Rural Development
RD 100 1 Credit
Preparing for College and Student Success
(Cross-listed with ANS 100)
Presentations on time and financial management, test-taking strategies, study techniques, UAF and community resources, GPA calculation, UAF catalog information, core requirements, goal setting and personal choices. Provides students with the information and skills necessary for a successful UAF experience. Instruction by the staff of Rural Student Services. Native leaders will be invited as regular guest speakers. (1+0) Offered Fall, Spring
RD 200 3 Credits
Community Development in the North (s)
Examines sustainable community development efforts in Alaska and the circumpolar North. Provides an overview of community development processes and case studies with an emphasis on indigenous communities and peoples. (3+0) Offered Fall
RD 245 3 Credits
Fisheries Development in Rural Alaska (s)
Introduction to fisheries development issues in rural Alaska communities, including basic concepts, strategies and contemporary cases. Topics include management of salmon and other fisheries, community development quotas (CDQs) and sustainable development efforts. Emphasis on environmental and cultural impacts of fisheries development. (Prerequisite: ENGL 111X.) (3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants
RD 250 1--3 Credits
Grant Writing for Community Development
Focuses on basic elements of grant proposals and processes of preparing proposals for governmental and private funding sources. Emphasis on applied skills through preparation of actual grant proposals. (1--3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants
RD 255 3 Credits
Rural Alaska Land Issues (s)
Introduction to land and resource management issues affecting rural Alaska. Provides a history of aboriginal use and occupancy of land and an overview of land provisions in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). Topics addressed include using maps and land records, Native allotments, navigability, trespass and management of Native lands. (3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants
RD 256 3 Credits
Co-Management of Renewable Resources (s)
Examines efforts of cooperative management of natural resources among users and federal and state management agencies. Recent initiatives in Alaska and Canada involving salmon, migratory birds, marine mammals and brown bear will be discussed. (3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants
RD 265 3 Credits
Perspectives on Subsistence in Alaska (s)
Examines the socioeconomic, cultural, legal and political dimensions of subsistence in Alaska. (3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants
RD 268 1--3 Credits
Rural Tourism: Planning and Principles
(Cross-listed with ABUS 268)
Introduction to rural tourism planning and principles. Students examine rural tourism attractions and trends, tourism planning and policy formation, quality standards, and cultural and environmental impacts of tourism. (3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants
RD 280 3 Credits
Resource Management Research Techniques
Overview of standard methods of field-based scientific research conducted by resource management agencies in rural Alaska including elementary statistical concepts, survey techniques, and tools used in land and renewable resources research. (Prerequisites: NRM 101 and BIOL 104X.) (3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants
RD 300W 3 Credits
Rural Development in a Global Perspective (s)
Explores the relationship between rural communities and the global economy, with an emphasis on sustainable development. Highlights the multiple meanings of "development" and issues of population growth, environmental change, gender, and indigenous peoples as they relate to rural development. Includes an introduction to the basic concepts and theories of development. (Prerequisite: ENGL 111X; ENGL 211X or ENGL 213X; Junior standing or permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered Fall
RD 315 3 Credits
Tribal People and Development (s)
Comparative examination of socioeconomic development processes on tribal peoples in third and fourth world societies. Attention to implications of these processes for Alaska Native people. (Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered Alternate Spring
RD 325 3 Credits
Community Development Strategies (s)
Examines principles and strategies of asset-based development in rural communities throughout the world. Explores the history of community development ideas and case studies of specific strategies in Alaska and beyond. Topics include community healing, economic renewal and collaborative decision-making approaches. (3+0) Offered Spring
RD 350O 3 Credits
Indigenous Knowledge and Community Research
Provides students with an understanding of community research approaches and techniques. Emphasis on the role and need for community-based research and ethical issues associated with it. Students use a hands-on approach to learning about oral history documentation, surveys of community assets and needs, and basic community survey techniques. (Prerequisites: COMM 131X or 141X.) (3+0) Offered Fall
RD 351 3 Credits
Strategic Planning for Rural Communities
Examination of the major components of planning and grant writing processes as they relate to community level land use, business and social service projects. (Junior standing or permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered Spring
RD 352 3 Credits
Rural Business Planning and Proposal Development
Provides undergraduate students with an understanding of the principles and processes involved in strategic planning, business planning and proposal development with the focus on application to rural Alaska. Focus is on meeting the unique planning needs of rural Alaska communities and organizations to help develop sustainable new businesses and garner grant resources for immediate community needs. (3+0) Offered Spring
RD 400 3 Credits
Rural Development Internship
Structured experience in an appropriate educational, agency or corporate setting. Approved project required. Enrollment only by prior arrangement with the instructor. Offered Fall, Spring
RD 401 3 Credits
Cultural Knowledge of Native Elders (h)
(Cross-listed with ANS 401)
Study with prominent Native tradition-bearers in Native philosophies, values and oral traditions. Traditional knowledge elicited through the cultural heritage documentation process. Analysis of existing interactions between cultural traditions and contemporary American life as experienced by Native elders. (Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered Fall
RD 425 3 Credits
Cultural Impact Analysis (s)
An examination of the potential impacts of development projects on cultural systems; use of impact data to shape the actual project in positive directions. Data gathering and analysis techniques related to impact predictions. Student impact analysis required. (Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants
RD 427 3 Credits
Tribal Contracting and Compacting
Examines the history of federal Indian policy that led up to self-determination tribal contracting and compacting. Public Law 930638 will be studied and analyzed. Challenging issues that hampered tribal contracting will be identified. Case studies involving both tribal organziations and tribal governmenns will be studied. Current issues, such as the proposed regionalization of tribes will be examined. (3+0) Offered Spring
RD 430 3 Credits
Indigenous Economic Development and Entrepreneurship
An understanding of the principles, strategies and practices of economic development and entrepreneurship with a focus on indigenous Alaska communities. Focus is on those elements of economic development as they apply to indigenous communities and their abilities to create sustainable economic activities through culturally appropriate practices, and those activities which create and sustain community wealth and health. (3+0) Offered Spring
RD 450 3 Credits
Managing Rural Projects and Programs
Examines appropriate management and accountability approaches for small-scale, community-based programs and projects, particularly those found in rural and/or cross-cultural contexts. (Prerequisite: RD 350 and RD 351 or permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered Fall
RD 451 3 Credits
Human Resource Management for Indigenous Communities
Provides an understanding of the principles and processes involved in human resource management especially as they apply within the indigenous communities. Focus is on the relevance of human resource management in every unit, project or team, the unique human resource management needs of rural Alaska communities and organizations, and how they can be met. (3+0) Offered Fall
RD 460 3 Credits
Women, Gender and Development (s)
(Cross-listed with WMS 460)
Explores interrelationships over time of women, gender roles and ‘development' in the dynamic global economy, including issues in Alaska and the circumpolar north. Examines the historical marginalization of women in development processes, special issues affecting women in indigenous communities, and changing socio-economic and cultural gender roles of women and men in community development. Examines life histories of women that illustrate emerging principles and strategies for individual and community empowerment. (3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants
RD 462 3 Credits
Rural Health and Human Service Systems
Provides a comprehensive overview of the federal and state rural health and human service system in the United States with specific emphasis on the tribal system in Alaska. The history, organization, work force, service delivery and financing of the U.S., Canadian and Alaska systems are examined. Circumpolar challenges and policy issues in rural heatlh and huamn service systems are explored. (3+0) Offered Fall
RD 465 3 Credits
Community Healing and Wellness
An overview of the history of education and the impact of religion and assimilation policies on the emotional and physical health of Alaska Natives and their communities. Traditional wellness issues and systems will also be researched from a global perspective. Students will be involved with place-based education examining healing and wellness issues in their own local villages or communities. (3+0) Offered Fall
RD 475W 3 Credits
Rural Development Senior Project
Under faculty supervision, the student completes a major theoretical, research and/or applied project which relates the student's applied emphasis area to rural development considerations. (Prerequisites: ENGL 111X, ENGL 211X or ENGL 213X, senior standing, or permission of instructor.) Offered Fall, Spring
RD 492 1--3 Credits
Rural Development Leadership Seminar
Various topics of current interest and importance to the Rural Development major. Topics announced prior to each offering and course may be repeated for credit. Enrollment priority given to Rural Development majors. (3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants
RD 600 3 Credits
Circumpolar Indigenous Leadership Symposium
Symposium participation with three goals: to build an integrated and lifelong learning community among new and continuing students in the Rural Development program, to explore the qualities of indigenous leadership in dynamic cross-cultural settings, and to incorporate the insights and wisdom of experienced rural development practitioners. (Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of instructor. Note: RD 600 is required of all graduate students in the Rural Development program. May be repeated once for credit.) (3+0) Offered Fall
RD 601 3 Credits
Political Economy of the Circumpolar North
Overview of interrelationships between rural communities in the circumpolar North and global socioeconomic, political, and ecological systems. Includes major theoretical advances in our understanding of the development in the 20th century. Uses a comparative case study approach to understand rapid socioeconomically and cultural change in the north. (Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered Fall
RD 625 3 Credits
Community Development Strategies: Principles and Practices
Strategies, principles and practice of community development in rural Alaska and throughout the circumpolar North. Topics explore how rural communities in diverse cultural, political and economic settings build on local assets, skills and capacities to improve the lives of indigenous and other Northern residents. (Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered Spring
RD 650 3 Credits
Community-Based Research Methods
Exploration of community-based research principles and practices. Emphasis on developing a thorough understanding of the community research process from conceptualization to implementation and evaluation. Includes skill development for both quantitative and qualitative research. (Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered Spring
RD 651 3 Credits
Management Strategies for Rural Development
Managing change and development among indigenous communities. Emphasis on rural development in the circumpolar North. Includes recent management strategies implemented in Alaska such as co-management of renewable resources, land management of Alaska Native corporations, cultural resource management, and the management of Alaska Native tribal governments, corporations and other organizations. Utilizes comparative case studies and effects of cultural and traditional values on management practices in different northern sociocultural environments. (Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered Spring
RD 652 3 Credits
Indigenous Organization Management
Purposes, structure and methods of management of indigenous organizations with an emphasis on the North. Historical overview of Alaska Native organizations,, including those established to pursue Native rights, land claims and government services. Case studies of corporations established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be examined, as well as regional tribal organizations. Management of Alaska Native organizations is compared with formal organizations established by indigenous peoples throughout the circumpolar North. Western and indigenous organizational cultures and perceptions will be reviewed. (Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants
RD 655 3 Credits
Circumpolar Health Issues
Circumpolar health issues affecting Northern residents. Review of health and traditional healing practices prior to contact with Euroamericans, and efforts to combine traditional healing practices and Western medicine. Includes environmental health issues, including water, sewer and food contamination. Overview of health care systems and public health infrastructure in the North. (Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of instructor.) (3+0) Offered As Demand Warrants