9 3 . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁F ounded ▁in ▁the ▁Territ ory ▁of ▁New ▁Mexico ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁as ▁the ▁New ▁Mexico ▁Normal ▁School , ▁the ▁school ▁began ▁to ▁offer ▁classes ▁on ▁September ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 9 4 , ▁in ▁a ▁r ented ▁Pres by ter ian ▁church . ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁the ▁nas cent ▁board ▁of ▁reg ents ▁accepted ▁ ▁of ▁Town ▁of ▁Silver ▁City ▁land ▁situated ▁on ▁a ▁hill side ▁over looking ▁the ▁town ▁don ated ▁by ▁Reg ent , ▁and ▁Mayor ▁Town ▁of ▁Silver ▁City , ▁Colonel ▁John ▁W . ▁F lem ing . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁the ▁school ' s ▁first ▁permanent ▁building , ▁Old ▁Main , ▁was ▁dedicated , ▁and ▁within ▁twenty ▁years ▁en roll ment ▁had ▁reached ▁nearly ▁ 5 0 0 ▁students . ▁ ▁Academ ics ▁ ▁W N M U ▁offers ▁more ▁than ▁ 7 0 ▁areas ▁of ▁study . ▁Tw elve ▁master ' s ▁degree , ▁ 4 1 ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degrees , ▁and ▁ 2 0 ▁associate ▁degrees ▁and ▁certificate ▁programs ▁are ▁available . ▁Field s ▁of ▁study ▁include ▁account ing , ▁business , ▁chem istry , ▁criminal ▁justice , ▁education , ▁environmental ▁sust ain ability , ▁forest / w ild life , ▁graph ic ▁design , ▁history , ▁n urs ing , ▁occup ational ▁ther apy , ▁psych ology , ▁social ▁work , ▁soci ology