Bakersfield College

What is the history of Bakersfield College?

Bakersfield College began in 1913 as a junior college associated with Bakersfield High School. It developed into a public community college serving Bakersfield and surrounding Kern County communities, with a focus on transfer education and career preparation.

Its move to the Panorama Drive campus in the 1950s established the main campus students use today. Bakersfield College is now part of the Kern Community College District. A later milestone was the addition of a bachelor's degree in industrial automation under California's community college baccalaureate initiative. That program expands the college's offerings, but associate degrees, certificates, and transfer pathways remain central to its identity.

What are the faculties and departments at Bakersfield College?

Bakersfield College organizes instruction around academic and career pathways rather than the graduate schools typical of a research university. Students can pursue associate degrees, certificates, and transfer-oriented coursework in the arts and humanities, business, social sciences, education, STEM fields, health sciences, and industrial and technical fields.

Examples include nursing and other health programs, business administration, computer science, agriculture, automotive technology, and industrial automation. The college also offers a bachelor's degree in industrial automation. That degree has different upper-division requirements from an associate degree or certificate, so applicants should consult its current catalog entry rather than assume the college's general admission rules are the only requirements.

For transfer students, the distinction between an Associate Degree for Transfer and another associate degree matters: an approved transfer degree follows a defined California State University pathway, while individual majors and campuses can impose additional preparation requirements.

What is the location of Bakersfield College?

Bakersfield College's main campus is at 1801 Panorama Drive in Bakersfield, California. It also serves students at other instructional locations, including its Delano Campus; course and service availability can differ by site.

Bakersfield is a Kern County city with agriculture, energy, health care, and other regional employers. The Panorama campus is not a residential campus, making travel time, parking, and transit practical considerations when choosing class sections. Students comparing locations should check where required labs, advising appointments, and other in-person activities take place before building a schedule.

What is the mission and vision of Bakersfield College?

Bakersfield College states a mission centered on providing accessible education that supports degree and certificate completion, transfer, and workforce preparation for the communities it serves. Its institutional planning also emphasizes student learning and equitable access to opportunities.

These are the college's stated priorities, not a guarantee of any individual outcome. Prospective students can assess how those priorities apply to them by examining the course sequence for their intended program, the location and timing of required classes, and the support available for their academic goal. Bakersfield College is a public institution and has no religious affiliation.