Rural Development
College of Rural Alaska
Department of Alaska Native and Rural Development
Fairbanks Campus (907) 474-6528
Statewide toll-free number (800) 770-9531
Anchorage office (907) 279-2700
Bristol Bay Campus (907) 842-4687
Chukchi Campus (907) 442-3400
Interior-Aleutians Campus (907) 474-6433
Kuskokwim Campus (907) 543-4582
Northwest Campus (907) 443-2201
www.uaf.edu/uafrural/
Minimum Requirements for Degree: 120 credits
Rural development degree programs are designed to educate a new generation of community leaders for rural Alaska. The B.A. degree can be earned either on the Fairbanks campus or through distance delivery.
Students in the rural development program gain a broad understanding of Alaska’s relationship to the global economy and an appreciation for sustainable development strategies. Students also learn specific tools essential for community leadership, including business plan and grant proposal writing, community visioning and planning processes, computer business applications, and project management and evaluation techniques. Graduates typically take positions with tribal and municipal governments, fisheries, tourism and other private businesses, Native corporations, regional health corporations or non-profits, and state/federal agencies.
Undergraduate degree students develop a concentration in one of five areas: community business and economic development; community research and Indigenous Indigenous knowledge; land, resources and environmental management; rural health and human services management; or tribal and local government administration.
Special application requirements and deadlines apply for distance B.A. degree programs. For more information contact the department toll-free 1-800-770-9531 or visit our website.
Concentrations: Community Business and Economic Development; Community Research and Indigeneous Knowledge; Land, Resources and Environmental Management; Rural Health and Human Services Management; Tribal and Local Government Administration
- Complete the general university requirements.
- Complete the B.A. degree requirements.
- Complete the following:*
RD 300W—Rural Development in a Global Perspective 3 credits
RD 325—Community Development Strategies 3 credits
RD 350O—Indigenous Knowledge and Community Research 3 credits
RD 351—Strategic Planning for Rural Communities 3 credits
RD 352—Rural Business Planning and Proposal Development 3 credits
RD 400—Rural Development Internship 3 credits
RD 450—Managing Rural Projects and Programs 3 credits
RD 451—Human Resources Management for Indigenous Communities 3 credits
RD 475W—Rural Development Senior Project 3 credits
- Complete the following elective courses:*
RD elective 3 credits
RD, ANS or ED electives 3 credits
- Complete 1 of the following concentrations:**
Community Business and Economic Development
Complete 21 credits from the following:
ABUS 151—Village Based Entrepreneurship 2 credits
ABUS 179—Fundamentals of Supervision 3 credits
ABUS 211—Tax for Business Entities 2 credits
ABUS 232—Contemporary Management Issues*** 3 credits
ABUS 233—Financial Management 3 credits
ABUS 241—Applied Business Law 3 credits
ABUS 272—Small Business Planning 3 credits
ABUS 273—Managing a Small Business 3 credits
ABUS 101—Principles of Financial Accounting I 3 credits
ABUS 201—Principles of Financial Accounting II 3 credits
ANS 310—The Alaska Native Lands Settlement 3 credits
ANS 425—Federal Indian Law and Alaska Natives 3 credits
BA 151—Introduction to Business*** 3 credits
CIOS 111—Computer Software for Beginners 2 credits
CIOS 264—Filing/Records Management 3 credits
CS 101—Computers and Society 3 credits
ECON 111—Economics of Rural Alaska 3 credits
ECON 200—Principles of Economics 4 credits
ENGL 212—Business, Grant, and Report Writing 3 credits
ENGL 314W,O/2—Technical Writing 3 credits
ENGL 414W—Research Writing 3 credits
RD 430—Indigenous Economic Development and Planning*** 3 credits
RD 492—Rural Development Leadership Seminar 1-3 credits
SOC 407—Formal Organization 3 credits
Approved electives 3 or more
Note: Designed for students interested in creating sustainable economic development for rural and indigenous communities, with a focus on small business development. Students learn to develop business and marketing plans, economic development planning, and basic principles of financial and human resources management for rural enterprises. Graduates find employment in ANCSA corporations, regional development organizations, economic development agencies, and as local entrepreneurs.
Community Research and Indigenous Knowledge
a. Complete 21 credits from the following:
ANL 315—Alaska Native Languages: Eskimo-Aleut 3 credits
ANL 316—Alaska Native Languages: Indian Languages 3 credits
ANS/ANTH 320W—Language and Culture: Applications to Alaska 3 credits
ANS 350W,O—Cross Cultural Communication: Alaskan Perspectives 3 credits
ANS 351—Practicum in Native Cultural Expression 1-3 credits
ANS 401—Cultural Knowledge of Native Elders*** 3 credits
ANTH 230—The Oral Tradition: Folklore and Oral History 3 credits
APAR 100—Basic Video Workshop 1 credit
APAR 103—Editing Videotape 1 credit
CIOS 111—Computer Software for Beginners 2 credits
COMM 330—Intercultural Communication 3 credits
CS 101—Computers and Society 3 credits
ENGL 313W—Writing Non-Fiction Prose 3 credits
ENGL 314W,O/2—Technical Writing 3 credits
ENGL 349—Narrative Art of Alaska Native Peoples (in English Translation) 3 credits
ENGL 414W—Research Writing 3 credits
HIST 250—Alaska History for Local Historians 3 credits
HIST 470W—Researching and Writing Alaska History 3 credits
JRN 215—Radio Production 3 credits
JRN 311W—Magazine Article Writing 3 credits
JRN 404—Photojournalism I 3 credits
JRN 452W—Radio and Television News Writing 3 credits
LS 309—Information Resources 1 credit
MSM 211—Fundamentals of Museum Studies I 3 credits
MSM 212—Fundamentals of Museum Studies II 3 credits
MSM 311—Museum Administration 3 credits
MSM 312—Museum Collection Management 3 credits
RD 425—Cultural Impact Analysis*** 3 credits
RD 465—Community Healing and Wellness*** 3 credits
RD 492—Rural Development Leadership Seminar 1-3 credits
SOC 250—Introductory Statistics for Behavioral Sciences 3 credits
SOC/SWK 473W—Social Science Research Methods 3 credits
Approved electives 3 or more
Note: Designed for students with interests in researching Alaska Native communities, cultures, languages, ceremonial performances and histories. Students learn principles of ethical research, explore issues of intellectual and cultural property rights, and acquire skills in doing ethnographies, oral histories, community surveys and needs assessments, and archival research. Graduates find employment with museums, ANCSA corporations, tribal governments, and federal and state agencies.
Land, Resources and Environmental Management
Complete 21 credits from the following:
ABUS 223—Real Estate Law 3 credits
ANS 310—The Alaska Native Lands Settlement 3 credits
ANS 425—Federal Indian Law and Alaska Natives 3 credits
BIOL 104—Natural History of Alaska 3 credits
BIOL 150—Introduction to Marine Biology 3 credits
BIOL 271—Principles of Ecology 4 credits
BIOL 277—Introduction to Conservation Biology 3 credits
CIOS 111—Computer Software for Beginners 2 credits
CE 112—Elementary Surveying 3 credits
CS 101—Computers and Society 3 credits
ECON 111—Economics of Rural Alaska*** 3 credits
ECON 235—Introduction to Natural Resource Economics 3 credits
ENGL 314W,O/2—Technical Writing 3 credits
ENGL 414W—Research Writing 3 credits
EQS 201—Environmental Management 3 credits
FISH 101—Introduction to Fisheries 3 credits
FISH 401W,O/2—Fisheries Management 3 credits
GEOG 338—Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 3 credits
GEOS 101X—The Dynamic Earth 4credits
MIN 101—Minerals, Man and the Environment 3 credits
MSL 111X—The Oceans 4 credits
NRM 101—Natural Resources Conservation and Policy*** 3 credits
NRM 204—Public Lands Law and Policy 3 credits
NRM 340—Natural Resources Measurement and Inventory 3 credits
NRM 404—Environmental Impact Statement Law 3 credits
NRM 430—Resource Management Planning 3 credits
RD 255—Rural Alaska Land Issues*** 3 credits
RD 256—Co-Management of Renewable Resources 3 credits
RD 265—Perspectives on Subsistence in Alaska 3 credits
RD 280—Resource Management Research Techniques 3 credits
RD 492—Rural Development Leadership Seminar 1-3 credits
WLF 201—Wildlife Management Principles 3 credits
WLF 303—Wildlife Management Techniques 3 credits
Approved electives 3 or more
Note: Designed for students with an interest in land and resources co-management, development and conservation. Students learn about traditional ecological knowledge, principles of natural resources management and policy, adaptive management, and skills for effective public/private/tribal collaboration in resources management. Graduates find employment with ANCSA corporations, regional and tribal entities, state and federal agencies, and private businesses.
Rural Health and Human Services Management
Complete 21 credits from the following:
ABUS 154—Human Relations 3 credits
ABUS 179—Fundamentals of Supervision 3 credits
ABUS 231—Introduction to Personnel 3 credits
ANS/PS 325—Native Self-Government 3 credits
ANS 425—Federal Indian Law and Alaska Natives 3 credits
ENGL 314W,O/2—Technical Writing 3 credits
ENGL 414W—Research Writing 3 credits
HSV 120—Cultural Diversity in Human Service 3 credits
HSV 125—Introduction to Addictive Processes 3 credits
HSV 205—Basic Principles of Group Counseling 3 credits
HSV 210—Crisis and Grief Counseling 3 credits
HSV 215—Individual Interviewing 3 credits
HSV 250—Current Issues in Human Service 3 credits
HSV 301—Ethics in Human Service 3 credits
HSV 305—Substance Abuse Counseling 3 credits
JUST 340—Rural Justice in Alaska 3 credits
PSY 240—Lifespan Developmental Psychology 3 credits
RD 427—Tribal Contracting and Compacting*** 3 credits
RD 462—Rural Health and Human Service Systems*** 3 credits
RD 465—Community Healing and Wellness*** 3 credits
RD 492—Rural Development Leadership Seminar 1-3 credits
RHS 110—Cross-Cultural Bridging Skills 2 credits
RHS 120—Family Systems I 2 credits
RHS 130—Processes of Community Change 2 credits
RHS 140—Alaska Native Values and Principles 2 credits
RHS 150—Introduction to Rural Counseling 2 credits
RHS 220—Family Systems II 2 credits
RHS 260—Addictions: Intervention and Treatment 2 credits
RHS 265—Interpersonal Violence 2 credits
RHS 270—Networking, Negotiating and Conflict Resolution 2 credits
RHS 285—Case Management 2 credits
RHS 290—Grief and Healing 2 credits
SOC 242—The Family: A Cross-Cultural Perspective 3 credits
SOC 301—Rural Sociology 3 credits
SOC 370—Drugs and Drug Dependence 3 credits
SWK 103—Introduction to Social Work 3 credits
SWK 320—Rural Social Work 3 credits
Approved electives 3 or more
Note: Designed for students interested in leadership for healthy communities, management of rural health programs and issues of community healing and wellness. Students learn principles and practices of community wellness, skills in financial and human resources management, and contemporary issues of importance in leading toward healthy communities. Graduates find employment with rural health corporations, tribal and municipal governments, educational institutions, and state and federal agencies.
Tribal and Local Government Administration
Complete 21 credits from the following:
ABUS 101—Principles of Financial Accounting I 3 credits
ABUS 154—Human Relations 3 credits
ABUS 179—Fundamentals of Supervision 3 credits
ABUS 201—Principles of Financial Accounting II 3 credits
ABUS 232—Contemporary Management Issues 3 credits
ACCT 414—Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting 3 credits
ANS 310—The Alaska Native Lands Settlement 3 credits
ANS/PS 325—Native Self-Government*** 3 credits
ANS 350W,O—Cross Cultural Communication: Alaskan Perspectives 3 credits
ANS 425—Federal Indian Law and Alaska Natives*** 3 credits
ANS 450—Comparative Aboriginal Rights and Policies 3 credits
BA 330—The Legal Environment of Business 4 credits
CIOS 111—Computer Software for Beginners 2 credits
COMM 330—Intercultural Communication 3 credits
COMM 335O—Organizational Communication 3 credits
CS 101—Computers and Society 3 credits
ECON 351—Public Finance 3 credits
ENGL 212—Business, Grant, and Report Writing 3 credits
ENGL 314W,O/2—Technical Writing 3 credits
ENGL 414W—Research Writing 3 credits
JUST 340—Rural Justice in Alaska 3 credits
NRM 204—Public Lands Law and Policy 3 credits
NRM 430—Resource Management Planning 3 credits
PS 101—Introduction to American Government and Politics 3 credits
PS 212—Introduction to Public Administration 3 credits
PS 263—Alaska Native Politics*** 3 credits
PS 403W—Public Policy 3 credits
PS 462—Alaska Government and Politics 3 credits
RD 492—Rural Development Leadership Seminar 1-3 credits
SOC 250—Introductory Statistics for Behavioral Sciences 3 credits
SOC 407—Formal Organization 3 credits
Approved electives 3 or more
Note: Designed for students interested in development and operations of tribal and municipal governments in rural Alaska. Students develop an understanding of the history and constitutional basis for tribal governance, basics of federal Indian law, and principles and practices of self-determination. They develop skills in planning, budgeting, and human resources management. Graduates find employment with tribal and municipal governments and organizations, ANCSA corporations, and state and federal agencies.
- Minimum credits required 120
* Student must earn a C grade or better in each course.
** Elective credits may also fulfill the humanities, social science or mathematics general requirements for the B.A. degree. Prerequisites are required for many of these courses; however, prerequisites do not apply to the credit requirement.
***Recommended courses. Course substitutions may be made with approval of the faculty advisor.
Minor
- Complete the following:
RD 300—Rural Development in a Global Perspective 3 credits
RD electives at the 200-level or above 15 credits
- Minimum credits required 18