University of New Mexico

Founded in 1899, the University of New Mexico got a boost from the railroad, which ran through the center of town. That railroad made it easier for students living in other cities or states to move to the state for college. The university grew even more when it introduced a Greek system of fraternities and sororities and later added new buildings to its campus. Its medial programs grew at an extremely fast rate during the 1980s. As more students arrived on campus, enrollment grew rapidly in its business and engineering programs as well. Its enrollment reached an all time high in 2015 when population increased to more than 27,000 students.

Those interested in attending UNM may want to look at the rankings that the school has. The university appears on lists of the nation's top schools in lists produced by U.S. News and World Report, Washington Monthly and Forbes. Times, QS and ARWU all named the university one of the top in the world too. The Princeton Review recognized the university's engineering program as one of the top in the nation and called the school one of the best in the west. Other programs at the university that rank highly include its medical and law programs. The University of New Mexico also ranks as one of the top public colleges in the state and in the southwest.

University of New Mexico Accreditation Details

Accreditation is a term that students often hear when looking at schools but one that don't think about much. This not only allows a school to hand out degrees to those who meet all the base requirements, but accreditation also allows a school to receive funding from the government and for students to get government aid. The Higher Learning Commission was one of the first organizations of its type that granted accreditation to the University of New Mexico. This is general, regional or institutional accreditation. The university also received program accreditation for degree programs ranging from business to nursing. Some of the organizations that granted UNM program accreditation include:

• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
• National Architectural Accrediting Board
• American Psychological Association (APA)
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
• New Mexico State Board of Education
• American Speech Language Hearing Association
• Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
• National Council on Family Relations
• Commission on Sport Management Accreditation
• Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology

University of New Mexico Application Requirements

The University of New Mexico has specific requirements in place that all students must meet before they apply to its graduate school. They must have a bachelor's degree from a college or university with accreditation in the United States. International students can apply with the equivalent of a bachelor's degree. They must also have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher in all courses taken within the last two years and in all courses relating to their majors. Though students may receive an acceptance letter without meeting all these requirements, the university will put those students on probation. This allows them to take courses and enter the graduate school, but if they cannot perform as expected, the university can drop them.

In addition to general requirements, there are also application requirements. All interested students must request a pin code from the university and use that code when logging into the online system. They can then complete the online application, which asks general questions about the student's background, the classes the applicant took and any professional experience the student might have. Most departments on campus also ask that students take the GRE or a similar examination and submit their scores, submit one or more letters of recommendation and send in an official college transcript.

Tuition and Fees

UNM charges a flat rate of around $242 for each credit hour of courses that a resident of New Mexico takes on campus. Those who take a full course load of 15 to 18 credit hours will pay a block rate of a little under $2,800 per semester. Students moving to UNM from out of state pay higher tuition rates of around $835 per credit or $10,000 per semester for a full course load. All students also face fees of less than $100 and are responsible for paying for their own supplies and expenses. The university charges additional fees for those working on a dissertation and those entering certain professional programs.

While these rates may seem high to some, UNM offers a number of programs and packages designed to help students pay for their courses and other expenses. Students will not receive any type of aid until they complete and submit the FAFSA online. This helps the university determine how much help each individual student needs. Nearly every student will qualify for some type of unsubsidized loan, but the university also offers paid jobs on campus for grad students. Parents of enrolled students and the students themselves can also apply for private student loans.

Graduate Psychology Programs

When designing its graduate psychology program, the University of New Mexico decided to create a PhD program rather than a program that awards students a master's degree. The program allows students to earn a master's degree and continue their studies to complete a PhD without reapplying or moving to a new college. UNM typically accepts students who have a strong research background and the ability to conduct independent research. The university offers both assistant jobs on campus and fellowships that help students pay for their studies as they work on campus to assist professors in the classroom or with research programs. As these programs are quite competitive, students should apply for a position as soon as possible after receiving an acceptance letter.

UNM expects that all students will commit to the program full time and meet with an adviser who will guide them with their research and help them choose which classes to take each semester. In addition to doing independent research and creating a dissertation, students will take examinations throughout the program that tests their skills and knowledge. Students who repeatedly fail those tests may lose their spots. The University of New Mexico offers internships for students off campus and honors programs and other activities on campus for its psychology grad students.