Mission Statement and Goals
The Graduate College is a central administrative unit that: coordinates, supervises, and reviews all programs of graduate study in the University; handles all graduate admissions, records, graduation audits, the conferral of graduate degrees, and graduate student appeals; manages graduate faculty status, works closely with the Graduate Council and graduate faculty to provide high quality graduate education. The Graduate College is part of the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, and reports to the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate College, who in turn reports to the Executive Vice President and Provost.
More specifically, although programs of study reside in the academic colleges, prospective graduate students apply for admission to graduate study to The Graduate College and the department or program in which they wish to study, simultaneously. The Graduate College grants all graduate academic degrees and some professional degrees. The Graduate College also is responsible, in conjunction with the Graduate Council and the Faculty Senate, for the regular review of all programs or departments that offer graduate or professional degrees (excluding Law and the Dental School). The Graduate Council, with support from the Graduate College, oversees all graduate and most professional curriculum, distribution of centralized graduate scholarships and fellowships, coordination of centralized professional development opportunities for graduate students, review of many graduate appeals, and the development of new graduate programs or the revision of existing programs.
The Division of Research and Graduate Studies is committed to supporting and promoting the performance of superb research and creative/scholarly activity, the provision of excellent graduate education, and the seamless integration of these two critical endeavors.
The mission of The Graduate College is to nurture and support high quality graduate programs at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and to provide outstanding customer service and support to prospective and enrolled graduate and professional students. Its major objectives are: (1) establish and maintain University-wide graduate standards and policies, (2) support and maintain program-level graduate requirements and policies, the organization of The Graduate College supports the accomplishment of these seven major objectives.
- To establish and maintain NSHE, University, and Graduate College policies and standards;
- To support and maintain excellence in graduate programs and curriculum, through collaboration with graduate programs, the Graduate Council, and the Faculty Senate program review;
- To promote continued growth in graduate applications, admissions, enrollment, and yield rates through new initiatives, aggressive outreach strategies, and improved internal processes;
- To increase graduate student diversity through focused outreach strategies and internal programming targeted at identifying and admitting under-represented applicants;
- To address graduate student retention issues and improve graduation rates through better tracking and assessment mechanisms, effective outreach, seamless support to graduate programs, and an overall paradigm of service to our constituents;
- To enhance opportunities and the level of support available for graduate student funding --- in the form of GA support, research funding, scholarships and fellowships.
- To provide responsive and efficient customer service and support to our constituents.
A guiding organizational principle and core philosophy of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ Graduate College is its commitment to faculty governance at the department and graduate program level. Striving for excellence is a collaborative effort: the Graduate College works closely with the Graduate Council and graduate programs to maintain and enhance excellence in individual disciplines. For example, at UNLV, there are Graduate College and University policies to which all graduate and many professional programs and students must adhere. At the same time, each graduate and professional program establishes policies and procedures with respect to admissions, degree program requirements, and student expectations, which the Graduate College helps to enforce.
All departmental and program policies regarding curriculum, degree program guidelines (from admission to graduation) and student expectations, are reviewed and approved through appropriate committee channels in the Graduate Council and the Graduate College. Additionally, graduate and professional programs routinely rely upon the expertise of external reviewers, professional associations, and disciplinary accrediting bodies for guidance, structure and oversight with respect to educational objectives and academic/professional rigor.