Occupational Endorsement

The Yup’ik language competency occupational endorsement recognizes that acquisition of Yup’ik language competency in listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, composition, translating and transcribing are workforce skills needed by organizations throughout the Yukon-Kuskokwim region.

The courses chosen and testing criteria for the proposed Yup’ik language competency occupational endorsement were discussed with input from Walkie Charles, UAF associate professor of Alaska Native languages; Patrick Marlow, UAF linguistics program chair; Sally Samson, assistant professor of Yup’ik language and culture, UAF Kuskokwim Campus; Catherine Moses and Rosalie Lincoln, UAF Kuskokwim Campus Yup’ik adjunct instructors in Toksook Bay, Alaska; and Sheila Wallace, Lower Kuskokwim School District Yup'ik distance delivery instructor and Kuskokwim Campus adjunct instructor. Adjunct instructor Wallace approached Kuskokwim Campus to offer Yup’ik courses as high school dual-language credit and requested the University of Alaska to establish an occupational endorsement certificate in Yup’ik language competency to create a career pathway for fluent high school Yugtun speakers. These courses will provide students with a pathway for a Yup’ik language proficiency certificate, an A.A.S. degree in Yup’ik language proficiency, and/or a B.A. in Yup’ik language and culture. The rigor in the courses helps prepare students to meet the requirements for the State of Alaska's Seal of Biliteracy, as well as the Alaska Performance Scholarship.

College of Rural and Community Development
Department of Alaska Native Languages
907-474-7874

Complete the following admission requirements:

• Have at least basic conversational Yup’ik skills based on the UAF Yup’ik proficiency test or Yup’ik WorldSpeak assessment.

Students must earn a C- or better in each course.

Minimum Requirements for Yup'ik Language Competency Occupational Endorsement: 9 credits