University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV, UNLV) History and Academics

History

The University of Nevada-Las Vegas is located in Paradise, Nevada (suburb of Las Vegas). The beautiful campus sits on 337-acres of land that is approximately 1.5 miles east of the famous Las Vegas Strip. The public university received the recognition of “research intensive university” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

The university was officially established in 1957 although the first classes were held in 1951 in a classroom at Las Vegas High School. 29 graduates took part in the first graduation ceremony in 1964. The university began as a small university but has since expanded the facilities and academic programs.

One of the largest developments on campus took place in 1997 when the Paul B. Sogg Architecture Building opened. The building features classrooms, a learning library, faculty offices, laboratories, and studio space. Paradise Elementary School moved into this building, offering direct training for education majors.

In 2001, the Lieb Library opened on campus. The high-tech library was created with a robotic book retrieval system. The university has received millions of dollars in research funding that helps the university continue to develop and grow.

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Information Summary

Ranks 2nd in Nevada and 887th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	81.9
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$24,035
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	24 / 1240
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	21 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	76% / 54%
Enrollment Total (all students)	30,457

Academics

The University of Nevada-Las Vegas is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The university earned a place in the category of Doctoral/Research Universities-Intensive by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Places. The English Department has received recognition as a top doctorate program in creative writing and an innovative Master’s of Fine Arts program.

The University of Nevada-Las Vegas has over 200 programs of study for students. The university offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in a variety of areas. The university has 11 colleges that include College of Business, College of Education, College of Fine Arts, College of Liberal Arts, College of Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, Graduate College, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs, Honors College, William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration, and William S. Boyd School of Law.

There are 9 schools at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, including School of Informatics, School of Computer Science, School of Social Work, School of Environmental and Public Affairs, School of Nursing, School of Dental Medicine, School of Community Health Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, and School of Allied Life Sciences.

A few of the Departments within the schools and colleges are Department of Educational Psychology, Department of Dance, Department of Film, Department of Marketing, Department of Accounting, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, and Department of Health Care Administration and Policy.

The University of Nevada-Las Vegas has an exceptional Distance Education program. This program offers an abundance of options for research opportunities, access to university courses, and degree programs. This alternative method of delivery offers educational options to many students. The Distance Education program is committed to active learning, faculty development, and research initiatives to produce measurable academic outcomes.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

Incoming freshman must meet certain requirements for admission. The requirements include a 3.0 GPA in 13 units of high school courses, an ACT composite score of 22 or higher, a combined SAT score of at least 1040 on the math and critical reading sections, and a high school transcript. The application deadline for students is early January for the spring semester and early august for the fall semester.

International students must provide ACT/SAT scores and proof of language proficiency (International TOEFL or UNLV Michigan Exam). The application deadline for students with F-1 visa status is early December for the spring semester and early August for the fall semester. International students who have not yet received a visa must complete the application by early November for the spring semester and early July for the fall semester.

The requirements for graduate students include a bachelor’s degree and a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75. Admission into the law school and dentistry school also require a supplemental application (located on the University of Nevada-Las Vegas’ website), an admission test, LSAT scores, letters of evaluation, and an interview.

Financial Aid

Students interested in receiving financial assistance to attend school must first complete the FAFSA form to determine eligibility. It is recommended that the FAFSA forms and the corresponding paperwork be completed by early February. Students may begin submitting the application in early January.

The university offers an abundance of scholarships to qualifying students. Students may qualify for need bases scholarships by completing the FAFSA application by early February. Other scholarships offered by the university require a completed Scholarship Application that students can find on the University of Nevada-Las Vegas’ website under financial aid. A few of the scholarships awarded by the university include Dee Smith Scholarship, Benetti Family Memorial Scholarship, Rosemary Masek Scholarship, Tropicana Resort and Casino Scholarship, and Joseph Van Neville Memorial Scholarship. Students should view the Graduate College page of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas for additional opportunities.

Students may also qualify for a number of loans, grants, and work study program for financial assistance. The university also offers veteran education benefits. Qualifying students must be veterans, spouse our children of active service person, reservist, spouse and children of disabled individuals, or prisoners of war from an incident connected to service. There are many other options to fund an education. Students must first make the first step by completing the FAFSA form.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 5235th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Nevada.

Students

The University of Nevada-Las Vegas offers 13 sororities and 20 fraternities for students who want to get involved in campus life. A few of the fraternities that students may get involved in are Zeta Beta Tau, Alpha Epsilon Pi, Delta Chi, Kappa Sigma, Phi Gamma Delta, Sigma Alpha Mu, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. A few of sororities that grace the campus are Sigma Theta Psi, Alpha Phi Gamma, Kappa Delta Chi, Lambda Theta Nu, Nu Alpha Kappa, Omega Delta Phi, and Sigma Delta Alpha.

These sororities and fraternities help students foster leadership skills, build lifelong friendships and unforgettable memories, provide community service, and develop leadership. Greek organizations have been on the campus since 1967. The sororities and fraternities participate in many events, including Greek Leadership Day, Greek Week, GreakFest, intramural sports, Homecoming Week, and various leadership programs.

Students who plan to attend may have interest in on campus living options. There are 4 options: Dayton Complex, Upper Class Complex, South Complex, and Tonopah Living, Learning, and Scholarship Complex. A few of the buildings within these complexes are Center Hall, South Hall, Hughes Hall, Faiman Hall, Williams Hall, Rodman Hall, Boyd Hall, Northwest Wing, and Southeast Wing.

The University of Nevada-Las Vegas offers sports clubs for students who are interested. Sports clubs allow students to travel and compete with students from other colleges and university at the national and regional level. Students can even win national championships. A few of the sports clubs are Golf Club, Jiu-Jitsu Club, Men’s Lacrosse Club, Aikido Club, Boxing Club, Equestrian Club, Revel Ice Hockey Club, Triathlon Club, Women’s Rugby Club, and Roller Hockey Club. Intramural sports also provide an opportunity for students to show off their talents and meet new friends. A few of the sports that student may want to participate in are ooseball, Wii bowling, racquetball singles, golf, Ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, tennis doubles, floor hockey, flag football, wallyball, badminton doubles, and sports trivia.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

There are 17 varsity teams at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. The teams are part of the NCAA Division I, and the teams participate in the Mountain West Conference. The Rebels’ team colors are scarlet and gray, and the mascot is Hey Reb.

The sports teams at the university include men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s track and field, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, cross country, men’s and women’s tennis, dance and cheer, volleyball, golf, softball, and football.

The men’s and women’s sporting teams have wonderful facilities for sporting events that include Wilson Stadium, baseball; Thomas & Mack Center, men’s basketball; Cox Pavilion, women’s basketball and volleyball; Partridge Stadium, cross country and track and field; Boyd Stadium, football; Southern Highlands Golf Course, men’s golf; Dragon Ridge Golf Course, women’s golf; Johann Field, men’s and women’s soccer; Eller Stadium, softball; Buchanan Natatorium, men’s and women’s swimming; and Fertitta Complex, and men’s and women’s tennis.

A few of the sports highlights include 1990 NCAA Champions, men’s basketball team; 1998 NCAA Champions, men’s golf, 10 NCAA Regional appearances, baseball; 8 NCAA tournament appearances, women’s basketball; 2 conference championships, football; 5 NCAA tournament appearances, men’s soccer; 3 NCAA Tournament appearances, women’s soccer; 9 NCAA tournament appearances, softball; 5 conference titles, women’s swimming; 2 NCAA individual champions, men’s tennis; 9 NCAA tournament appearances,, women’s tennis; 2 NCAA individual champions, track and field; and 1 NCAA tournament appearance volleyball.

A few notable athletes that attended the University of Nevada-Las Vegas include Adam Scott, golfer; Chad Campbell, golfer; Eric Wright, cornerback for the Cleveland Browns; Ryan Claridge, linebacker for the New England Patriots; Toby Hall, pitcher for the Houston Astros; Ryan Ludwick, right fielder for the St. Louise Cardinals; Shawn Marion, Dallas Mavericks; and Gina Carano, mixed martial artist.

Bibliography

University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 16 April 2011. Web. 16 April 2011.
Kille, J. Dee. Academic Freedom Imperiled: The Mccarthy Era at the University of Nevada .Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2004. Print.
Lucus, Brad E. Radicals, Rhetoric, and the War: The University of Nevada in the Wake of Kent State. Hants: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. Print.

University of Nevada-Las Vegas