NNMC COVID-19 Information   [Learn More]

About Us

The mission of the Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science department at Northern New Mexico College is to educate undergraduates in scientific concepts, laboratory methodologies, and the natural environment of northern New Mexico, to prepare them for graduate school and professional career opportunities in the broad sciences and health fields.

We strive to help our students, future scientists, become competitive in the workforce by improving their education with hands-on research and internship experience.

BCES graduates will:

  • Demonstrate both broad and in-depth knowledge of the basic concepts in the biological sciences.
  • Apply the scientific method and critical thinking skills to ask important biological questions and help solve biological problems.
  • Design and conduct experiments, and test hypotheses.
  • Develop analytical and communication skills as they apply to biological sciences.
  • Demonstrate the ability to read, understand, and critically review scientific papers; prepare oral and written reports in a standard scientific format.
  • Understand the career pathways and professions available in the biological sciences and the significance ethics plays in the field.
  • Be successful in employment with LANL, USFS, BLM, BIA, NMED, other local government and private entities, or graduate school.

BCES Opportunities and Programs:

  • Attendance at national conferences
  • Scholarships
  • Paid local and national internships
  • Science seminar series
  • Professional development and employment skills
  • Undergraduate research experience (URE)
  • Exposure to primary scientific literature
  • Community outreach and science education


Welcome to the BCES department at Northern. We invite you to explore our website and learn more about our programs and faculty.

Our goals are to provide high quality instruction, scholarship and service to the academic community in the natural sciences. Our programs provide rigorous training across many sub-disciplines for a wide variety of careers. BCES graduates have gone on to graduate school, medical school, teaching, and industry.

We welcome you to contact us to learn more about BCES at Northern.

505.747.5480

Northern offers over 50 bachelor's, associate and certificate programs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math); Nursing and Health Sciences; Liberal Arts and Humanities; Arts, Film & Media; Business Administration; Teacher Education and Technical Trades.
Northern New Mexico College is the most affordable 4-year college in the Southwestern US. Choose us for our value, our quality degree and continuing education programs in diverse areas of study, and our experienced faculty. We provide students with unique opportunities for academic, personal, and professional growth, small class sizes, personalized attention, and strong hands-on experiences from day one.
The Northern Foundation remains committed to stimulate leadership, promote equity, and grow resources and philanthropy in the Española Valley and surrounding rural areas. Over the past twenty years, we have granted $1.3 million to support over 1,250 NNMC students.