University of Nevada Las Vegas Degree Programs
University of Nevada Las Vegas appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Online Nursing Education Master’s Degrees.
The University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) is a fixture on the Las Vegas culture map. Located within walking distance of the famous Las Vegas Strip, the university is another gem amongst many that shine differently from the casinos that surround it. Born from the desert, UNLV finds rich roots in every climate of the world. The university uses multiple venues to develop the potential of its students. In addition to traditional brick-and-mortar classes, UNLV reaches out to students across the globe with its innovative online degrees. Since its inception in 1957, UNLV has grown in leaps from one year to the next to become one of the most influential educational institutions on the globe. The degree programs at UNLV are innovative and encompass every field of study that the modern world demands. UNLV offers over 300 undergraduate degree majors that attract a considerable student body which is reaching over 30,000 of which 25,000 at undergraduates, 4,200 are graduate students, and 1,000 are professional students.
To organize their undergraduate efforts, UNLV is divided into a series of colleges and schools. Those divisions are:
- Lee Business School
- School of Dental Medicine
- College of Education
- Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering
- College of Fine Arts
- William F. Harrah College of Hospitality
- School of Integrated Health Sciences
- William S. Boyd School of Law
- College of Liberal Arts
- UNLV School of Medicine
- School of Nursing
- School of Public Health
- College of Sciences
- Greenspun College of Public Affairs
UNLV offers a stricter path through its University Honors Program for those undergraduate students who wish for a stamp of excellence to be immediately visible on their diploma. Graduates who have survived this robust program are recognized throughout academia as exceptional. Employers in both the public and private areas of enterprise move these graduates to the front of the line when looking for candidates that add vitality and drive to their pool of employees.
All undergraduates choose a major field of study within the first two years of their education at UNLV. Also, the UNLV spirit encourages its undergraduates to select an extra field of study, either as a dual major or as a minor. Double majors are uncommon, with an incredible number of hours focused on just two areas of research which limits the undergraduate’s ability to immerse themselves in further life-experiences; a double major is only recommended to those students with a laser focus on their chosen fields of study. Adding a minor degree to a major enhances the student’s experience and still allows for exploration of other areas of study.
The hours of study dedicated toward a major and a minor are significantly different. A Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; Finance requires a minimum of 120 semester credit hours. Those students majoring in another area that wish to add a minor in finance to their degree need only complete 21 hours of upper-division finance courses.
UNLV offers over 160 graduate-level programs in every field of study. While most of these programs are classroom-oriented, the university presents, many of them entirely online, allowing distance-learners to continue their education while working, even when on another Continent.
A Master of Arts in Anthropology illustrates the incredible opportunities graduate students have at UNLV. The degree has two specialties, General Anthropology or Archeological Heritage Management. Each specialty has two tracks; one track involves writing a pertinent thesis and the other does not. Both tracks require the completion of 33 semester credit hours, but when including a thesis, six of those credit hours are used for that purpose.
Specialist Certifications are an additional degree for those who are already working in their chosen field with an undergraduate degree. These degrees are designed to increase the knowledge of the student in a laser-focused area of their work. A Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics requires the completion of 12 semester credit hours with a GPA of 3.00 or above in each of the four courses.
Doctoral programs at UNLV are considered intense and unique examples of what a doctoral degree should mean. The Doctor of Philosophy in English degree has several areas available on which a student can focus. All of them require a significant dissertation along with an intense defense of the publishable final copy of the work. Significant semester credit hours go into the program with all courses coming from the 700-level. A doctorate at UNLV requires a minimum of 75 graduate-level credit hours as well. The doctoral programs at UNLV are intense and take years to accomplish.
About University of Nevada Las Vegas
UNLV has grown from humble beginnings. In 1957, the Nevada legislature mandated a post-secondary school be established in the Las Vegas area. The first class to graduate included 64 students. Today, UNLV is considered one of the finest post-secondary educational institutions in the land, if not in the world. Along with presenting degree opportunities t students across the globe, the university recently reached the rarified atmosphere as an “R1: Doctoral University-Very high research activity” classification from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
UNLV’s School of Nursing is rated number one in Nevada and one of the top nursing schools in the country by NCareers.org. The university is the first educational institution in Nevada to reach a 25-percent level of Hispanic enrollment making it the fourth most diverse university for undergraduates in the country, according to US News & World Report. The Culinary School in the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality is ranked by US News & World Report as the number one culinary school in the country. US News & World Report goes on to list UNLV as number 293 in National Universities, 115 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, and 128 in Business Programs.
University of Nevada Las Vegas Accreditation Details
UNLV is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Schools, colleges, and departments within the UNLV structure are accredited in specialized areas by other accrediting organizations. Some of those organizations include:
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)
- Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
- Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR)
- National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
- Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA)
- Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA)
- American Bar Association (ABA)
- National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- American Psychological Association (APA)
- Council of Education on Public Health (CEPH)
- National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA)
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
University of Nevada Las Vegas Application Requirements
UNLV application requirements have a unique four-way option for students. For Nevada high school graduates, a student only needs to present a high school diploma. Another option is to send in SAT scores reflecting a composite score of 1120 or higher. Those taking the ACT instead must submit a composite score of 22 or better. The final method of application is to present a high school transcript that demonstrates a 3.00 or better average in these 13 credits units:
- Four units of English
- Four units of mathematics
- Three units of social science
- Three units of natural science
To enter a graduate program, applicants must present a baccalaureate with a transcript showing a minimum GPA of 2.75. Each program has testing requirements like the GRE or GMAT. To discover information on the needed test, find the website of the department in which the graduate degree is housed.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The difference in costs for instate and out-of-state students at UNLV is staggering and reflects the amount of subsidizing Nevada provides for the education of its citizens. Nevada residents can expect to pay $233.00 per credit hour while out-of-state students pay the $233.00 per credit hour plus another $256.25 in tuition and fees per credit hour. A graduate student from Nevada pays $285.75 per credit hour while a non-resident pays an additional $314.25 for each of those credits.
UNLV is highly regarded for its efforts to reduce student debt. Their advisors and student finance specialists look under every rock to find scholarships, grants, and other funds to alleviate the pay-back option of a Federal Student Loan for its undergraduates and graduate students alike. In some cases, like the Doctor of Philosophy in English, a stipend that eliminates all tuition and other college costs is freely given by the university through previous student endowments and donations.
UNLV is on record as accepting 78-percent of the applications made for entry. As a school with a liberal philosophy, entry into the University of Nevada Las Vegas is a substantial step toward a successful and fulfilling career.