New Mexico State University, is a major public, land-grant, research university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest public institution of higher education in the state of New Mexico. NMSU is the second largest four-year university in the state, in terms of total enrollment across all campuses as of 2011, with campuses in Alamogordo, Carlsbad, Doña Ana County, and Grants, with extension and research centers across New Mexico.New Mexico State University is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a "R-2 Doctorate-granting University - with higher research activity". The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges for 2018 National Universities rankings awarded NMSU a spot in the top 200 national universities in the United States. New Mexico State's athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division I level, competing in the Western Athletic Conference, except for football which is a part of the Sunbelt Conference.The Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, located on New Mexico State's campus, is a privately funded Osteopathic Medical school. New Mexico State University shares a unique relationship with BCOM as the medical students can enjoy the facilities and amenities of NMSU's campus.It was founded to teach agriculture in 1888 as the Las Cruces College, and the following year became New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. It received its present name in 1960. NMSU has 14,852 students enrolled as of Fall 2015, and has a faculty-to-student ratio of about 1 to 16. NMSU offers a wide range of programs and awards associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through its main campus and four community colleges. NMSU offers 28 doctoral degree programs, 58 master's degree programs, and 96 baccalaureate majors. NMSU is the only research-extensive, land-grant, U.S.-Mexico border institution classified by the federal government as serving Hispanics.
