UNLV Graduate College Programs: Admission and Program Requirements
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Graduate College offers a diverse range of advanced study opportunities, with over 160 graduate certificates and programs. Admission to the Graduate College is competitive, with criteria determined by the Board of Regents, the University, the Graduate College, and individual graduate programs. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the admission and program requirements for graduate studies at UNLV.
Admission Requirements
General Requirements
To be considered for admission to a graduate program at UNLV, applicants must meet the minimum standards set by the Graduate College. However, meeting these minimums does not guarantee admission, as each graduate program has unique admissions standards determined by the department faculty.
Applicants must submit all required admissions materials via the online application system, the Grad Rebel Gateway. Application deadlines vary by department, and prospective students are encouraged to contact the graduate coordinator and faculty in their desired department for program-specific information.
A completed application is required, and applications and materials will not be processed until the application fee is received. Applicants to multiple UNLV graduate programs must pay the admission application evaluation fee for each application filed.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
Applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 (4.00=A) for their bachelor’s degree or a minimum GPA of 3.00 (4.00=A) for the last two years (60 semester hours) of undergraduate coursework.
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Transcripts
Applicants must submit one transcript from every post-secondary institution attended, regardless of whether a degree or credential was earned. The transcript must show all coursework, extension and correspondence work, any degrees earned, and the dates those degrees were awarded.
Unofficial transcripts are accepted as part of the application process. However, if an applicant is admitted, official transcripts will be required by the date specified on the Certificate of Admission. Only transcripts sent directly from the institution are considered official.
Transfer credits posted on another institution’s transcript will not be accepted in lieu of the transcript itself. UNLV provides in-house credential evaluations of academic coursework.
If transcripts or credentials are not in English, they must be accompanied by a word-for-word English translation certified as true by a university official, an official representative of a United States embassy or consulate, the United States Information Service, the United States Education Foundation, or an approved professional translating service. The applicant will also be required to provide the grading scale of the foreign institution they attended.
For credentials from China, students who have completed a degree in China must provide copies of the original language transcripts and a copy of their Degree Certificate and Graduation Certificate. Documents verified by the Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD) or the China Academic Degree and Graduate Information Center (CDGDC) are also accepted.
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For credentials from India, consolidated marks sheets are acceptable if yearly mark sheets are not available. Mark sheets must be issued by the degree-granting institution. Mark sheets from affiliated colleges are not acceptable or considered official.
Foreign Credential Evaluations
All new applicants (international and domestic), EXCEPT those applying to programs in the College of Engineering or to Management Information Systems or Economics, are required to provide a course-by-course evaluation of all foreign credentials from a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) approved external evaluating agency. Foreign credentials refer to transcripts from educational institutions outside the United States. The evaluation must include U.S. equivalency for each credential and a GPA.
Applicants are exempt from this requirement if they are from countries where English is the native language or if they have received a post-secondary degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. These applicants must provide proof of the language of instruction to be exempt.
Proof of English Proficiency
International applicants must provide proof of English proficiency. Applicants are exempt from this requirement if they are from countries where English is the native language or if they have received a post-secondary degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. These applicants must provide proof of the language of instruction in order to be exempt.
Applicants may submit either official or unofficial copies of English proficiency scores for initial application evaluation. Students admitted with unofficial scores will be conditionally admitted and must submit official exam scores by the deadline specified on the Certificate of Admission.
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Minimum acceptable scores that evidence sufficient English proficiency for each test are as follows. Test scores may be no more than two (2) years old at the time of application. The Graduate College may accept exceptions to the minimum score requirements with the support of the academic department for applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher (4.0 scale), along with evidence of academic excellence. Students admitted on this type of exception will be required to visit the UNLV English Language Center (ELC) for an assessment upon arriving on campus and take any courses prescribed by the ELC to remedy any English language deficiencies.
All new international students who are first-time graduate assistants at UNLV without sufficient proof of English proficiency (PEP) will be required to take the Duolingo Test (DET). This includes all GAs who will be advising or teaching students as an instructor, teaching assistant, tutor, or lab supervisors; research assistants; and graduate assistants with other professional duties. The DET must be taken before the start of the semester the GA intends to work at UNLV. International GAs who cannot provide sufficient PEP or pass the DET cannot serve in a teaching capacity during their first semester as a GA and will be reassigned to non-teaching duties.
Additional Materials
In addition to the general requirements, departments and degree programs may require additional materials, such as:
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae
- Letters of recommendation from former instructors, employers, or other professionals who can evaluate the applicant’s potential to complete graduate study.
- Standardized test scores, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
- Writing sample, statement of interest or application letter, portfolio, etc.
Applicants should check the admissions requirements for their graduate program of interest to ensure they submit all necessary materials.
Application Deadlines
All application materials must be submitted to the Graduate College by May 1 for the fall semester or October 1 for the spring semester, unless the department to which you are applying has an earlier deadline. International applicants must also meet immigration/visa-related deadlines and must receive their admissions letter from the Graduate College by July 1 for the fall semester and by November 1 for the spring semester.
Program Requirements
General Requirements
Graduate students are expected to conduct themselves professionally and conform to the ethics, guidelines, policies, and standards of their discipline. It is the responsibility of students to know and observe all regulations and procedures related to their graduate program, the Graduate College, the Nevada System of Higher Education, and UNLV.
All academic work must be done in an ethical manner. UNLV has established policies regarding academic dishonesty and research misconduct among students, faculty, and staff. Violations of the UNLV Student Conduct Code are handled by the Office of Student Conduct.
Residency Requirement
The graduate college requires two years of full-time residency on the campuses of the university and community college system of Nevada.
Credit Requirements
All courses numbered 500-799 are considered graduate-level. The Graduate College requires a minimum of 50 percent of the degree program semester hours are 700-level courses excluding thesis, dissertation, or professional/scholarly paper.
Graduate students enrolled in 9 or more credits are considered full-time. Graduate students enrolled in 5 to 8 credits are considered half-time students; this excludes Graduate Assistants who are considered full-time students when enrolled in 6 or more credits.
Graduate students normally may not take more than 15 credit hours during the fall and spring terms, unless they are in a professional program that specifically requires additional credits. Graduate students may take no more than six credit hours in a single five-week Summer Term and earn no more than a total of 12 credits during the Summer Term (pre, post, and regular five-week sessions combined).
Transfer Credits
With the department and Graduate College approvals, no more than one-third of the minimum number of credits required for the degree (not including credits for thesis, dissertation, and professional/scholarly papers) may be transferred from a regionally accredited graduate degree-granting institution. Courses used to fulfill requirements for a degree at UNLV or elsewhere are prohibited from use toward another degree.
For UNLV Non-Degree Seeking graduate students, a maximum of 15 graduate credits (with grades of B or better) taken at UNLV may be applied toward a graduate program, with the approval of the student’s department and the Graduate Dean. Graduate work from other regionally accredited institutions with a grade of B or higher (3.00, A=4.00) may be transferable into a degree program subject to departmental and Graduate Dean approval.
Degree Time Limits
Master’s degree programs are designed to be 1-3 year courses of study. All master’s degree program requirements must be completed within six years.
Specialist degree programs are generally 3-6 year courses of study. A student beginning a specialist degree program and holding a master’s degree in an appropriate field of study must complete all specialist degree program requirements within six years.
Doctoral degree programs are generally 3-6 year courses of study. A student beginning a doctoral degree program and holding a master’s degree in an appropriate field of study must complete all doctoral degree program requirements within six years.
In special circumstances, the student’s faculty advisory committee may recommend that the Graduate Dean extend these degree time limits.
Continuous Enrollment
After admission to a graduate program, students must register for and complete a minimum of six hours of graduate credits in each rolling three semesters (summer enrollment counts toward this minimum enrollment requirement). Students working on a thesis or dissertation must register for at least three graduate credits each semester (excluding summer) until the document has been completed and has been given final approval.
Students who have not registered for academic work within the prior three rolling semesters (fall-spring-summer, spring-summer-fall, summer-fall-spring) will be separated from their program and must reapply for admission should they wish to continue. Exceptions to the above policy, as with a request for a leave of absence, are made only with the approval of the student’s advisor, graduate coordinator, department chair, academic dean, and the Graduate Dean.
Academic Standing
A candidate for an advanced degree or graduate certificate must have a minimum Graduate Program Grade Point Average of 3.00 to be eligible to graduate or receive a certificate. The Graduate Program GPA, computed by the Graduate College, includes all completed graduate course work accepted at admission and all subsequently approved course work that is being applied toward a degree. At the graduate level, grades below a B are generally considered unacceptable.
Students are considered to be making satisfactory progress toward the degree as long as they are successfully completing six hours of graduate degree program credits per rolling three semesters (including summer), meeting their graduate program milestones, fulfilling degree requirements, progressing toward completion, and submitting all required paperwork in a timely manner.
If a student fails to successfully progress in their degree program, their department/school will recommend that the student be placed on probation by the Graduate College. Students on probation may be dismissed/separated from their program for failing to successfully meet the conditions of their probation by the deadline provided.
School of Life Sciences (SoLS) Specific Requirements
The School of Life Sciences (SoLS) has specific requirements for its Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs.
Master of Science (M.S.)
- Complete a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the undergraduate degree.
- Students should register for at least nine (9) credits each semester if they are receiving financial support from SoLS; otherwise, they must register for at least six (6) credits each semester.
- Students must confer with their Thesis Advisor prior to enrollment in their first semester.
- Students must form an Advisory Committee before the department’s posted deadline. This Committee will be composed of the Thesis Advisor (who will serve as the Committee Chair), two members of SoLS’s Graduate Faculty, and a Graduate Faculty Representative from UNLV (but outside of SoLS). An additional committee member may be added at the student and department’s discretion.
- A student will be placed on academic probation if a minimum 3.00 grade point average is not maintained in all work taken as part of the graduate degree program.
- The M.S. candidate will present a seminar on his/her thesis work that is open to all interested parties, including the general public.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the undergraduate degree.
- Students must complete the specific didactic course work required.
- Students should register for at least 9 credits each semester if they are receiving financial support from the School; otherwise, they must register for at least 6 credits each semester.
- Students must confer with their Dissertation Advisor prior to enrollment in their first semester.
- The student must form an Advisory Committee before the department’s posted deadline. This Committee will be composed of the Dissertation Advisor (who will serve as the Committee Chair), two members of SoLS’s Graduate Faculty, and a Graduate Faculty Representative from UNLV (outside of SoLS). Students are encouraged to include a fifth Committee member who is an expert on the student’s field of research. This fifth Committee member can have an academic affiliation outside of UNLV.
- See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook for specific requirements.
- Doctoral students are advanced to candidacy after passing their comprehensive examination. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook for information on the possible outcomes of the exam.
- Each doctoral student should teach for a minimum of two semesters in the undergraduate curriculum of the School of Life Sciences.
- A student will be placed on academic probation if a minimum 3.00 grade point average is not maintained in all work taken as part of the graduate degree program. A grade of “C+” or less in two graduate-level classes will cause a student to be placed on academic probation.
- The Ph.D. candidate will present a seminar on his/her dissertation work that is open to all interested parties, including the general public.
Other Important Information
- Dual Degrees: Dual degrees are formal programs where students are simultaneously enrolled in two programs, resulting in the awarding of two degrees. The primary benefit is a reduction in the total number of credits required.
- Concurrent or Double Degrees: Students may pursue concurrent or double degrees by enrolling in two programs simultaneously. Students must complete all requirements for both degrees, with no sharing of degree requirements or course credits.
- Accelerated Degrees: Accelerated degrees provide an accelerated path to earning both a baccalaureate and a graduate degree. All requirements for both degrees must be met, but there may be some shared coursework depending on the program.
- Non-Degree-Seeking Students: Individuals with baccalaureate degrees who wish to take graduate courses without pursuing an advanced degree can apply as Non-Degree-Seeking Graduate Students. They may transfer up to 15 UNLV credits with grades of B or higher into a degree program if they later apply and are admitted.
- Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses: Undergraduates with a minimum of 90 semester hours of credit and a 3.00 or higher grade point average may enroll in graduate courses with the Approval for an Undergraduate to Enroll in Graduate-Level Course Work Form.
- Grade Changes and Appeals: Graduate academic appeals must be filed with the Graduate College Office within 60 calendar days from the last day of the term/semester in which the issue being appealed arose. The Registrar’s Office must receive notification to change a grade due to clerical error within 60 calendar days from the last day of the term/semester.
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