Northern Studies Outstanding Student of 2006, Heidi Kristenson, performs in the Fairbanks Light Opera Theatre production of "Cowgirls".

Lisbet Norris, 2011 Outstanding Student in Northern Studies, leaves the starting line of the Northern Lights 300 sled dog race in Big Lake, Alaska.

Welcome to the Northern Studies Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Northern Studies offers a BA and an MA that allow students to learn about the circumpolar north, or regions within it, from multiple disciplinary perspectives including anthropology, art, biology and wildlife management, economics, geography, history, journalism, literature, political science.  

Northern Studies students benefit from the northern expertise and research experience of our faculty and from the comprehensive holdings of the Alaska and Polar Regions holdings of the Rasmuson Library. Faculty associated with the program have extensive northern expertise, and students have opportunities to work closely with these faculty as they conduct their research and in classes with low teacher/student ratios. For profiles of faculty who teach Northern Studies courses, follow the link to Associated Faculty.

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and have diverse interests. The students themselves are a strong asset of the program! They tend to be preparing themselves for careers in the north and want to learn about the distinctive conditions and forces that shape our experiences.   Follow the link to About our Students for profiles on a number of our recent MA graduates.   For a partial list of MA thesis and project topics, follow the link to Student Theses and Projects.

For information about BA requirements, follow this link:   http://www.uaf.edu/catalog/current/programs/north_studies.html      

For information about the MA program and requirements, follow the link to MA in Northern Studies.

For inquiries about the program, follow the link to Contact Us.