Graduate Research Certification on a faded black background.

Graduate Research Certification

The Graduate Research Certification (GRC) is a year-long professional development program designed to equip graduate, professional, and select undergraduate students with foundational skills and knowledge to successfully design, conduct, and complete research projects. Through this program, students will enhance their research competencies by participating in cohort meetings that promote thoughtful discussion around research ethics, best practices, and scholarly communication. Throughout the program, students will present their research, creative, or scholarly work, complete a culminating experience, and engage in other meaningful training activities that support their development as researchers. The GRC is a collaborative initiative supported by the Office of Research Integrity, UNLV Libraries, UNLV Writing Center, the Office of Sponsored Programs, the Professional Development Committee of the Graduate Council, GPSA, and the Graduate College.

This is a medallion-qualifying program for UNLV graduate & professional students. For additional information, please see the Graduate College Medallion Program website.

Graduate Students

In order to participate in the program, graduate students must:

  • currently be enrolled.
  • be in good academic standing in a graduate degree program.

Undergraduate Students

In order to participate in the program, undergraduate students must:

  • be in good standing in the UNLV Honors College and/or UNLV Ronald E. McNair Baccalaureate Programs and/or be graduates of the UNLV Graduate College Grad Rebel Advantage Program
  • have completed a minimum of 90 credits with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA.
  • currently be enrolled.

The 2025-2026 online Graduate Research Certification application will be available to graduate and professional students through the Grad Rebel Gateway from May 1 to September 12, 2025. Please log in to the Grad Rebel Gateway and click on The Grad Academy tab to apply.

Eligible undergraduate students are invited to apply using this online application. Please note, the application cannot be saved and must be completed and submitted in one sitting.

As part of the application, you will be asked to submit a statement of interest outlining your relevant experience and goals for participating in the Graduate Research Certification program.

To successfully complete the Graduate Research Certification (GRC) program, students must fulfill all program requirements. Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate and the GRC achievement will be recorded on their official UNLV transcript.

All program components and submissions will be managed through the Graduate Research Certification WebCampus course. Participants will be enrolled in the course following their acceptance into the program.

Program Requirements:

  • Attend 3 cohort meetings with curated learning opportunities.
  • Register and present research, creative, or scholarship activity in one of the following settings:
    • Rebel Grad Slam - Fall
    • GPSA Research Forum - Spring
    • Professional Conference
    • Undergraduates Only: Undergraduate Research Symposium
  • Complete two free on-demand training programs through Nature Masterclasses on topics such as grant writing, science communication, publishing, and research integrity. Complete one course per semester (6 to 8 hour commitment per each).
  • Draft and submit a research statement for faculty review.
  • Complete all program surveys.

Undergraduate students in the GRC program must submit to and present their research/creative/scholarly activity at either a university-level research forum or a professional conference. Graduate students in the GRC program must submit to and present their research/creative/scholarly activity at the Rebel Grad Slam.

University-Level Research Forums

Undergraduate GRC students in the McNair program may opt to present at the McNair Scholars Forum. All undergraduate student participants may also choose to present at the Undergraduate Research Forum.

Rebel Grad Slam

Graduate students in the GRC must present their research/creative/scholarly activity at the Rebel Grad Slam. If they cannot present at this venue, then they may fulfill the research presentation requirement by presenting at a professional conference (please see below for additional information). However, they need to receive prior approval from the program manager.

Professional Conference

If graduate students cannot participate in the Rebel Grad Slam, then with permission, the students may present their research/creative/scholarly activity at a professional conference in their field in order to fulfill the presentation requirement. In order to obtain permission, please email gradacademy@unlv.edu. 

Undergraduate students who cannot participate at a university-level research forum can, with permission, present their research/creative/scholarly activity at a professional conference in their field in order to fulfill the presentation requirement. In order to obtain permission, please email gradacademy@unlv.edu. 

Attendance at cohort meetings is expected unless an exception is approved in advance.

2025-2026 Cohort Meeting Schedule:

  • Cohort Meeting 1: Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 3:30-5:00 p.m.
  • Cohort Meeting 2: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
  • Cohort Meeting 3: Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 4:00-5:00 p.m.

The below workshops will help fulfill the requirements for the Graduate Research Certification. To receive credit for a workshop, click on the workshop recording you would like to watch, write a 1-page summary (single or double-spaced), and submit the summary via WebCampus.