Great Basin College

Great Basin College Academics

A member of the Nevada System of Higher Education, Great Basin College was opened in 1967 as “Elko Community College.” Today, Great Basic College consists of several campuses serving its nearly 5,000 students. The main, or Elko Campus, is home to the lovely residential facility, and is the hub for six large Nevada counties. Branch campuses, centers, and facilities are located in Battle Mountain, Ely, Pahrunp, and Winnemucca, as well as satellite centers in Amargosa Valley, Austin, Beatty, Carlin, Crescent Valley, Eureka, Gabbs, Jackpot, McDermitt, Owyhee, Round Mountain, Wells and Wendover. Students may study towards associate and baccalaureate degrees at GBC, and high school students may participate in several dual enrollment schemes.

Students may choose to participate in degree and certificate awarding programs through GBC. Bachelor degree programs generally last 4 years, associate degree programs two, and certificate programs just one year. Other programs offered may last only one semester, and generally improve on career skills in areas like real estate, business, or office administration. Students may choose from areas of study like agriculture, education, English, integrative studies, technology/industry, physical education, science, broadcast technology, business & business administration, health sciences, human and social services, career/technical education, fine arts & humanities, and computer office technology. Exciting concentrations include production, resource management, early childhood education, digital information technology, surveying/geomatics, diesel technology, journalism, languages and more. At GBC students have access to technological and scholarly resources like the Great Basin College Library, computing labs, top software, campus email, and the computing helpdesk.

For students already engaged in preexisting commitments like careers, jobs, or families, or obstacles like location or transportation, GBC offers Classes at a Distance. Students may engage in internet courses via the WebCampus, interactive video courses (IAV), and LiveNet courses. Additionally, students may speed up the process of receiving a title or degree by receiving college credit by examination through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), College Board Advanced Placement Examination (CBAPE), and Challenge Examinations. It may also be possible to award students credit hours for knowledge and experience, as determined by a qualified GBC faculty member and the Academic Standards Committee of the Faculty senate. High school students may earn credit by enrolling in special programs like the Dual Enrollment program, or Tech Prep in participating school districts. In addition to degree and certificate granting programs, custom courses are designed at GBC to improve area business and industry. Examples are workplace literacy, technology training, computer training, technical writing, management and supervisory training, customer service, communication, first aid, and more.

All students are assisted in their academic or technical pursuits by the Academic Success Center. With instruction offered in writing, science, and foreign languages, students have access to tutors during all regular ASC hours. Essay correction is also available by advanced e-submission to editors at the ASC. Student Retention services help students in making the transition to the postsecondary educational environment, providing valuable advice and personal counseling. The Adult Learning Centers at GBC provide adult basic instruction on a variety of subjects like English, math, grammar, writing, and English as a Second Language. The Adult Basic Education department caters to those 18 years of age and older who wish to improve basic job or academic skills, or to complete GED Test Prep or the GED Test. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is the accrediting agency for Great Basin College, a member college of the Nevada System of Higher Education.