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1996-97 UAF Catalog

Course Descriptions


Degrees and Programs Index


Rural Human Services Courses


RHS 110 (2 Credits) Alternate Semesters
Cross-Cultural Bridging Skills (2+1)

Issues and impacts relevant to effective cross-cultural communication. Understanding barriers to effective cross-cultural communication in rural settings and development of effective cross-cultural communication skills from a Native perspective. Development of bridging and networking skills that integrate Native values and principles. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site.


RHS 115 (2 Credits) Alternate Semesters
Issues of Personal Development in the Delivery of Rural Human Services (2+1)

Dynamics and impacts of personal development issues relevant to the delivery of rural human services focusing on understanding types, application, and processes of personal development. Facilitating personal development through processes that integrate or reflect Native values and principles. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site.


RHS 120 (2 Credits) Alternate Semesters
Family Systems I (2+1)

Survey of historical forces that exerted influence on Alaska Native families, the impacts of those forces, and discussion of their contemporary effects from a Native perspective. Focus on developing options and strategies for developing healthy Native families as the foundation for healthy Native communities. Emphasis on developing the understanding and skills necessary to facilitate development and maintenance of healthy families through healthy individuals. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site.


RHS 130 (2 Credits) Alternate Semesters
Processes of Community Change (2+1)

Contemporary foundations of rural social development and relevant issues from a Native perspective. Developing the understanding and skills necessary for facilitating positive individual, family, and community development based on an ecological systems approach. Emphasis on developing the skills necessary to identify, develop, and mobilize individual, family, and community resources in rural Native communities. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site.


RHS 140 (2 Credits) Alternate Semesters
Alaska Native Values and Principles (2+1)

Traditional Native values and principles, their applicability to today's world, and issues relevant to their integration into today's lifestyles. Developing understanding and skills necessary for facilitating formulation of positive world views within Native individuals, families, and communities. Emphasis on developing an understanding of and appreciation for spirituality as a value and its role in the life processes of Alaska Natives. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site.


RHS 150 (2 Credits) Alternate Semesters
Introduction to Rural Counseling (2+1)

Identification and examination of issues relevant to the delivery of rural counseling services focusing on developing the understanding and skills necessary for the effective delivery of rural counseling services. Opportunities for development of basic rural counseling skills with emphasis on integration of Native values and principles and exploring strategies that facilitate positive individual, family, and community growth and development through enhancement of healthy lifestyles in rural Native communities. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site.


RHS 220 (2 Credits) Alternate Semesters
Family Systems II (2+1)

The dynamics and issues relevant to personal healing and recovery from a Native perspective focusing on developing the understanding and skills necessary to healing and recovery in Native individuals, families, and communities. Emphasis on achieving healthy lifestyles through self-understanding based on truth, grieving, and positive proactive repositioning. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site.


RHS 250 (2 Credits) Alternate Semesters
Rural Counseling II (2+1)

An examination and discussion of the differences and similarities between Native and Western counseling skills. Identifies and examines issues relevant to the development and delivery of basic rural counseling skills and services. Focuses on identifying and building on individual, family, and community strengths as the foundation for development of intervention strategies. Addresses the importance of integrating Native traditional values and principles into intervention strategies and service delivery. Emphasis on developing and enhancing basic rural counseling skills and short- and long-term intervention strategies. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site.


RHS 260 (2 Credits) Alternate Semesters
Addictions: Intervention and Treatment (2+1)

Dynamics, issues, impacts, treatment options and intervention strategies relevant to behavioral and chemical addictions. Understanding addictive processes and developing treatment options and intervention strategies from a Native perspective. Emphasis on development of treatment options and intervention strategies that integrate Native values and principles. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site.


RHS 265 (2 Credits)As Demand Warrants
Interpersonal Violence (2+1)

Types, causes, and impacts of interpersonal violence focusing on developing an understanding of interpersonal violence and development of treatment options and intervention strategies from a Native perspective. Emphasis on development of treatment options and intervention strategies that integrate Native values and principles. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site.


RHS 270 (2 Credits)Alternate Semesters
Networking, Negotiating, and Conflict Resolution (2+1)

The dynamics of networking, negotiation, and conflict resolution from a Native perspective. Focusing on Alaska Native individuals, families, and communities, identification, examination and discussion of issues relevant to developing effective communication skills. Emphasis on identifying and understanding issues impacting conflict resolution, focusing on developing and strengthening networking and negotiating skills relevant to the delivery of effective rural human service. Student must spend one week in intensive study at selected delivery site.


RHS 285 (2 Credits) Alternate Semesters
Case Management (2+1)

Identification and discussion of issues, components, procedures, responsibilities, skills, and processes for case management in rural settings with diverse populations. Emphasis on case management processes unique to rural and village Alaska and to the fields of mental health, addictions, and interpersonal violence. Oral and written communication skills essential to effective case management explored. Student must be willing and able to work independently outside the classroom and in the community.


RHS 287 (4 Credits) Alternate Semesters
Rural Human Services Practicum

Taken as part of the final sequence of courses in the Rural Human Services Certificate Program, practicum provides students with 100 hours of supervised learning experience in an approved rural human service organization/agency. Provides students with opportunities for personal and professional development, self-analysis, and growth. Emphasis on developing the understanding and skills necessary to integrate Native healing theory and problem solving into the delivery of rural human services. Student must be willing and able to work independently outside the classroom and in the community.


RHS 288 (1 Credit) Alternate Semesters
Directed Study: Resource Assessment (1+0)

Provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate an ability to identify and develop local, regional, and statewide resources of benefit to their community. Focus on gathering information on resources and creating a human services resource directory relevant to the needs of individuals, families, and communities. Emphasis on application of multicultural communication skills. Student must be willing and able to work independently outside the classroom and in the community.


RHS 289 (1 Credit) Alternate Semesters
Directed Study: Community Development (1+0)

Provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate an ability to develop, implement, and evaluate a village-based community development project through a supervised, professional experience. Focus on developing positive, effective, meaningful development projects that are culturally appropriate. Emphasis on developing a process that facilitates community ownership and responsibility for the project. Student must be willing and able to work independently outside the classroom and in the community.


RHS 290 (2 Credits) As Demand Warrants
Grief and Healing (2+1)

Exploration of the dynamics of grief and healing from an Alaska Native perspective. Special emphasis on Native values and principles focused on developing culturally relevant, understandings, awarenesses, and professional skills. (Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in RHS 220; 250; 260.)