Founded in 1951, Northwestern Michigan College, known as NMC to local residents, is a community college in Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan.

Its annual enrollment is around 5,100 (Spring 2010) students.

NMC offers associate's degrees and professional certificates, bachelor's degrees through the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, and eight partner universities grant bachelor's and master's degrees through NMC's University Center.

The Great Lakes Maritime Academy at Northwestern Michigan College is located on West Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, Michigan.

The academy was established in 1969 to train men and women to be licensed mariners on ships of unlimited tonnage or horsepower; including research vessels, cruise ships, freighters, tankers and more.

One of only seven maritime academies in the United States, the Great Lakes Maritime Academy is unique in that it is the only freshwater maritime academy.

In addition, it is the only maritime academy in the United States that offers graduates the opportunity to obtain licensing on both the Great Lakes and the oceans along with an additional credential of First Class Great Lakes Pilot.

A community college is a type of educational institution.

The term can have different meanings in different countries, but usually refers to an educational institution that provides tertiary education and continuing education supplemental to traditional universities and colleges.

An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting two years.

It is considered to be greater level of education than a high school diploma or GED.

A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin baccalaureus) or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin baccalaureatus) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to seven years (depending on institution and academic discipline).

In some institutions and educational systems, some bachelor's degrees can only be taken as graduate or postgraduate degrees after a first degree has been completed.

In countries with qualifications frameworks, bachelor's degrees are normally one of the major levels in the framework (sometimes two levels where non-honours and honours bachelor's degrees are considered separately), although some qualifications titled bachelor's degrees may be at other levels (e.g. MBBS) and some qualifications with non-bachelor's titles may be classified as bachelor's degrees (e.g. the Scottish MA and Canadian MD).