MSU-Maguindanao was previously named as DINAIG AGRICULTURAL AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE (DATC). It was established on October 10, 1973 by virtue of the Board of Regents (BOR) Resolution No. 821 series of 1973 on the second semester of School Year 1973-1974.
There were only three (3) courses offered at the first operation, namely; Bachelor of Science in Forestry, Major in General Forestry, Bachelor of Agriculture major in Agronomy, and Bachelor of Science in Community Development at Dalican Pilot Elementary School Grand Stand.
In the first semester of School year 1974-1975, Forestry as one among the pioneer courses was organized with seven (7) students and two (2) faculty members.
Thereafter, the enrollment of the college was increasingly recorded every year, resulting to the hiring of additional faculty members.