Colleges and Schools

UAF colleges and schools offer programs leading to occupational endorsements, certificates and associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. Doctoral programs are available in areas of particular strength, such as sciences and mathematics.

Business and Security Management

The College of Business and Security Management is a global learning community where innovation in teaching, discovery and service prepares students for professional success that benefits our community, the state of Alaska and the nation. The college's programs include bachelor's degrees in accounting, applied management, business administration and homeland security and emergency management, as well as 10 undergraduate minors and an occupational endorsement in homeland security. An undergraduate postbaccalaureate certificate in accounting is available. Graduate degrees include a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Security and Disaster Management and a Ph.D. in natural resources and sustainability. The college offers five graduate-level certificates in the field of homeland security and emergency management. The Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program is housed within the college.

The College of Business and Security Management is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) and is one of only approximately 1.5% of schools worldwide with additional specialized accreditation in accounting.

Going beyond the classroom, CBSM embraces experiential learning by encouraging students to be active participants in their education through involvement in student organizations, paid internships and events.

For more information, visit the CBSM website or call 907-474-7461.

Community and Technical College

The Community and Technical College fulfills UAF’s community college mission in the greater Fairbanks and outlying area by offering high-quality certificates, degrees and specialized training programs. Its core purpose is to provide community-driven education to meet the needs for workforce development, academic preparation and lifelong learning. CTC helps prepare Alaskans for Alaska’s jobs.

CTC offers more than 40 certificate and degree programs that prepare students for high-demand careers in health care; business; cybersecurity and IT support; construction management; culinary arts; early childhood education; EMS/paramedicine; firefighting; law enforcement; paralegal studies; oil, gas and mining process technologies; automotive; diesel/heavy equipment; aviation maintenance; and welding.

CTC benefits from strong partnerships with local employers in business, industry and organized labor. Many CTC faculty come from active workplace settings, ensuring that CTC students learn from people at the forefront of their professions.

Many CTC classes are held during evenings, weekends and online to support the needs of nontraditional students who have been away from college or whose work and family obligations make full-time student status challenging, as well as traditional students entering college for the first time.

CTC programs are delivered at nine locations throughout Fairbanks and the surrounding area. Each CTC location contains specialized facilities and equipment to support the industry experience and the hands-on education provided through programs such as aviation maintenance, automotive technology, culinary arts, diesel/heavy equipment maintenance, paramedicine, and more. CTC's downtown location (604 Barnette St.) provides a one-stop shop that enables students to take care of all of their university-related needs in one convenient place.

For more information, contact CTC at 907-455-2800 or visit the CTC website.

 

Education

The School of Education is dedicated to culturally responsive, place-based teaching, counseling, research and service for Alaska's diverse communities. Coursework and fieldwork in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs are available to students in Fairbanks and Anchorage and by distance delivery across the state. School of Education programs are fully accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

Undergraduate degree programs and postbaccalaureate endorsement programs lead to State of Alaska teaching certificates in elementary and secondary education. A postbaccalaureate K-12 special education program leads to State of Alaska initial teacher certification or an additional endorsement in special education. The school counseling program leads to a State of Alaska Type C Special Services certificate. The clinical mental health counseling program provides the coursework required to be a licensed professional counselor in Alaska. Graduate degree programs leading to a Master of Education include school or clinical mental health counseling, elementary education, secondary education and special education certification and endorsement programs.

School of Education staff and faculty work closely with colleagues at UAF's rural campuses and with school districts across the state to prepare well-qualified educators and to offer professional development opportunities to education and counseling practitioners. Research, outreach and collaborative efforts focus on issues related to Alaska Native people and communities, Indigenous populations, cross-cultural contexts, place-based education, distance education, mental health and rural issues.

The School of Education advising office offers experienced, full-time personnel who provide advice about SOE programs on a drop-in or appointment basis and provide appropriate referrals for financial aid and other information that students and interns need. SOE's partnership with rural school districts, under the umbrella of the Alaska Indigenous Teacher Initiatives, provides various types of support for rural and Alaska Native students seeking to pursue education careers.

For more information, call 907-474-7341 or visit the School of Education website.

Engineering and Mines

The College of Engineering and Mines includes the academic departments of civil, geological and environmental engineering; computer science; electrical and computer engineering; mechanical engineering; mining and mineral engineering; and petroleum engineering. The research enterprise of the college, the Institute of Northern Engineering, houses the Arctic Infrastructure Development Center, the Mineral Industry Research Laboratory, the Petroleum Development Laboratory and the Water and Environmental Research Center.

CEM offers students a challenging academic experience that will allow them to contribute, compete and succeed in today’s global economy. The college offers programs leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees in civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, geological engineering, mechanical engineering, mining engineering, petroleum engineering and earth systems science (hydrology). In addition to these degree programs, concentrations in many areas, including Arctic engineering, are available. An engineering Ph.D. program is also offered.

The baccalaureate degree programs in computer science and civil, computer, electrical, geological, mechanical, mining and petroleum engineering are accredited by ABET.

CEM’s academic programs provide a basis for advanced study or specialized careers. CEM students benefit from small class sizes through increased interactions with faculty and other students and excellent access to instructional laboratories. The college provides opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to participate in research. Theoretical and practical hands-on knowledge, in tandem with discipline-related research, gives CEM students the expertise and training they need for their chosen career path.

CEM departments are active in outreach activities such as Engineering Week, Teaching Through Technology (T3), the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program, educational workshops and a range of short courses for the professional engineering community. Visit the CEM website or call 907-474-7730 for more information.

Fisheries and Ocean Sciences

The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS) is responsible for statewide academic, research and service programs relating to Alaska’s marine and freshwater environments and fisheries.

For undergraduate degrees, CFOS offers a minor and a Bachelor of Arts in fisheries, a Bachelor of Science in fisheries and marine sciences and minors in marine science and fisheries. Fieldwork and internship opportunities are available to undergraduate students through cooperating tribal, state and federal agencies, nonprofit entities and industry fishery partners. Undergraduate fisheries and marine sciences majors are prepared for graduate study or to enter management, private industry or other fields.

Graduate degrees offered by CFOS include a Master of Science and doctoral degrees in oceanography, marine biology and fisheries and a non-thesis Master of Marine Studies (M.M.S.). In addition, CFOS offers a Master in Marine Policy (M.M.P.) degree jointly with UAS. Graduate students prepare for careers in university research and education, or research or management with tribal, state and federal agencies and private industry. As part of their degree programs, graduate students conduct research in collaboration with faculty, often in remote locations around Alaska and beyond.

Education, research and extension work on freshwater and marine systems are conducted by the departments that make up CFOS. The Institute of Marine Science, with major laboratory facilities in Fairbanks and Seward, focuses on oceanographic and marine biological research. The Kasitsna Bay Laboratory, near Homer, is the site for coastal research on intertidal and subtidal communities. The Juneau Center focuses on fisheries research and education. CFOS also operates the oceanographic vessel Sikuliaq, a global-class research vessel designed to work in the ice-laden waters of polar regions. The Sikuliaq is based in Seward.

For more information, visit the CFOS website or call 907-474-7210.

Graduate School

The Graduate School is responsible for the oversight and management of graduate programs at UAF. The Graduate School works with UAF’s colleges and schools that offer graduate programs leading to professional licenses, graduate certificates, master's degrees and doctoral degrees in a broad range of disciplines. The school also manages the graduate portion of the UAF Interdisciplinary Studies program, where students can pursue individualized graduate degrees (both master’s and doctoral) that draw on multiple disciplines.

The Graduate School advocates for graduate students and their programs. The school provides information and guidance for prospective and current graduate students, professional support and training for graduate assistants, and several scholarships and fellowships.

For more information, contact the Graduate School at 907-474-7464 or visit the Graduate School website.

Liberal Arts

As one of the largest colleges at Alaska’s research university, the College of Liberal Arts supports scholarship for further understanding Alaska and the circumpolar region within a changing global context.

CLA offers a classic, yet forward-thinking liberal arts course selection. The core curriculum courses provide breadth to the general education of all UAF undergraduates, while liberal arts undergraduate and graduate programs theoretically ground students in their applied disciplines. Extensive research and creative work inform our teaching to provide students with opportunities to gain knowledge, skill, and expertise in and across the arts, humanities, cultures, global languages, and social and behavioral sciences.

CLA provides interdisciplinary learning opportunities beyond the classroom to foster responsibility, comprehension of vital issues, and commitment to the study and understanding of the human dimension in the circumpolar North.

More information is available at the CLA website or by calling 907-474-7231.

Natural Science and Mathematics

The College of Natural Science and Mathematics offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the physical and life sciences, including atmospheric sciences, biology and wildlife, chemistry and biochemistry, geosciences and physics; statistics and mathematics; natural resources and environment; and education. It also hosts a cooperative 2+2 program in veterinary medicine with Colorado State University. CNSM provides most UAF undergraduate courses in science and mathematics, including the general education curriculum and a variety of outreach programs. The college is known for its modern teaching technologies, access to professors and quality undergraduate student advising. CNSM also offers minors in each of its major disciplines.

Academic programs provide a foundation for professional careers or advanced study and help students develop critical thinking and analytical skills. CNSM majors enjoy close working relationships with faculty and other students. The college provides opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to work with faculty on research projects. Unique opportunities are available through UAF research centers and institutes, including the CNSM Division of Research, the Geophysical Institute, the Institute of Arctic Biology, the UA Museum of the North, the International Arctic Research Center and the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. The fundamental knowledge gained through courses and by working on practical, discipline-related projects gives CNSM graduates the skills and experience they need to enter the job market or continue their education.

CNSM is home to the Biomedical Learning and Student Training program, Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program, and K–12 outreach programs, including the Science Potpourri, the Alaska Summer Research Academy, Inspiring Girls Expeditions and GeoFORCE. In these and other programs, high school and university students work with CNSM faculty on original research projects to improve the quality of life in Alaska.

At the graduate level, CNSM offers master's and doctoral degrees in the natural sciences, mathematics and natural resources and sustainability. These advanced programs provide students with research opportunities in laboratory and field settings throughout Alaska. CNSM’s doctoral programs provide opportunities for advanced study leading to academic and professional positions. For more information, visit the CNSM website or call 907-474-7608.

Rural and Community Development

The College of Rural and Community Development focuses on the needs of nontraditional students, including students who seek skills and degrees suited to the economy and well-being of rural communities. CRCD promotes workforce preparation, economic development, lifelong learning and community development. CRCD campuses provide general and vocational-technical education at the occupational endorsement, certificate and associate degree levels, baccalaureate degrees in rural development and child development/family studies and a master's in rural development. In cooperation with the College of Liberal Arts and the School of Education, CRCD offers baccalaureate and graduate degrees in cross-cultural studies, education and social work as well as a Ph.D. in Indigenous studies. CRCD also offers workshops, continuing education and short-term courses, developmental studies, credit for prior learning and other nondegree student services.

CRCD community campuses include Northwest (Nome), Kuskokwim (Bethel), Bristol Bay (Dillingham), Chukchi (Kotzebue) and Interior Alaska (Fairbanks, which services 56 Interior communities).

CRCD serves nearly two-thirds of Alaska, encompassing 160 primarily Alaska Native Arctic, sub-Arctic and coastal communities. At least 16 Indigenous languages are spoken in the region served by CRCD, and the economy spans subsistence hunting and fishing, small-scale village development and cooperatives, and large-scale international corporate development. The College of Rural and Community Development focuses on responding to students and partners to develop the economic and social well-being of Alaska Native communities and beyond.

For more information, visit the CRCD website or call 907-474-7143.