Graduate & Professional Programs

Graduate College

With an institutional mission of advancing graduate education at UNLV, the Graduate College supports more than 185 graduate certificate, master’s, specialist, dual-degree, and doctoral programs. We work closely with departments and the graduate faculty to provide UNLV’s more than 5,000 graduate students with high-quality academic experiences through coursework, research, scholarship, and creative activity, and innovative professional and career development opportunities. We strive to create an innovative and thriving scholarly community and provide consistently strong support for our diverse student body and top-notch graduate faculty, while offering outstanding graduate experiences and services that enhance student learning, provide customizable experiences, and facilitate graduate student success.

Specifically, the Graduate College fosters collaborative leadership to build a forward-thinking, data-driven, and diverse top tier, MSI graduate community that: 

• advances UNLV’s R1 standing and Top Tier aspirations;
• delivers rigorous, leading-edge graduate programs in which excellence, innovation, and opportunity flourish;
• strives to more closely mirror undergraduate diversity and expand our international graduate student community;
• is committed to increasing inclusion, equity, and social justice by embracing diversity and fostering an anti-racist, anti-sexist, socially just and inclusive MSI graduate community;
• partners to provide innovative personal, academic, leadership, career, and professional development opportunities to students;
• ensures consistent, transparent, and fair implementation of policies and processes;
• exemplifies a culture of inclusion, innovation, and seeks to make a positive impact;
• delivers outstanding service to all our constituent groups through a variety of in-person and virtual service modalities;
• recognizes and supports the graduate faculty and promotes their interests;
• seeks and secures a diverse base of funding to support students and provide robust financial resources and services that promote financial well-being;
• provides R1 competitive GA packages and benefits to the graduate community;
• and cultivates a dynamic, well-connected, and inclusive scholarly community in which the highest quality research, scholarship, creative, and professional activities thrive.

The Graduate College is committed to a data-informed continual improvement model to advance the following guiding principles: excellence, equity, diversity, innovation, accountability, resilience, and positive impact.

To enact these principles, our mission is driven by core values that inspire us to act and interact with: empathy, kindness, respect, inclusivity, ethics and integrity, a collaborative spirit, and servant leadership..

For guidance to graduate degree and certification completion requirements, as well as policies that govern graduate education, prospective and current graduate students are encouraged to visit the Graduate College website and to carefully review the Graduate Catalog.
For additional information or guidance about UNLV’s outstanding graduate programs, please contact the Graduate College.

William S. Boyd School of Law
The William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, offers both a three-year, full-time day program and four-year, part-time programs (day and evening) for the Juris Doctor degree.

The mission of the Boyd School of Law is to prepare students for the competent and ethical practice of law. At the same time, the Boyd School of Law recognizes that the skills and knowledge acquired in the law school may be transferred easily to other fields of endeavor and that many students seek legal training for the value it may have in pursuits other than the practice of law. The Boyd School of Law is dedicated to preserving, transmitting, and advancing the current state of legal knowledge, to developing programs that meet the changing needs of society, and to encouraging its graduates to apply the skills they gain for their own personal development and for the good of society.

Curriculum: The Boyd School of Law maintains a curriculum that responds to the needs of the students as well as the needs of the profession and adopts for its curriculum the best aspects of traditional and skills-oriented legal education. The core curriculum is designed to teach students to “think like lawyers,” to enable students to comprehend, analyze, and synthesize complex material, and to effectively communicate solutions. Throughout the curriculum, the Boyd School of Law emphasizes writing, professionalism, and community service. Students must complete 89 hours of coursework in the J.D. program.

Selection of Applicants: To be eligible to apply for admission to the Boyd School of Law, applicants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university and must have taken the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). The Boyd School of Law seeks to enroll an accomplished and diverse group of students who will contribute to the enrichment of the educational program of the school and to the community and the profession after graduation. The law school seeks students who have demonstrated significant accomplishments in their lives, for example, by achieving distinguished academic records as undergraduate or graduate students, by engaging successfully in important and challenging careers, by providing significant service to their communities, or by meeting challenges associated with their race, ethnicity, gender, economic status or disability. The law school seeks to have a student body that is both academically well-qualified and diverse. The presence in the school of students who have diverse backgrounds, attitudes, and interests contributes to the breadth and quality of the classroom and non-classroom dialogue, which is a critical element of legal education.

Accreditation: The William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.

More Information: For further information about the William S. Boyd School of Law, please call 702-895-4189 or visit the law school’s website at www.law.unlv.edu.

Pre-law Students: Law schools neither prescribe nor encourage any specific undergraduate major. A broad general education with emphasis on courses that develop clear and systematic thinking is better preparation for the study of law than is specialized study in subjects closely related to law. Most important for prospective law students is that they develop a command of the English language and the ability to communicate ideas clearly, logically, and critically.

Students are encouraged to discuss pre-law interests with the Pre-Professional Advising Center. Please call 702-895-2959 or ppac@unlv.edu for an appointment.

Phi Alpha Delta, a pre-law fraternity associated with the pre-law association, is also very active in helping pre-law students. For information on joining, contact the Consolidated Students (CSUN) office.

School of Dental Medicine
The UNLV School of Dental Medicine, which accepted its Inaugural Class in August of 2002, is designed to serve our local community and the State of Nevada. The School of  Dental Medicine provides world class oral health education while providing for the dental needs of Nevada residents. The School of Dental Medicine is a driving educational force that is improving the health of the citizens of Nevada through its innovative programs in oral healthcare services to the community through its evidence-based program. Education of dental students is accomplished through a competency-based curriculum with a strong foundation in biomedical sciences and an innovative, vertically integrated team approach for clinical instruction and delivery of patient care. The School of Dental Medicine has a diverse and distinguished world class faculty to facilitate the program.

The competency-based education program has at its core a student and patient-centered environment designed to maximize learning and patient care delivery. Student doctors are exposed to in-depth studies of biological and clinical sciences as well as biomedical and bio-ethical disciplines. They encounter a broad spectrum of clinical experiences to prepare them for entry into the profession. These experiences begin in year one of the curriculum, and clinical responsibilities expand in scope and depth throughout the four years. They also have exposure to business and financial management designed to meet the challenges of dental practice. Furthermore, they are introduced to principles of research, have an opportunity to conduct independent research and are encouraged to pursue scholarly activities with the possibility of creating a career in academic dentistry.

Training occurs in state-of-the-art facilities designed to achieve the goals of the dental academic program. Today’s dental professional needs a learning environment that offers interaction with other medical professionals and facilitates diagnosis and treatment to improve the patient’s overall health. These facilities are also home to the Advanced Dental Education Programs of Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry and General Practice. Students have access to the latest technology and partner with other health care professionals in diagnosing disease and treating patients. By the time of graduation, students are competent and confident to begin a rewarding career as a provider of comprehensive oral health care.

Whether the goal is to become a dental educator or a dental professional engaging in the private practice of dentistry or to further professional development in one of the dental specialty areas, the faculty and staff at UNLV’s School of Dental Medicine are poised to be partners in building a successful career.

Admission Requirements and Selection of Applicants
In agreement with guidelines established by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and the American Dental Education Association, admissions policies at the UNLV School of Dental Medicine are based on specific objectives, criteria and procedures designed to identify students with high standards of integrity, motivation, and resourcefulness and with the basic knowledge and attitude required for completing the integrated curriculum. Acceptance to the UNLV School of Dental Medicine is awarded on a competitive basis to individuals who have completed the interview process at the institution. Invitations for interview are extended to applicants deemed appropriate and eligible for consideration. Preference is given to Nevada residents.

Prerequisite Courses:

• One year of general biology with lab
• One year of general chemistry with lab
• One year of organic chemistry with lab
• One year of general physics with lab
• ​One semester of biochemistry or equivalent
• One year of English
• ​One semester of human anatomy or one year of anatomy and physiology

It is highly recommended that the applicant complete these prerequisite courses prior to filing an application or taking the Dental Admission Test. It is required that all above prerequisite courses and units be completed by June of the year of intended enrollment.

Minimum College Units: A minimum of 90 semester units, or the equivalent completed or in progress, at the time of application, in an accredited college or university in the United States or Canada is required. A minimum of 30 semester units must be completed at a four-year institution. Selection factors include: grade point average, Dental Admission Test, letters of evaluation, interview, commitment to dentistry, dental/work experience, community service, and interpersonal communication skills.

For more information about the School of Dental Medicine, please call (702)-774-2520 or visit http://dentalschool.unlv.edu.

The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (KSOM)The mission of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV is to prepare a diverse student body for the delivery of patient-centered care and the realization of meaningful careers in clinical practice, research, and community service. The program integrates foundational science and clinical experiences with community-based service learning that addresses population health and social disparities, incorporates independent research projects that contribute to the growth of scientific knowledge and community health resources, and develops strong commitments to public service and lifelong learning. The curriculum includes instruction in biomedical ethics, ethical decision-making, population health, as well as training in interprofessional collaboration, professionalism, cultural competence, bias recognition and reduction, and non-traditional medical needs. 

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) program emphasizes the basics of medicine: communication, physical examination and diagnosis, clinical skills, advanced clinical reasoning and interpretation, professionalism, and ethics using technologically advanced tools, including virtual anatomy, to foster medical student learning. Overall, the curriculum places great importance on relationships through faculty to student mentorship, extensive experience with health care professionals in the delivery of patient-centered care, in addition to immersion in community service projects and research. Students will directly apply their learning in the service of others, providing compassionate care in collaboration with many other health professionals including: physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, physical therapists, social workers, occupational therapists, and other community practitioners in the pursuit of providing the best patient outcomes and satisfaction.

The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine is fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

Curriculum Overview:

Phase I - While memorization remains a key to building a solid foundation of medical knowledge and skills, in this century facts alone are necessary but not sufficient for competent medical practice. A solid curriculum is one that provides students the opportunity and impetus to learn how to think, how to act, and how to learn in a self-directed way. Central components of the first curricular phase include problem-based and team-based learning (PBL & TBL), where students undertake intensive exploration of patient cases that simulate the real-life processes of being a practicing physician. PBL and TBL are supplemented by didactic basic science instruction, taught by faculty who emphasizes clinically relevant information.

Students also take on the equally important tasks of developing new roots in the community through service learning, acquiring the basic practical skills of being a doctor and honing their analytic and reasoning skills. Students may choose to pursue a track of concentration or distinction, under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Phase 1 ends with the USLME Step One Examination.

Phase II –Clerkships
Clerkships are full immersion learning experiences. Students are placed in ambulatory and inpatient facilities as members of a healthcare team and engage in one-on-one patient interactions to practice clinical medicine under the supervision of an attending physician.

The School of Medicine’s clerkship curriculum consists of six core clerkships in family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and surgery, as

well as rotations in neurology and other specialty-selective across the entire year. Summative exams in each core clerkship are administered at the end of each rotation. At the end of the year, students have acquired an enormous fund of knowledge which positions them for exceptional performance on the USMLE Step  Two Clinical Knowledge (CK) Examination.

Phase III – Career Exploration and Preparation
When graduation appears on the horizon, medical students become focused on three essential goals: (1) settling on a specialty of choice, (2) assembling a competitive application for the residency match, and (3) preparing to take on a new level of responsibility as newly minted physicians.

The final phase of the curriculum balances core educational needs with the flexibility that students need at this stage. Three rotations are required: a sub-internship or intensive care month, Nevada Community Medicine, and Capstone. The remainder of the year consists of electives, with ample unscheduled weeks to permit residency interviews, research, additional educational experiences, and personal time.

Student Profile: Students attending the Kerkorian School of Medicine have completed four years of college and, in some cases, have earned graduate degrees from U.S. colleges/universities that are regionally accredited institutions. Prior to entering the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, students have demonstrated strong academic ability at the undergraduate level and an aptitude for medical science as reflected by their MCAT scores. Some have completed military service or have entered medical school from another field or profession. The school encourages applicants from all socio-economic, racial, religious and educational backgrounds, and genders. Applications from all members of society who meet residency and pre-requisite criteria are encouraged.

Faculty: Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine faculty are renowned scholars and physicians committed to delivering high-quality innovative education, research, and superb clinical care to meet the health care needs of the growing and diverse population of Nevada. Faculty work throughout Southern Nevada, and present research, innovative techniques and approaches to medicine and patient care in both national and international arenas. Even more notable, faculty have strong partnerships within the community to provide comprehensive quality care, research opportunities, community engagement, and student support focused on the care of the community.

Plan Admission Requirements:

Primary Application

The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV only accepts primary applications via American Medical College Application System (AMCAS). The application and its materials must be submitted by October 1.

There are 8 required primary application components to apply to the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV:

• Conferred bachelor’s degree*
• MCAT of 499 or higher
• Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher
• BCPM GPA of 3.2 or higher
• Pre-requisite courses (see below)
• 3 to 5 Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement
• Up to 15 Experiences
   

*A degree may be in progress during application but must be conferred prior to enrollment at the medical school.

1. Degree
A conferred Bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college/university that is regionally accredited is required for admission to the Kerkorian School of Medicine.

A graduate degree from a U.S college/university that is. regionally accredited can also be considered in lieu of an international Bachelor’s degree, however permanent residency or citizenship status must still be met for application.

2. MCAT
An MCAT score of 499 or higher is required and applicants must submit an MCAT score no later than the final application deadline. The most recent MCAT score will be used for the admissions screening process and MCAT scores cannot be more than 3 years old.

3. Cumulative GPA
An undergraduate (cumulative) GPA of 3.2 or higher is required. This is calculated by AMCAS.

4. BCPM GPA
A BCPM (biology, chemistry, physics, math) GPA of 3.2 or higher is also required. This is calculated by AMCAS.

5. Pre-Requisites
Pre-requisite courses cannot be more than 10 years old and need to be graded from a U.S. college/university that is regionally accredited. Students cannot use “Advanced Placement (AP)” credits or courses with Pass/Fail grading for pre-requisites.

Required pre-requisites include the following:
Biology: three courses; one course must have laboratory experience
Biochemistry: one course
Social & Behavioral Science (Psychology or Sociology): one course

Social and Behavior Science classes in Economics and Communication will not be accepted to satisfy the behavioral sciences requirement. Although these courses deal with human behavior, the scope of information is narrowly confined. Students in medical school require a broader theoretical and scientific foundation as physicians in training and for MCAT preparation.

Medical school prerequisites are not selected for MCAT preparation and applicants may need additional coursework as part of their MCAT studies. Other recommended courses to help applicants in medical school include Genetics, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Physiology, Anatomy, Statistics, and Physics.

*The following semesters may have Pass/Fail grades for application prerequisites due to COVID-19: Spring, Summer, and Fall 2020, and Spring, Summer, and Fall 2021. This would also apply to quarter systems and would include Winter term, if applicable.

6. Letters of Recommendation
Applicants must submit a minimum of three letters of recommendation and up to a maximum of five letters. Letters can be submitted individually or in a school or committee-produced packet. All applicants must have at least one letter of recommendation to be considered for an interview.

Letters must be received no later than the application deadline. Letters received after the application deadline will not be considered. Applications who do not have at least three letters of recommendation by the application deadline will be considered incomplete and will not receive further consideration for admission.

Letters of recommendation must be on letterhead and signed and include contact information for the letter writer. Letters of recommendation can be written by an individual or a committee. Applicants should select letter writers who will reflect their major activities and who know them well. The Admissions Committee prefers letters that address the applicant’s suitability for a career in medicine and as a medical student. Letters of recommendation should provide new information in the application; not restate activities the applicant has already provided or course performance.

Letters only will be accepted through the AMCAS Letter Service. The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine will not accept letters of recommendation by any other process.

7. Personal Statement
Applicants will need to submit a personal statement. For more information on writing personal statements for medical school, please visit the AAMC website for applicants.

8. Experiences
Applicants need to list experiences that can include: community service, clinical experiences, employment, college clubs/organizations, research, and other extracurricular activities. For more information on completing this portion of the AMCAS application please visit the AAMC website for applicants.

Required experiences for UNLV include: community service and clinical experiences that are longitudinal in nature. Community service does not have to be medical in nature. Clinical experiences can be done through things like physician shadowing, hospital or clinic scribing, EMT work, LPN/RN, medical assistance, etc. Some hospital volunteering or clinic volunteering may qualify but needs to include being in a setting that provides experiences with physicians/healthcare teams and patients/patient families. 

9. Additional Information
Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents of the US (green card holders). Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status may be assessed on a case-by-case basis and does require some key documentation in order to matriculate through required clinical training sites needed to complete the curriculum and earn the degree.

Applicants should also work with their campus’ pre-health/pre-professional advisors when preparing to apply to medical school. Applicants may also use school websites, AAMC guides, and the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) website.

Finally, applicants should know that the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine gives priority to Nevada Residents and applicants with significant ties to the state, along with those from our list of western region states. For more information, please review the Admissions Criteria for In-State and Out-of-State Status on the School of Medicine website at www.unlv.edu/medicine/admissions/applicants

Secondary Application

After review of the primary AMCAS application, select and competitive individuals will be asked to submit a Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine Secondary Application.

This application is completed online in the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine’s Office of Admissions portal and has a separate fee of $75. Students who qualify for the AMCAS fee assistance program will not be required to pay the $75 fee.  The Secondary Application consists of several short essay questions.

Each applicant will also be required to submit a professional photograph, head and neck only, with his/her Secondary Application. This photo will be used throughout the admissions process by admissions committee members, staff, and faculty for all students who complete the secondary application. Professional photographs are strongly encouraged.

Interview: Significantly competitive individuals will be asked to participate in an interview process prior to being reviewed for admissions by the Kerkorian School of Medicine Admissions Committee. 

Interviews are traditional in nature and occur virtually with both asynchronous and synchronous requirements. 

More Information:  Prospective applicants with questions regarding the School of Medicine’s programs should visit www.unlv.edu/medicine/admissions or contact the Office of Admissions in the School of Medicine at admissions@medicine.unlv.edu.

It is highly encouraged to attend a virtual information session from the Kerkorian School of Medicine’s Office of Admissions. These occur monthly and registration is at www.unlv.edu/medicine/events.

Prospective applicants are also encouraged to utilize pre-professional advising offices on their home campuses.  UNLV students and alumni may access the PPAC by visiting www.unlv.edu/advising/ppac.