New Mexico State University is a public land-grant and space-grant research university which is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico. New Mexico State University—which is commonly referred to just as NMSU—was originally established in 1888 by Hiram Hadley, an Earlham College-educated teacher from Indiana, as the Las Cruces College. The year following its establishment, the college was renamed the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. The college was re-designated a final time to its present-day name in 1960. New Mexico State University is a Hispanic Serving Institute (HSI) and is the only research-extensive, a land-grant institution which is located on the United States-Mexico border which is classified by the federal government as being an HSI.
The university operates two libraries and seven museums. The two libraries (Branson Hall Library and Zuhl Library) have a total combined collection of more than 1 million volumes. The seven museums that the university operates include the NMSU Arthropod Museum, the University Museum, and the Klipsch Museum. The NMSU Arthropod Museum is home to more than 5,000 teaching specimens and holds more than 150,000 research articles, and museum specimens are used globally for taxonomic research and within the state for community outreach and education.
In addition to the auxiliary institutions that the university operates, NMSU is organized into several graduate school and colleges. These include the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering, the Graduate School, the College of Health and Social Services and the College of Honors.
Featured Programs
Through the university’s various schools and colleges, NMSU provides its more than 18,000 students with academic programs in more than 80 areas-of-study. The university is home to New Mexico’s NASA Space Grant Program and operates additional research universities such as the Agricultural Experiment Station, the Institute for Energy and Environment and the Manufacturing Technology and Engineering Center.
The area of Las Cruces has a variety of things for NMSU attending students and area visitors to do, such as:
The New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum: The New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum is a 47-acre interactive museum that features the Historic Green Bridge, the Skaggs Dairy Barn, the Blacksmith Shop, the Beef Barn, the Sheep and Goat Barn, the Greenhouse, various gardens, orchards, and a pond. The museum chronicles the state’s 3,000-year long history of farming and ranching and is a part of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.
The Prehistoric Trackways National Monument: The Prehistoric Trackways National Monument is the 100th National Monument and is the newest National Monument in the nation, having been designated as a monument in 2009. The monument features a major deposit of Paleozoic Era fossilized footprints. Some of the prints present were left by various species including Dimetrodons, Eryops, Edaphosaurus, and various other specimens of pelycosaurs. The monument also features natural desert flora and fauna native to the area.
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New Mexico State University Degree Programs
New Mexico State University offers students a variety of undergraduate degree-granting programs and graduate degree-granting programs from which to choose. In this next section, we list the available programs for undergraduates and graduates, as well as options for online degrees.
Bachelor’s Degree Programs at New Mexico State University
| Accounting |
| Aerospace Engineering |
| Agricultural and Community Development |
| Agricultural and Extension Education (Advanced Technology Education) |
| Agricultural and Extension Education (Agricultural Communications) |
| Agricultural and Extension Education (Agricultural Education Teaching) |
| Agricultural Biology (Applied Biology) |
| Agricultural Biology (Applied Microbiology) |
| Agricultural Biology (Entomology) |
| Agricultural Biology (Environmental Biology) |
| Agricultural Biology (Pest Biology and Management) |
| Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business |
| Agronomy |
| Animal Science (Animal Industry) |
| Animal Science (Science) |
| Animation and Visual Effects |
| Anthropology |
| Applied Studies |
| Art (Art History) |
| Art (Studio Art) |
| Art (Museum Conservation) |
| Athletic Training |
| Biochemistry |
| Biology |
| Biology |
| Chemical Engineering |
| Chemistry |
| Chemistry |
| Civil Engineering (Environmental) |
| Civil Engineering (General) |
| Civil Engineering (Geotechnical) |
| Civil Engineering (Structural) |
| Civil Engineering (Water Resources) |
| Communication Disorders |
| Communication Studies |
| Computer Science |
| Computer Science (Algorithm Theory) |
| Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) |
| Computer Science (Big Data and Data Science) |
| Computer Science (Computer Networking) |
| Computer Science (Cybersecurity) |
| Computer Science (Human Computer Interaction) |
| Computer Science (Software Development) |
| Conservation Ecology |
| Conservation Ecology |
| Counseling and Community Psychology |
| Criminal Justice |
| Cybersecurity |
| Dance (Contemporary Dance) |
| Dance (Dance Sport) |
| Dance (Spanish Dance) |
| Digital Filmmaking |
| Early Childhood Education |
| Economics |
| Economics |
| Economics |
| Educational Leadership |
| Electrical Engineering (Communications and Signal Processing) |
| Electrical Engineering (Computers and Microelectronics) |
| Electrical Engineering (Control & Power) |
| Electrical Engineering (Electromagnetics and Photonics) |
| Electrical Engineering (Space Systems) |
| Elementary Education (Language Arts K-8) |
| Elementary Education (Math K-8) |
| Elementary Education (Science K-8) |
| Elementary Education (Social Studies K-8) |
| Engineering Physics (Aerospace) |
| Engineering Physics (Chemical) |
| Engineering Physics (Electrical) |
| Engineering Physics (Mechanical) |
| Engineering Technology – Civil (Construction Technology) |
| Engineering Technology – Civil (Geomatics) |
| Engineering Technology – Civil (Renewable Energy Technologies) |
| Engineering Technology – Civil (Transportation Technology) |
| Engineering Technology – Civil (Water/Wastewater Technology) |
| Engineering Technology – Electronics and Computer (Digital Forensics) |
| Engineering Technology – Electronics and Computer (Information Security Technology) |
| Engineering Technology – Electronics and Computer (Renewable Energy Technologies) |
| Engineering Technology – Information (Information Security Technology) |
| Engineering Technology – Mechanical (Renewable Energy Technologies) |
| English (English) |
| English (Literature, Language and Culture) |
| English (Rhetoric, Digital Media and Professional Communication) |
| English (Creative Writing) |
| Environmental Science |
| Family and Child Science |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Education |
| Fashion Merchandising and Design |
| Finance (Banking and Financial Planning) |
| Finance (Entrepreneurial Finance) |
| Finance (Financial Analyst) |
| Finance (Risk Management and Insurance) |
| Fisheries and Wildlife Science (Wildlife Ecology and Management) |
| Fisheries and Wildlife Science (Aquatic Ecology and Management) |
| Food Science and Technology (Meat Science) |
| Food Science and Technology (Science, Technology and Engineering) |
| Food Science and Technology (Culinary Science) |
| Foreign Languages (Spanish) |
| Foreign Languages (French) |
| Foreign Languages (German) |
| Gender and Sexuality Studies |
| General Agriculture |
| General Business |
| General Business (Entrepreneurship) |
| Genetics and Biotechnology |
| Genetics and Biotechnology |
| Geography (Geographic Information Science & Tech) |
| Geography (Human/Environment Relationships) |
| Geology (Geological Sciences) |
| Geology (Earth and Environmental Sciences) |
| Geology (Earth Science Education) |
| Geomatics |
| Government |
| History |
| Horticulture |
| Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management |
| Human Nutrition and Dietetic Sciences (Nutrition Education) |
| Human Nutrition and Dietetic Sciences (Pre-Dietetics/Dietetics) |
| Individualized Studies |
| Industrial Engineering |
| Information and Communication Technology |
| Information Systems |
| International Business |
| Journalism and Media Studies |
| Justice, Political Philosophy and Law |
| Kinesiology (Exercise Science) |
| Kinesiology (Performance Psychology) |
| Kinesiology (Physical Education) |
| Management (Human Resource Management) |
| Management (Project & Supply Chain Management) |
| Management (Small Business Management & Entrepreneurship) |
| Marketing |
| Marketing (PGA Golf Management) |
| Mathematics (Actuarial Science and Insurance) |
| Mathematics (Applied Mathematics) |
| Mathematics (Foundations) |
| Mathematics (General Mathematics) |
| Mathematics (Secondary Mathematics Education) |
| Mechanical Engineering |
| Microbiology |
| Music (Vocal Performance) |
| Music (Instrumental Performance) |
| Music (Piano Performance) |
| Music Education (K-12 Instrumental) |
| Music Education (K-12 Vocal) |
| Natural Resource Economics and Policy |
| Nursing |
| Philosophy |
| Physics |
| Physics (Geophysics) |
| Physics (Materials Science) |
| Physics (Optics) |
| Physics (Applied Physics) |
| Physics (Computational Physics) |
| Psychology |
| Public Health |
| Range Science |
| Secondary Education (Secondary Education General Science) |
| Secondary Education (Secondary Education Language Arts) |
| Secondary Education (Secondary Education Math) |
| Secondary Education (Secondary Education Social Studies) |
| Social Work |
| Sociology |
| Soil Science (Soil and Water Science) |
| Soil Science (Soils) |
| Soil Science (Environment and Resource Management) |
| Special Education (Elementary Education) |
| Special Education (Secondary Education) |
| Theatre Arts |
| Theatre Arts (Musical Theatre) |
| Turfgrass Science and Management |
| Zero-to-Four (Early Childhood) |
New Mexico State University in-Person Graduate Programs
| Accounting |
| Aerospace Engineering |
| Agricultural Biology |
| Agricultural Economics |
| Agricultural Extension Education |
| Agriculture |
| Animal Science |
| Anthropology |
| Applied Statistics |
| Art |
| Astronomy |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| Bioinformatics and Computational Biology |
| Biology |
| Business Administration |
| Chemical Engineering |
| Chemistry |
| Civil Engineering |
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Clinical Psychopharmacology |
| Communication Disorders |
| Communication Studies |
| Data Analytics |
| Computer Science |
| Counseling and Guidance |
| Counseling Psychology |
| Creative Writing |
| Criminal Justice |
| Cultural Resource Management |
| Curriculum and Instruction |
| Digital Communication |
| Digital Signal Processing |
| Economic Development |
| Economics |
| Education |
| Educational Leadership and Administration |
| Electrical Engineering |
| Energy Systems |
| Engineering |
| English |
| Environmental Engineering |
| Family and Consumer Science |
Family Practice Nursing |
| Finance |
| Geography |
| Geology |
| Government |
| History |
| Horticulture |
| Industrial Engineering |
| Kinesiology & Dance |
Mathematical Sciences |
| Mechanical Engineering |
Molecular Biology |
| Museum Studies |
| Music |
| Nursing |
| Nursing Practice |
| Nursing Science |
| Online Teaching and Learning |
| Physics |
| Plant and Environmental Sciences |
| Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing |
| Psychology |
| Public Administration |
| Public Health |
| Public Utility Regulation & Economics |
| Range Science |
| Rhetoric and Professional Communication |
| School Psychology |
| Social Work |
| Sociology |
| Spanish |
| Special Education |
| Systems Engineering |
| Telemetering |
| Water Science and Management |
| Wildlife Sciences |
New Mexico State University Online Programs
New Mexico State University stands out for the number of online programs available to students—over 60, in fact. The school offers certificates, Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s degrees, and hybrid programs. Here is the complete listing of all remote degree options at NMSU, along with links to each program.
| Hybrid & ITV Programs |
| Masters of Arts in Agricultural and Extension Education (HYB) |
| Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Administration in PK-12 +Licensure |
| Master of Arts in Economics |
| Master of Social Work |
| Master of Business Administration (HYB) |
| Postdoctoral Master of Science in Clinical Psychopharmacology (HYB) |
| Doctor of Nursing Practice |
What Makes New Mexico State University Unique: Noche de Luminarias
Noche de Luminarias (or Night of Lights) is a tradition that signals the holiday season at New Mexico State University and is considered to be one of the largest luminaria displays in the state of New Mexico. Each candle set in the display is lit inside a paper bag, and more than 6,000 luminarias are set out, beginning at the Educational Services Building and extending out towards the International Mall before finally encircling the Corbett Center Student Union.
Other School Facts:
New Mexico State University is home to a variety of sororities and fraternities. The Greek organizations present are:
- Alpha Xi Delta;
- Chi Omega;
- Delta Gamma;
- Delta Zeta;
- Zeta Tau Alpha;
- Alpha Gamma Rho;
- Alpha Tau Omega;
- Delta Sigma Phi;
- Kappa Sigma;
- Lambda Chi Alpha;
- Phi Delta Theta;
- Pi Kappa Alpha;
- Phi Kappa Tau;
- Pi Kappa Phi;
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon;
- Sigma Chi;
- Tau Kappa Epsilon;
- Phi Beta Sigma;
- Omega Delta Phi;
- Sigma Chi;
- Kappa Sigma;
- Lambda Chi Alpha;
- Phi Delta Theta;
- Kappa Delta Chi;
- Chi Upsilon Sigma;
- Zeta Phi Beta;
- Gamma Sigma Alpha;
- The Order of Omega and;
- GAMMA
New Mexico State University’s Website: https://www.nmsu.edu/
New Mexico State University’s Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
New Mexico State University’s Values and Mission Statement:
New Mexico State University’s Motto: None
New Mexico State University’s Mascot: Pistol Pete
New Mexico State University’s Colors: Crimson and White
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