1. It is unlawful for a person knowingly to use or attempt to use:

(a) A false or misleading degree or honorary degree conferred by the System or another public postsecondary educational institution, regardless of whether that institution is located in this State and regardless of whether that institution is authorized to operate in this State; or

(b) A degree or honorary degree conferred by the System or another public postsecondary educational institution in a false or misleading manner, regardless of whether that institution is located in this State and regardless of whether that institution is authorized to operate in this State,

in connection with admission to any institution of higher education or in connection with any business, employment, occupation, profession, trade or public office.

2. Unless a greater penalty is provided by specific statute, a person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000 or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 6 months, or by both fine and imprisonment.

3. In addition to any criminal penalty imposed pursuant to subsection 2, a person who violates the provisions of this section is subject to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $5,000 for each violation. The Attorney General or any district attorney of this State may recover the penalty in a civil action brought in the name of the State of Nevada in any court of competent jurisdiction.

4. For the purposes of this section, a degree or honorary degree is false or misleading or is used in a false or misleading manner if it:

(a) States or suggests that the person named in the degree or honorary degree has completed the requirements of an academic or professional program of study in a particular field of endeavor beyond the secondary school level and the person has not, in fact, completed the requirements of the program of study;

(b) Is offered as his or her own by a person other than the person who completed the requirements of the program of study; or

(c) Is awarded, bestowed, conferred, given, granted, conveyed or sold:

(1) Based upon more than 10 percent of the recipient’s documented life experience and not based upon actual completion of academic work; or

(2) In violation of this chapter.

5. As used in this section:

(a) “Degree” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 394.620.

(b) “Honorary degree” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 394.620.

(Added to NRS by 2005, 619)