The reasons for enrolling in graduate school are as varied as the people who make up the graduate student population. The decision to seek an advanced degree means that you share with other UNLV graduate students a spirit of adventure that comes with discovery— the discovery of new information, new skills—and discovery of the depths of your intellectual abilities. You will also share a capacity for hard work, because graduate study, whatever the subject matter, is difficult. But at the end of the rigorous and oftentimes exhilarating graduate coursework and research in your chosen field, you will have the satisfaction of having mastered a body of knowledge that places you in an elite group. Earning your graduate degree will be an achievement that marks the beginning of a professional career, more than an end of your academic studies. Your graduate degree will prepare you to engage with other experts in your field and to move forward to make notable contributions in your area of study and beyond.

Graduate Learning Outcomes

The three Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) define what all UNLV graduate students should know and be able to do when they graduate.

The GLOs are as follows.

UNLV Graduate students will engage in:

Research, scholarship, creative expression and/or appropriate high-level professional practice
Activities requiring originality, critical analysis, and expertise
The development of extensive knowledge in the field under study

Curricular Terminology

Academic Program: A graduate academic program is a term used in MyUNLV to define the area that houses an academic plan. This is typically aligned with the academic department or school that owns the academic plan.

Academic Plan: A graduate academic plan is a defined course of study recognized at UNLV and approved by NSHE that leads to a degree or certificate or credit-bearing microcredential. An academic plan at the graduate level may include Master’s degree programs, Educational Specialist and Artist Diploma degree programs, doctoral degree programs, and certificate programs.

Academic Subplans: A subplan is a term used within MyUNLV. Each academic plan may have zero, one, or multiple subplans and these are designated for each Plan in the Graduate Catalog. At the graduate level, there are two types of sub-plans utilized in MyUNLV: concentrations and tracks.

Concentrations: Concentrations may be created within an academic degree program plan. A Concentration generally consists of at least 9 credits and is a grouped set of courses from one or more subject matter areas that are related to the academic program plans’ discipline. Concentrations may appear on transcripts.
- Sample of the top of a graduated student’s transcript where a concentration subplan appears:
Tracks: Degree tracks may also be created as a type of academic degree program plan. Academic degree program plans may be labeled by tracks which are culminating experiences and/or program types which include post-bachelors, post-Masters, dual or accelerated. Tracks never appear on transcripts.
Emphasis: An academic plan may also include smaller groupings of courses known as emphases. Emphases are smaller groups of courses than concentrations, and they simply allow a slightly more focused plan of study for students within the academic plan. Emphases are only recognized by departments and schools. It is important to note that emphases are not tracked, students do not apply to them, they do not appear in MyUNLV, and they do not show up anywhere on UNLV student transcripts.

Types Of Graduate Experiences - Academic Program Offerings

The graduate curriculum is designed to educate, train, and mentor graduate students to ensure success in their graduate programs and diverse careers. The Graduate College publishes an annual Graduate Catalog containing the official graduate curriculum and strives to ensure that no other websites or resources contain course lists or program requirements so that there’s no duplication or discrepancies.

Prospective graduate students are subject to the admissions requirements of the Catalog that is active during the admissions season. Admitted graduate students are subject to the program and degree requirements in the Catalog that is active during their first semester. Students, with approval of their department, may switch to the program and degree requirements in any Catalog in effect from admission until the term graduation. Catalog requirements are published annually. Students must meet all degree requirements of a single Graduate Catalog. Combining requirements of more than one single Graduate Catalog is prohibited.

Additionally, the graduate faculty is responsible for and owns the graduate curriculum. Graduate faculty initiate and approve new courses and programs, as well as changes to the graduate curriculum. The Graduate College promotes graduate programs and curricular excellence by collaboratively working with faculty on the development of impactful new courses, certificates, credit-bearing microcredentials, and programs, as well as thoughtful changes to improve the existing curriculum. The Graduate College’s role is to support faculty who design, build, implement, and own the graduate curriculum that adhere to best practices and meet accreditation standards.

Academic Degree Program Types

At UNLV, we offer graduate degrees at the master’s, specialist/artist diploma, and doctoral levels. The following program types are offered:

Program Track Options

Accelerated undergraduate to graduate programs (Undergraduate to Graduate, High School to Graduate)
Traditional and executive master’s programs
Bachelor’s to doctorate programs
Post-master’s doctoral programs

Credential Types

Master’s programs (professional and research-based)
Doctoral programs (professional and research-based)
Artist diploma programs
Educational specialist programs

Simultaneous Enrollment In Multiple Graduate Programs/Certificates

Dual graduate degree programs in which some program credits are shared
Concurrent degrees in which a student matriculates simultaneously through two programs without sharing any credits
Graduate certificates (post-bachelor’s and post-master’s tracks): either enroll as a stand-alone experience or add to a program for a graduate minor.
Graduate credit-bearing microcredentials (post-bachelor’s and post-master’s tracks): either enroll as a stand-along experience or add to a program for additional certification.

Interdisciplinary graduate programs

Graduate interdisciplinary certificates and degrees are housed in the Graduate College and typically operationalized by a group of faculty from two or more schools or colleges.

Exclusively Fully Online Modality Tracks in Programs

Students may opt into exclusively fully online programs that allow students to complete all their program requirements virtually.

Program Track Options

Accelerated Degree Programs

Accelerated degrees, sometimes referred to as integrated bachelor’s to graduate programs or undergraduate bridge programs, provide an accelerated path to earning both a baccalaureate and a graduate degree. All requirements for both the baccalaureate and graduate degrees must be met, but depending on the program there will be six to 12 credits of shared coursework, thereby reducing the time it takes for students to earn both degrees. For this reason, these are sometimes called 3+2 or 4+1 programs because it is often possible to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in a total of five years. Such programs help recruit high-achieving undergraduate students into UNLV graduate programs and provide them with challenging academic experiences and expanded opportunities.

Accelerated programs are approved through the standard university and Graduate College curriculum and program approval processes and are not available for individual student design. A list of approved accelerated programs is below.

Traditional Master’s and Executive Master’s Programs

UNLV offers master’s degrees in a wide variety of disciplines. Two common types are the Master of Arts and Master of Science. Specialized master’s degrees may also be offered which include Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Fine Arts, etc. Many master’s programs consist of 30-40 credits within an area of study; but specialized master’s programs, such as the MBA, M.Arch, MFA, and the like, may have more credit requirements and some are considered terminal degrees in their field.

In addition to varying types of master’s degrees, there may be different ways or formats in which degrees are offered. Executive master’s degrees are generally designed for mid-career professionals who are employed full-time. As such, they may have the same or similar requirements to the traditional master’s programs, but courses are designed in convenient offerings to better match working professionals’ schedules.

Bachelor’s-to-Doctoral Programs

Bachelor’s-to-doctoral degree programs admit students possessing a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution directly into a doctoral program, without requiring completion of a master’s degree first. Some programs are designed in a way that allows for the award of an embedded master’s degree while in the process of completing doctoral degree requirements. These types of degree programs allow for the specialization of a particular area of study with candidates being awarded a doctoral degree after meeting all degree requirements, including a successful dissertation or doctoral project defense. Students enrolled in an embedded degree may still be awarded the master’s degree as long as the embedded master’s course credits were taken prior to the completion of the doctoral degree.

Post-Master’s Doctoral Programs

These types of degree programs admit students who already have earned a master’s degree into a doctoral program. There are generally fewer course requirements in these doctoral programs compared to bachelor’s-to-doctoral programs because students have already completed a master’s degree. Students are awarded a doctoral degree after fulfilling all degree requirements, including a successful dissertation or doctoral project defense.

Credential Types

Professional Master’s Programs

Professional master’s degree programs are often connected to workforce needs and typically focus on skills and knowledge to prepare candidates for career-oriented professional positions in their chosen field, and may involve licensure. Generally, professional master’s students’ culminating experiences are projects, internships, field experiences, exams, capstone classes, or the like.

Research Master’s Programs

Research master’s degree programs are typically oriented towards research and scholarship in preparation for a research career, leadership position, or a stepping stone for entry into a doctoral program in a chosen field.

Professional Doctoral Programs

Professional doctoral degree programs focus on research related to professional expertise and practice more than basic research. These programs prepare candidates to be experts in a professional field and highly skilled leaders who have mastered a knowledge base that will inform practice in their chosen discipline. Students complete a dissertation or doctoral project. These are terminal degrees in their field.

Research Doctoral Programs

Research doctoral degree programs are oriented toward original research and scholarship. Graduates of these types of programs are prepared to conduct original research and make contributions to their field by contributing discoveries or new knowledge. Students complete a dissertation. The degree awarded is the terminal or highest degree in the field.

Artist Diploma Programs

This type of degree is typically focused on arts-based coursework with students being admitted into the program only after achieving at least one major degree such as a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree. This program is often reserved for musicians and artisans who display the highest caliber of musical or artistic accomplishments.

Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) Programs

These professional degrees are unique to the field of education and offer advanced studies for educators (teachers, administrators, etc) to gain specialized knowledge in a field of study (e.g., educational technology, principal leadership, early childhood, etc.). The degree is generally considered more advanced than a master’s degree and typically requires fewer credit requirements and less research than a Ph.D. or Ed.D.

Simultaneous Enrollment In Multiple Graduate Programs/Certificates

Dual Degree Programs

Dual degrees are formal programs and approved through the graduate curricular processes, where students are simultaneously enrolled in both that result in the awarding of two degrees. The primary benefit of dual degrees is that the total number of credits required to earn them is reduced or shared in particular cases. UNLV offers dual degrees between two graduate programs and between a graduate program and a professional program. Dual degrees consisting of either a graduate and a professional program or two graduate programs may be built in one of two ways: 1. There is a reasonable reduction in the total number of graduate degree credits aligned to accreditation requirements and best practices in the specific disciplines among peer or aspirational peer institutions or 2. There is no reduction in the total number of graduate degree or professional/graduate degree credits, but one degree may typically transfer six to 12 credits to the other depending on and aligned to accreditation standards and best practices in the specific disciplines among peer or aspirational peer institutions.

Below is a list of currently approved dual degree programs:

Concurrent Degrees

Graduate students may pursue a concurrent or double degree. Concurrent or double degrees may be earned when a student enrolls in two programs simultaneously. Students who are concurrently enrolled in more than one graduate degree must be admitted, enrolled, and complete all of the requirements for both degrees; there can be no “sharing” or double counting of degree requirements or course credits. Graduate students must complete the full application process for each degree and receive permission from both academic departments and the Graduate College dean by submitting a Concurrent Degree Enrollment Approval form (see also: student forms )

Please note that concurrent degrees differ from “dual degrees.” See dual degrees for more information.

Graduate Certificates for Graduate Minors (Post-Bachelor’s and Post-Master’s)

Graduate certificates are formal academic credentials which students apply for admission to, matriculate through, and complete in the same manner as graduate degrees. However, graduate certificate programs are generally faster to complete. They are generally 12-18 graduate credits, similar to minors, that allow students to gain specialized skills and expertise. They help build skills, develop focused areas of expertise, and enhance resumes and vitae.

Students may enroll in certificate programs either as a stand-alone educational experience to earn the credential or as an additional credential (like a graduate minor) earned while also working on a graduate degree. Certificate course credits earned before your graduate or professional degree, or simultaneously, may be approved to be used toward your graduate degree program. Students enrolled in a graduate or professional degree may still be awarded certificates as long as the certificate course credits were taken prior to the completion of the graduate or professional degree. Students who are admitted and enrolled solely in certificate programs may not be eligible for federal financial aid or Graduate College scholarships or fellowships (Please see UNLV’s Financial Aid & Scholarships). For more information about graduate certificates, please visit our graduate certificates webpage.

Credit-bearing Microcredentials

Academic credit-bearing microcredentials are an alternative credential that signifies student achievement and recognized with digital badges and displayed on academic transcripts. Graduate credit-bearing microcredentials consist of 6 to 11 credits of university-level coursework, with an emphasis on workplace competencies for post-graduate success, re-skilling, or up-skilling. They are often short, focused credentials designed to provide in-demand skills, know-how, and experience. Microcredentials are often stackable toward a certificate and/or degree program, but require the completion of fewer credits than either a certificate or degree program. Students enrolled in a graduate or professional degree may still be awarded microcredentials as long as the microcredential course credits were taken prior to the completion of the graduate or professional certificate/degree.

Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs (IGP)

IGPs are a growing part of graduate education at the master’s and doctoral level at UNLV, and a thriving part of graduate communities on most Top Tier campuses. IGPs are graduate programs that typically cross departments, schools, and/or colleges, with participating faculty from multiple disciplines. Each IGP has its own affiliated faculty, a program director, and an executive committee who together manage the graduate program. All IGPs are structurally housed in the Graduate College and are run by faculty from two or more schools or colleges.

Developed to address regional, national, and global issues and complex questions that are best answered by multiple perspectives and transdisciplinary expertise, IGPs generate transformative knowledge and often fill a gap in specialized workforce needs. Interdisciplinary graduate programs provide the student with educational and career opportunities across numerous disciplines, unlike what is delivered within the boundaries of a single department curriculum. The combination of faculty expertise across departments and schools/colleges provides the student with a broad perspective of the content area. See the UNLV Degrees Directory for the current list of IGPs.

Exclusively Fully Online Modality Tracks in Programs

Exclusively Fully Online Programs

UNLV offers graduate degrees that are available both fully online and in person. This allows students to select their mode of instruction (modality) and matriculate in person on campus, take a combination of in person and online classes, or enroll in the program as a fully online student. A fully online student is one who has committed to pursue their entire degree, certificate, or microcredential exclusively through online education. All requirements of the program including coursework and any experiences must be available online.

Benefits and Restrictions

The benefits of students enrolled in an exclusively fully online program include: access to seats in designated online sections and waiver of immunization requirements. Students enrolled in a fully online program are restricted to being enrolled in only online designated sections and must meet immunization requirements if they are enrolled simultaneously in programs that are in-person and/or blended microcredential, certificates, and/or concurrent degree programs. Also, I-20s cannot be issued for online degree programs, certificate programs, microcredential programs or for non-degree courses taken.

Modality Change Process for Graduate Students

If programs offer a fully online option, students may choose to opt in or opt out of an exclusively fully online offering at the time of admission. Once admitted, students may change their program modality by:

Sending an email to their respective Graduate College Retention, Progression, and Completion (RPC) Coordinator (grad.rpc@unlv.edu)
The RPC Coordinator will review the benefits and restrictions of being a fully online student. For students seeking to opt out of being a fully online student, the RPC Coordinator will verify that students are aware that they will no longer receive the online student benefits.
The RPC Coordinator will review and approve your request via email. (Note: benefits and restrictions will not go into effect until the next semester for students requesting a modality change after the first day of classes.)

Student Readiness in Opting into Fully Online Programs

Prior to enrolling into fully online modality programs, students should ask themselves the following three questions to determine their readiness:

Does my computer meet the technology requirements for WebCampus?

Students will require a computer with the basic computer specifications for WebCampus: Canvas and modern web browser. Because some courses may include videos, a fast internet connection is highly recommended. See WebCampus Support for more information.

Am I self-motivated?

Successful online learning requires that students are self-motivated and disciplined in order to meet the course requirements.

Am I able to manage my time well?

Many aspects of online courses occur asynchronously. This means that students and instructor(s) in the course will not need to be online at the same time. Usually, there are no set meeting times which allows for students to have the flexibility in their schedules. This may be challenging for students who learn best through face-to-face interaction with their instructors and classmates. However, for students who are organized and able to manage their time, online education can be a convenient and rewarding learning experience.

Identity Verification in Online Courses: Students must use their own campus-issued ACE ID and password to log in to WebCampus. Any student enrolled in online or hybrid course(s) is expected to read and adhere to the Student Academic Misconduct Policy, which defines, “acting or attempting to act as a substitute for another, or using or attempting to use a substitute, in any academic evaluation or assignment” as a form of academic misconduct. Intentionally sharing ACE login credentials with another person may be considered an attempt to use a substitute and could result in investigation and sanctions, as outlined in the Student Academic Misconduct Policy.

Additionally, Any student enrolled in online courses are expected to read and adhere to the Acceptable Use of Computing and Information Technology Resources Policy, which prohibits sharing university accounts with other persons without authorization.

In general, all graded assignments and assessments for University online courses should be hosted in WebCampus or another University managed platform that requires ACE login credentials for access. The University’s current policy is at: https://www.unlv.edu/policies/identity-verification-online-courses-policy.

Class Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend classes in which they are enrolled unless absent for institutionally approved activities or other reasons allowed under institutional policy. Instructors may set course attendance requirements for their class, which may include consequences for absences, but such requirements must not conflict with institutional policies governing student absences. Students, who without previous arrangement with the instructor or department, fail to attend the first two (2) class meetings of a course that meets multiple times per week or the first (1st) meeting of a class that meets one (1) time per week may be administratively dropped from the course. Non-attendance for an online course shall be defined as failure to log onto WebCampus or other instructor-designated websites within one (1) week of the course start date without prior arrangements be made with the instructor or department. A student may be dropped from a course(s) for nonattendance per this policy.

The Office of the Registrar will process administrative drops under the Class Attendance Policy according to the standard deadlines for dropping and withdrawing per the academic calendar. Drop requests should not be initiated for a student who adds a class during the add or drop period. Drop requests received after the end of the add/drop period will be recorded as course withdrawals, with a “W” grade. Instructors and departments who seek to drop students from their courses for non-attendance will make at least two (2) written outreach attempts to the student to be dropped and include a warning that the student may be dropped for non-attendance if they fail to respond. Any request to drop a student for non-attendance must be approved by the dean of the college or school offering the course.

While instructors and departments may request a student be dropped for non-attendance, the University is not obliged to drop a non-attending student. An instructor who requests a student be dropped for non-attendance is required to track and report the student’s last day of attendance if requested by the Office of the Registrar.

A student who does not wish to attend a course(s) should drop the course(s) on their own. Failure to drop the course(s) and/or non-attendance does not release a student from the responsibility to officially drop any course(s) as failure to do so may result in a failing grade and/or financial penalties.

Mode of Instruction Definitions

Instruction

Mode

Description

Fees

Web

Based

All instruction and class activities occur online with no synchronous class sessions provided.

WB classes occur EXCLUSIVELY online and asynchronous with no designated meeting times for any purpose, including exams.

Distance education fee automatically assessed.

Web-live

Classes meet online on a specified schedule with all instruction provided synchronously.

WL classes meet EXCLUSIVELY online at designated times.

Additional fees are not automatically assessed based on this instruction mode.

Departments or instructors may include class-specific fees.

Note: This may be subject to change in a later term.

Web

based with

on/off campus meeting

No synchronous class sessions provided and a specified number of in-person sessions required (e.g., for orientation, testing, academic support, practicum, residency, internship).

WM classes meet mostly online and asynchronously but with limited in-person or scheduled online meetings required, including for on-campus exams. In-person meetings should amount to no more than 25% of required class time.

Distance education fee automatically assessed.

Web-live with In-Person meetings

All classes meet online on a specified schedule with all instruction provided synchronously, and a specified number of in-person sessions required (e.g., for orientation, testing, academic support, practicum, residency, internship).

WP classes meet mostly online and synchronously but with limited in-person meetings required, including for on-campus exams. In-person meetings should amount to no more than 25% of required class time.

Additional fees are not automatically assessed based on this instruction mode.

Departments or instructors may include class-specific fees.

Note: This may be subject to change in a later term.

Non-degree-seeking Status

Non-degree-seeking status is designed for individuals with a bachelor’s degree who wish to enroll in selected graduate-level courses without being admitted to a graduate degree/certificate/microcredential program. For information about a non-degree seeking application, admission, and enrollment policies, please see Graduate Non-Degree-Seeking Information and also the Graduate College website.

Graduate non-degree-seeking students may enroll in up to 15 credits during the fall and spring semesters and up to 12 credits during the summer (no more than six credits in a single five-week term). Graduate non-degree-seeking students are not eligible for federal financial aid or Graduate College scholarships or fellowships.

A graduate non-degree-seeking student wishing to seek a degree/certificate/microcredential must separately apply for admission to the Graduate College and pay an application processing fee. A maximum of 15 credits of graduate-level coursework taken with grades of B or better as a graduate non-degree-seeking student may count toward the degree program at the discretion and approval of the graduate coordinator, and/or department chair, and Graduate College dean.

To remain active and eligible to enroll, graduate non-degree-seeking students must maintain at least one credit of enrollment in each rolling six semesters. Graduate non-degree-seeking students who do not meet this requirement will have their status deactivated and need to reapply in order to enroll in future courses.

Graduate Students In Undergraduate-Level Courses

For information about the policies about graduate students enrolling in undergraduate-level courses, please see registration, enrollment and curricular policies.

If a graduate student enrolls in undergraduate-level courses in their graduate career (under a graduate non-degree-seeking or graduate degree- or certificate-seeking program), the undergraduate course enrollment will be marked as “cross-career” on the student’s official transcript and those courses will not contribute to earned credits or graduate GPA.

If graduate students need undergraduate-level courses to show as earned credit on their transcript for employment or educational reasons, they must submit and pay for an undergraduate non-degree seeking application through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and register for those courses in an undergraduate career.
If a graduate student takes undergraduate courses in their graduate career and needs them changed to reflect earned credit at a later date, they will be required to submit and pay for an undergraduate non-degree seeking application through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in order for the coursework to be moved.

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Information about the Graduate Curriculum

Graduate School Experience

Graduate Learning Outcomes

Curricular Terminology

Types Of Graduate Experiences - Academic Program Offerings

Academic Degree Program Types

Program Track Options

Accelerated Degree Programs

Traditional Master’s and Executive Master’s Programs

Bachelor’s-to-Doctoral Programs

Post-Master’s Doctoral Programs

Credential Types

Professional Master’s Programs

Research Master’s Programs

Professional Doctoral Programs

Research Doctoral Programs

Artist Diploma Programs

Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) Programs

Simultaneous Enrollment In Multiple Graduate Programs/Certificates

Dual Degree Programs

Concurrent Degrees

Graduate Certificates for Graduate Minors (Post-Bachelor’s and Post-Master’s)

Credit-bearing Microcredentials

Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs (IGP)

Exclusively Fully Online Modality Tracks in Programs

Exclusively Fully Online Programs

Benefits and Restrictions

Modality Change Process for Graduate Students

Student Readiness in Opting into Fully Online Programs

Mode of Instruction Definitions

Non-degree-seeking Status

Graduate Students In Undergraduate-Level Courses