University of Alaska--Fairbanks

Alaskans take great pride in their individuality, and Alaska's flagship university is no different. As America's arctic university, the University of Alaska Fairbanks plays a key role in studying the unique social and physical characteristics of the Far North. From climate change to anthropology, space physics to natural resource management, UAF excels in teaching and researching issues of the circumpolar North, and in applying that knowledge to serve northern peoples and communities. Our location defines us: what we are, what we teach and what we research. Our focus is the circumpolar North and its diverse peoples, with classrooms and labs that extend beyond our campus - from arctic tundra to alpine slopes to temperate rain forests, from the Arctic Ocean to the Bering Sea and the entire North Pacific. As Alaska's top teaching and research university, and the state's only Ph.D.-granting institution, our programs attract and retain world-class faculty. Their work is published in academic journals and the popular press, and they're sought after around the world for their expertise. That means the instruction you receive at UAF is highly regarded nationally and internationally. UAF has seven urban and rural campuses, and comprises eight college and schools. Although you will choose a major within one of them, you can take classes in others. Diversify your learning in engineering and mines, liberal arts, natural science and mathematics, rural and community development, education, fisheries and ocean sciences, management, and natural resources and agricultural sciences. With more than 360 million acres of possibilities to explore, field work really takes place in the field, on the glacier or up the mountain. A lab could have a supercomputer or ancient artifacts. And the work addresses real issues, like helping develop rural businesses, predict natural disasters or treat diabetes. We're a university, but our teaching environments are more like what you'd find at a small college, offering private-school attention at a public school price. Undergraduates get one-on-one time with faculty members, even collaborating on advanced research, but your most valuable and memorable experiences may come from classmates whose backgrounds contrast with yours. UAF students come from all over Alaska, the United States and the world, and are of many ethnic, religious, cultural and language groups. We also enroll many nontraditional students. Some are returning to the classroom after raising a family or pursuing a career, and some hold full-time jobs while working toward a certificate or degree. Each student has a different perspective and unique background, making for an energetic mix and lively classroom discussions. At UAF you'll learn in a close-knit community where teaching and research are balanced with campus activities and traditions, lasting friendships, and outdoor adventures. You'll have plenty of options to stay busy. Experience the Last Frontier up close and personal through our Outdoor Adventures program, take a leadership role with student government or the dynamic Leadership Program, be a DJ at the campus radio station, or tackle one of the best climbing walls in the state at the Student Recreation Center. Join an intramural sports team, or cheer on one of our eight intercollegiate athletic teams. The average weekend on campus features a full slate of concerts, plays, film festivals and other events to keep you busy until Monday. (Just don't forget to do your homework.) Students come to UAF to explore, and to get more out of college, a degree out of life. There's passive learning, and then there's active learning. Want active learning? Choose UAF.