Nassau Community College was created as part of the State University of New York (SUNY) in 1959. When the college opened, on February 1, 1960, it had 632 students, and classes were held in an old courthouse. When Mitchel Air Force Base closed, the college obtained substantial property, including buildings to develop its new campus, on what is now known as Mitchel Field. NCC offers the A.A. degree in Liberal Arts focused on humanities and social sciences, specialized A.A. and A.S. transfer degrees, and A.A.S. degrees and certificate programs designed to serve immediate employment goals of students.