Address: 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, 89154 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Hospitality Management, Law, Urban Affairs
UNLV dates its founding to 1957: 10 September of that year is the day when classes began, in a building now named Maude Frazier Hall, for the Southern Division of the University of Nevada. It became Nevada Southern University in 1965 and has carried the name University of Nevada, Las Vegas since 1969. The main campus lies along Maryland Parkway and has a Las Vegas address.
The university groups its teaching into academic colleges and schools that include engineering, sciences, liberal arts, fine arts, education, urban affairs and hospitality, together with a Graduate College, an Honors College and schools of public health and integrated health sciences. Professional schools cover law, medicine and dental medicine. The William F. Harrah College of Hospitality and the William S. Boyd School of Law are among the best-known names on campus. Enrolment has been above 30,000 in recent years; the preliminary fall 2024 headcount was 32,911 students.
On the research side, the Carnegie Classification places UNLV in the R1 group of doctoral universities with very high research activity. UNLV and the University of Nevada, Reno share a common origin, since the Las Vegas branch became a formal division of the University of Nevada in 1957 before gaining its own identity.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Life Sciences, Project Management, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Located in Las Vegas. World-renowned Harrah College of Hospitality. Diverse student population. Growing research in areas relevant to Southern Nevada.
Research:
A research university with strengths in hospitality and gaming management, urban studies, water resources, and health sciences.
Famous Alumnis:
Jimmy Kimmel, Anthony E. Zuiker, Guy Fieri, Suge Knight
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
5000
Current students***:
30000
Foreign students***:
5%
Cumulative former students***:
120000
Pros
Top-ranked hospitality program, diverse student body, located in a major entertainment city with unique internship opportunities.
Cons
Primarily a commuter campus, high summer temperatures, some programs still developing national reputation.
Best For
Students interested in hospitality management, law, or urban studies, often valuing the unique opportunities and environment of Las Vegas.
Arizona State University is a public university in the Southwest, with engineering and business among its fields and an urban footprint comparable to UNLV's.
University of Central Florida, public and based in Orlando, teaches sciences, business and health professions.
University of Houston is a public city university, with energy, health sciences and business as its specialities.
Public and southwestern, University of New Mexico in Albuquerque offers health sciences and engineering as main fields.
Also in Nevada, University of Nevada, Reno is public and covers engineering, journalism and environmental science from the north of the state.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
In England, University of Surrey is a public university whose listed strengths include hospitality and tourism alongside electrical engineering.
Canada's Toronto Metropolitan University is a public city-centre institution with media and communications among its strengths.
Australia's Griffith University is public and lists criminology and criminal justice and education among its fields.
In Ireland, Technological University Dublin is a public institution covering engineering, the built environment and computer science.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was UNLV established?
The university dates its founding to 1957, when it began as the Southern Division of the University of Nevada. The Nevada Southern University name followed in 1965 and the present title in 1969.
Where is the campus located?
The main campus runs along Maryland Parkway and uses a Las Vegas address.
What is the size of the student body?
UNLV reported a preliminary fall 2024 headcount of 32,911 students, and numbers have exceeded 30,000 in recent years.
Which fields is UNLV best known for?
Hospitality is a signature field through the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. Law, engineering, sciences and urban affairs are also taught in dedicated colleges and schools.
Does UNLV have professional schools?
Yes, there is the William S. Boyd School of Law, plus a School of Medicine and a School of Dental Medicine. These sit alongside the undergraduate and graduate colleges.
Is UNLV a research university?
The Carnegie Classification lists it as R1, meaning very high research activity.
How can an applicant find costs and entry requirements?
Fees and deadlines are updated yearly, so the official admissions, tuition and financial aid pages are the right place to look. Graduate and professional applicants should check the individual school as well.
Customer Experience, Health Sciences, Innovation, Research and Development, Sustainability, Sustainable Practices
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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