistry. From 1973 until 1979 the department was lead by Ferdinand Franz, from 1979 until 1991 it was Ladislav Kubíček, from 1991 until 2009 the position of Head of the Department was held by Pavel Novák, followed by Dalibor Vojtěch since 2009.
Another progress in the study structure dates back to the nineties, when the education started to focus on production of metals from recycled materials and processes leading to the disposal of metal-bearing waste. The education has been also extended with issues relating to restoration of metallic historical artefacts and historical methods of production of metals. Optional courses include courses focusing on the fundamental information about non-metallic materials and materials used for surgical implant materials. Laboratory sessions and individual research activities of students have been fostered by introducing term projects.