University of Nevada – Las Vegas

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Updated August 6, 2020

The University of Nevada - Las Vegas appears in our ranking of the 10 Most Affordable Doctorate in Educational Psychology Online.

The University of Nevada - Las Vegas is one of the largest public schools in Nevada. Usually called UNLV, it dates back to the 1950s. Originally established as a regional branch of the University of Nevada, Reno, its first classes were so small that students actually met and worked together on the campus of a local high school. For nearly a full decade, the university operated as the University of Nevada, Southern Division. This changed in 1965 when it became Nevada Southern University. It became UNLV at the end of the 1960s.

UNLV has a large number of professors working on its campus. Those professors are responsible for teaching the classes that help students complete one of more than 300 degree programs. Both Washington Monthly and Forbes include UNLV on their lists of the best American colleges. Washington Monthly also considers the university one of the world's best schools. According to U.S. News & World Report some of the university's degree programs rank among the nation's best, including those in fine arts, sociology, social work and psychology. Enrollment at UNLV now includes more than 900 doctoral students and more than 29,000 undergrad and graduate students.

University of Nevada - Las Vegas Accreditation Details

UNLV has two different forms of accreditation that are important for those who want to study educational psychology. The first is its regional accreditation, which comes from the NCCU. This type of accreditation allows doctoral candidates to apply for financial aid from the government. Though they can use other types of aid, many doctoral students use government aid to cover their costs. This type of accreditation also allows students who studied on another campus to bring credits with them. The university also has accreditation for its psychology programs and for its education programs, which is helpful for students studying both fields.

University of Nevada - Las Vegas Application Requirements

Students applying to any doctoral program must ensure that the university receives their applications prior to the established deadline. This deadline is either December 15th or March 15th, but the exact date depends on the program. Students must also have a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from a college or university with regional accreditation. UNLV requires official transcripts from all the schools the student attended. It uses those records to check on the classes that the student took and his or her grades. This ensures that they can keep up with the demands of the doctoral program. UNLV will only admit students who maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

The university also requires that students take the General Records Examination and submit their scores. It looks for those who scored in the 50th percentile or higher on both the quantitative and verbal areas of the exam. Students will also write and submit a statement of purpose that lists their career goals and interests relating to educational psychology. The university also asks for three letters of recommendation. Though students can submit one letter written by a peer, they typically need to submit professional recommendation letters that come from their college professors and/or employers.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Both doctoral and graduate students attending UNLV face the same tuition costs. They pay a little more than $4,000 as a Nevada resident. Students only pay certain fees during the first semester, which brings their annual costs in at slightly less than $8,000. Nonresidents pay around $11,000 a semester or $22,000 a year. The university refers to any student who lived outside of Nevada as a nonresident. To qualify for the resident tuition rate, students must show proof that they lived in the state for at least one full year.

Graduate and doctoral students can use the FAFSA and find out if they qualify for any government grants or loans. They can also apply for specific types of financial aid available from UNLV. Graduate assistant jobs on its Las Vegas campus can provide students with a significant amount of financial aid. Students can apply for one of these positions online. They must accept the positions offered to them prior to the deadlines listed on their letters.

UNLV also offers both fellowships and scholarships. The university has its own application portal that goes live at the beginning of October every year. Many fellowships award students funds that they can use during the fall and summer sessions, but some awards also help students cover the costs of studying during a summer session. Those applying for a fellowship must submit an application by December 1st through the online portal. Their applications must include a professional resume, a statement of purpose and the name and contact information for one professional or educational reference. The statement of purpose must be no longer than three pages.

Ph.D. in Educational Psychology

UNLV offers a Ph.D. in educational psychology foundations and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology - School Psychology. The first program is a little more general and can help students find jobs in research fields, while the second program is more specialized and can help students find more success when working with students. Students must complete at least half of their work at UNLV to earn a degree from the university.

The educational psychology foundations program asks students to create an article suitable for publishing in an academic journal. They will also take an exam to show that they should remain in the program. Though UNLV gives students the freedom to pick classes based on their interests, students must take at least 67 credits of classes above the master's level. The university also expects students in this program to do a dissertation. They will work with an adviser on this paper and defend their work later in front of a panel of professors in the program.

Those who want to spend more time in the field and less time doing research may find the UNLV educational psychology school psychology program more appealing. This program features practicum work in lieu of a dissertation. UNLV expects students to work in local schools and support students who need help. The university will look at the transcripts that students submit to determine if they need to take any master's courses before working on a doctoral degree. Students enrolled in this University of Nevada - Las Vegas must do both a school practicum and a clinical practicum.

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