Rural Development
College of Rural and Community Development
Department of Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development
907-474-5405
www.uaf.edu/danrd/
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 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 at 800-770-9531 or visit our website.
Concentrations: Community Business and Economic Development; Community Research and Indigenous 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 F300W--Rural Development in a Global Perspective--3 credits
RD F325--Community Development Strategies--3 credits
RD F350O--Indigenous Knowledge and Community Research--3 credits
RD F351--Strategic Planning for Rural Communities--3 credits
RD F352--Rural Business Planning and Proposal Development--3 credits
RD F400--Rural Development Internship--3 credits
RD F450--Managing Rural Projects and Programs--3 credits
RD F475W--Rural Development Senior Project--3 credits - Complete the following:*
RD elective--3 credits
RD, ANS or ED electives--6 credits - Complete one of the following concentrations:**
Community Business and Economic Development
Complete 21 credits from the following:
ABUS F151--Village Based Entrepreneurship--2 credits
ABUS F179--Fundamentals of Supervision--3 credits
ABUS F232--Contemporary Management Issues***--3 credits
ABUS F233--Financial Management--3 credits
ABUS F241--Applied Business Law I--3 credits
ABUS F272--Small Business Planning--3 credits
ABUS F273--Managing a Small Business--3 credits
ACCT F261--Accounting Concepts and Uses I--3 credits
ACCT F262--Accounting Concepts and Uses II--3 credits
ANS F310--The Alaska Native Lands Settlement--3 credits
ANS/PS F425--Federal Indian Law and Alaska Natives--3 credits
BA F151--Introduction to Business***--3 credits
CS F101--Computers and Society--3 credits
ECON F111--Economics of Rural Alaska--3 credits
ECON F200--Principles of Economics--4 credits
ENGL F212--Business, Grant and Report Writing--3 credits
ENGL F314W,O/2--Technical Writing--3 credits
SOC F407O--Work and Occupations--3 credits
Approved electives**--6 or more credits
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
Complete 21 credits from the following:
ANL F315--Alaska Native Languages: Eskimo-Aleut--3 credits
ANL F316--Alaska Native Languages: Indian Languages--3 credits
ANS/ANTH F320W--Language and Culture: Applications to Alaska--3 credits
ANS F350W,O--Cross Cultural Communication: Alaskan Perspectives--3 credits
ANS F351--Practicum in Native Cultural Expression--1 - 3 credits
ANS F401--Cultural Knowledge of Native Elders***--3 credits
ANTH F230--The Oral Tradition: Folklore and Oral History--3 credits
APAR F100--Basic Video Workshop--1 credit
APAR F103--Editing Videotape--1 credit
COMM F330--Intercultural Communication--3 credits
CS F101--Computers and Society--3 credits
ENGL F313W--Writing Non-Fiction Prose--3 credits
ENGL F314W,O/2--Technical Writing--3 credits
ENGL/ANS F349--Narrative Art of Alaska Native Peoples (in English Translation)--3 credits
HIST F250--Alaska History for Local Historians--3 credits
HIST F470W--Seminar in Alaskan History--3 credits
JRN F215--Radio Production--3 credits
JRN F311W--Magazine Article Writing--3 credits
JRN F404--Photojournalism I--3 credits
JRN F452W--Radio and Television News Writing--3 credits
LS F309--Information Resources--1 credit
RD F425--Cultural Impact Analysis***--3 credits
SOC F250--Introductory Statistics for Behavioral Sciences--3 credits
SOC/PSY F480W--Qualitative Social Science Research--3 credits
Approved electives**--3 or more credits
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 F223--Real Estate Law--3 credits
ANS F310--The Alaska Native Lands Settlement--3 credits
ANS/PS F425--Federal Indian Law and Alaska Natives--3 credits
BIOL F104--Natural History of Alaska--3 credits
BIOL F150--Introduction to Marine Biology--3 credits
BIOL F271--Principles of Ecology--4 credits
BIOL/NRM F277--Introduction to Conservation Biology--3 credits
CE F112--Elementary Surveying--3 credits
CS F101--Computers and Society--3 credits
ECON F235--Introduction to Natural Resource Economics--3 credits
ENGL F314W,O/2--Technical Writing--3 credits
FISH F101--Introduction to Fisheries--3 credits
FISH F487W,O--Fisheries Management--3 credits
GEOG/NRM F338--Introduction to Geographic Information Systems--3 credits
GEOS F101X--The Dynamic Earth--4 credits
MIN F101--Minerals, Man and the Environment--3 credits
MSL F111X--The Oceans--4 credits
NRM F101--Natural Resources Conservation and Policy***--3 credits
NRM F204--Public Lands Law and Policy--3 credits
NRM F340--Natural Resources Measurement and Inventory--3 credits
NRM F430/F630--Resource Management Planning--3 credits
RD F255--Rural Alaska Land Issues***--3 credits
RD F265--Perspectives on Subsistence in Alaska--3 credits
RD F280--Resource Management Research Techniques--3 credits
WLF F201--Wildlife Management Principles--3 credits
WLF F303W--Wildlife Management Techniques--3 credits
Approved electives**--3 or more credits
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 resource 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 F154--Human Relations--3 credits
ABUS F179--Fundamentals of Supervision--3 credits
ABUS F231--Introduction to Personnel--1 - 3 credits
ANS/PS F425--Federal Indian Law and Alaska Natives--3 credits
ENGL F314W,O/2--Technical Writing--3 credits
HUMS F120--Cultural Diversity in Human Service--3 credits
HUMS/JUST F125--Introduction to Addictive Processes--3 credits
HUMS F205--Basic Principles of Group Counseling--3 credits
HUMS F210--Crisis and Grief Counseling--3 credits
HUMS F215--Individual Interviewing--2 - 3 credits
HUMS F250--Current Issues in Human Service--1 - 4 credits
HUMS F301--Ethics in Human Service--3 credits
HUMS F305--Substance Abuse Counseling--3 credits
JUST F340--Rural Justice in Alaska--3 credits
PS/ANS F325--Native Self-Government--3 credits
PSY F240--Lifespan Developmental Psychology--3 credits
PSY F445W--Community Psychology--3 credits
RHS F110--Cross-Cultural Bridging Skills--1 credit
RHS F120--Family Systems I--2 credits
RHS F130--Processes of Community Change--2 credits
RHS F140--Alaska Native Values and Principles--1 credit
RHS F150--Introduction to Rural Counseling--2 credits
RHS F220--Family Systems II--2 credits
RHS F260--Addictions: Intervention and Treatment--2 credits
RHS F265--Interpersonal Violence--2 credits
RHS F270--Networking, Negotiating and Conflict Resolution--2 credits
RHS F285--Case Management--2 credits
RHS F290--Grief and Healing--2 credits
SOC F242--The Family: A Cross-Cultural Perspective--3 credits
SOC F301--Rural Sociology--3 credits
PSY F370--Drugs and Drug Dependence--3 credits
SWK F103--Introduction to Social Work--3 credits
SWK F320W--Rural Social Work--3 credits
Approved electives**--6 or more credits
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 F154--Human Relations--3 credits
ABUS F179--Fundamentals of Supervision--3 credits
ABUS F232--Contemporary Management Issues--3 credits
ACCT F261--Accounting Concepts and Uses I--3 credits
ACCT F262--Accounting Concepts and Uses II--3 credits
ACCT F414--Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting--3 credits
ANS F310--The Alaska Native Lands Settlement--3 credits
ANS F350W,O--Cross-Cultural Communication: Alaskan Perspectives--3 credits
ANS/PS F425--Federal Indian Law and Alaska Natives***--3 credits
ANS/PS F450--Comparative Aboriginal Rights and Policies--3 credits
BA F330--The Legal Environment of Business--4 credits
COMM F330--Intercultural Communication--3 credits
COMM F335O--Organizational Communication--3 credits
CS F101--Computers and Society--3 credits
ECON F351--Public Finance--3 credits
ENGL F212--Business, Grant, and Report Writing--3 credits
ENGL F314W,O/2--Technical Writing--3 credits
JUST F340--Rural Justice in Alaska--3 credits
NRM F204--Public Lands Law and Policy--3 credits
NRM F430/F630--Resource Management Planning--3 credits
PS F101--Introduction to American Government and Politics--3 credits
PS F212--Introduction to Public Administration--3 credits
PS F263--Alaska Native Politics***--3 credits
PS/ANS F325--Native Self-Government--3 credits
PS F403W--Public Policy--3 credits
PS F462/NORS F662--Alaska Government and Politics--3 credits
SOC/PSY F250--Introductory Statistics for Behavioral Sciences--3 credits
SOC F407O--Work and Occupations--3 credits
Approved electives**--3 or more credits
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 credits
* Students must earn a C grade (2.0) 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.
- Complete the following:
RD F300--Rural Development in a Global Perspective--3 credits
RD electives at the F200-level or above--15 credits - Minimum credits required--18 credits