Arctic and Northern Studies M.A.
Minimum Requirements for Arctic and Northern Studies M.A.: 30 credits
Concentrations: Arctic Politics and Policy, Northern History, Individualized Study
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General University Requirements | ||
| Complete the graduate general university requirements. | ||
| Master’s Degree Requirements | ||
| Complete the master's degree requirements. | ||
| Arctic and Northern Studies Program Requirements | ||
| Complete the following: | ||
| ACNS F600 | Perspectives on the North | 3 |
| ACNS F601 | Research Methods and Sources in the North | 3 |
| ACNS F689 | Thesis Writing Workshop | 3 |
| ACNS F698 | Non-thesis Research/Project | 6 |
| or ACNS F699 | Thesis | |
| Complete 3 program-approved elective credits at the F400 or F600 level | 3 | |
| Concentration | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 12 | |
Arctic Politics and Policy | ||
Northern History | ||
Individualized Study | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Concentrations
Arctic Politics and Policy
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Arctic Politics and Policy Concentration Requirements | ||
| Complete 3 credits from the following courses: | 3 | |
| International Relations of the North | ||
| Arctic Politics and Governance | ||
| Complete 9 credits from the following courses: | 9 | |
| Public Policy | ||
| Geography of the Arctic and Circumpolar North | ||
| U.S. Environmental Politics | ||
| International Relations of the North | ||
| International Law and the Environment | ||
| Political Economy of the Global Environment | ||
| Comparative Indigenous Rights and Policies | ||
| Comparative Environmental Politics | ||
| Government and Politics of Canada | ||
| Alaska Government and Politics | ||
| Government and Politics of Russia | ||
| Arctic Politics and Governance | ||
| Circumpolar Competition-Arctic Diplomacy and Defense | ||
| Arctic Strategies and Operations | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Northern History
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Northern History Concentration Requirements | ||
| Complete the following course: | ||
| ACNS F675 | Historiography Capstone | 3 |
| Complete 9 credits from the following courses: | 9 | |
| Modern Scandinavia | ||
| Environmental History | ||
| Fire, Ice, and the Fate of Humanity: A History of Energy and Climate Change | ||
| History of Alaska | ||
| Imperial Russia, 1700-1917 | ||
| Soviet and Post-Soviet Russia | ||
| The Russian Arctic | ||
| Culture and History in the North Atlantic | ||
| Polar Exploration and Its Literature | ||
| 20th-century Circumpolar History | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Individualized Study
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Individualized Study Concentration Requirements | ||
| Complete 12 credits of the following: | 12 | |
| Arctic and Northern Studies courses, or other courses approved by the Director of Arctic and Northern Studies | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Admission Requirements
Complete the following admission requirements:
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited university.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in undergraduate studies (exceptions are made for students with outstanding qualifications).
- A minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the undergraduate major (exceptions are made for students with outstanding qualifications).
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes are measurable statements that describe knowledge or skills achieved by students upon completion of the program.
Students graduating from this program will be able to:
- Learn interdisciplinary ways to conceptualize and think about the Arctic region and circumpolar North
- Learn about the region’s peoples, communities, political systems, policies, histories, geographies, economies, ecosystems, literatures, and art forms
- Improve their research, theoretical, methodological, and writing skills
- Master two fields of literature related to their focus in the program
- Produce and successfully defend an MA thesis or project that requires: a comprehensive review of the scholarly literature related to the student’s selected topic; incorporates original data collection; demonstrates understanding and application of an appropriate research method(s); contains written analysis and/or interpretation; and integrates the work within the field to make a valuable contribution to the scholarly understanding of the Arctic and circumpolar North
- Have opportunities for experiential, applied, and other out-of-classroom learning; this includes participation in the Model Arctic Council, research and scholarship, field trips, lectures and presentations by visiting scholars, and participation in ACNS social and academic events
- Find employment in or about the Arctic region and circumpolar North in which they can apply knowledge and expertise developed in the ACNS program
