Our History & Mission | Brevard Community College

Future Students

BCC offers an affordable education on Florida's Space Coast. Check out career and degree choices at our Explore Program Options link. Complete the easy admissions process by clicking Enrollment Steps and be sure to explore all the Financial Aid & Scholarship opportunities to help you pay for college.

Faculty & Staff

BCC employs more than 1,000 full-time and part-time faculty and staff, making the College one of the major employers in Brevard County. With up-to-date resources and technology, we are able to provide top-notch instruction and excellent student support.

Current Students

Your success is our top priority. BCC advisors can help you prepare for a rewarding career or get ready to pursue additional degrees. Plus you'll find the resources you need to navigate your BCC experience.

Foundation & Alumni

Keeping our graduates connected to BCC is the key mission of our Alumni Association. The BCC Foundation supports the college with fundraising programs and coordinates student scholarships. Get involved & make a difference.

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Our History & Mission

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Our Vision & Philosophy

Just the Facts

• Nearly 35,000 students take courses annually on one of BCC''s four campuses in Cocoa, Melbourne, Palm Bay and Titusville or online.

• The College has served more than a half million students in five decades and conferred nearly 89,000 degrees.

• We offer more than 100 degrees and programs and employ about 1,600 faculty and staff members throughout Brevard County.

• Among Florida community colleges, BCC consistently ranks among the top when it comes to graduation rates.

•BCC ranks 19th nationally in awarding associate degrees among more than 1,200 community colleges, and 13th in awarding associate degrees in science technology.

•We also rank 68th nationally in awarding associate degrees to African-Americans, and 76th in awarding associate degrees to all minorities.

• The College employs 252 full-time professors and has an annual operating and capital budget of nearly $100 million.

• BCC boosts the local and regional economies by $1.05 billion a year according to a statewide study conducted to assess the economic impact of the Florida College System.

Our Mission

Brevard Community College is committed to engaging our diverse population in quality, accessible learning opportunities that successfully meet individual and community needs. To fulfill that mission, BCC offers:

Specified baccalaureate degree programs through formal written agreements between the College and other regionally accredited postsecondary educational institutions or with the College for the purpose of meeting district, regional or statewide workforce needs.
Undergraduate studies and Associate Degrees for students pursuing a Baccalaureate Degree delivered in traditional face-to-face classes, partially online classes and online classes.
Technical and vocational training for Associate Degrees and Certificates to enter the workforce, improve professional skills and develop new competencies.
Instructional support services such as advising and career guidance.
Activities supporting cultural enrichment, economic development, sports, wellness and quality of life.
Workshops and classes for personal growth, developmental instruction and lifelong learning.

Our History

Brevard Community College, located in the heart of Florida’s Space Coast, is a two-year, co-educational, publicly supported post-secondary institution. Established in 1960 as Brevard Junior College, the first students — and 31 faculty members — met in the old Cocoa High school building off Forrest Avenue, since demolished.

Also established in 1960 was Carver Junior College, another two-year, publicly supported, postsecondary institution that provided educational opportunities to the African-American residents of Brevard County. In 1963, the two schools merged and BCC moved to its present location on 87 acres adjacent to Clear Lake in Cocoa.

Half a century later, Brevard Community College’s nearly 35,000 students take classes each year on one of four brick-and-mortar campuses that span 544 acres throughout the county or online through eBrevard. The College’s diverse student body is made up of high school graduates, business professionals, retirees and people who are university-bound, seeking new career paths or simply following a love of learning.

An accredited institution, BCC is recognized as one of America's leading community colleges for quality in instruction, organization and innovative, leading-edge programs. It was one of the first community colleges in the country to offer the A.A. degree online. The total number of Associate Degrees earned each year by students is in the top two percent in the nation.

A Direct Connect program between BCC and the University of Central Florida allows for seamless transfer of credits from BCC's Associate's program to UCF's Baccalaureate. The partnership also involves the sharing of facilities and services with UCF on BCC's campuses, including the BCC/UCF Joint-Use Library, one of the most technologically advanced learning resource centers in the nation.

On July 1, 2013, BCC will change its name to Eastern Florida State College to reflect the addition of four-year degrees and the expanding mission to provide affordable bachelor's degree programs.

Economic development activities are strongly supported at BCC and are reflected in partnerships with area businesses through customized training programs and facility-use agreements. BCC ‘s Technical and Professional Training programs and Customized Corporate Services coordinate all facets of corporate customers’ requirements, including needs assessment, specialized curriculum and training for both high-end technology and soft skills. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is a federally funded organization operated through the College that offers numerous resources, services, workshops and seminars to small business owners and entrepreneurs in order to help them succeed and grow.

The 2,000-seat King Center for the Performing Arts offers nationally known performances and cultural art events. A leader in science and technology, the College is home to the Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory, which features one of the largest public-access telescopes in Florida, as well as large-format movies, laser light shows and other educational planetarium presentations.