Due to deteriorating and unsafe road conditions in Anchorage and the surrounding areas, the Anchorage campus will close at 5 p.m. today, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. Athletics competitions and some other activities will continue as scheduled. Check email for additional info.
Course Descriptions
AKNS A101 Alaska Native Languages I 4 Credits
Introductory course to a selected Alaska Native language for beginners with no, or little, prior knowledge of the specific language. Aural/oral skills and other communicative approaches used. Emphasis is on everyday vocabulary, structure, and phonetics. A brief history of Alaska Native languages is included.
AKNS A101A Elementary Central Yup'ik Language I 4 Credits
Introductory course for students with little, or no, prior knowledge of the Central Yup'ik language. Develops listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in Central Yup'ik for effective communication at the elementary level. Addresses history of Alaska Native languages and culture.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A101B Elementary Tlingit Language I 4 Credits
Introductory course for students with little, or no, prior knowledge of the Tlingit language. Develops listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in Tlingit for effective communication at the elementary level. Addresses history of Alaska Native languages and cultures.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A101C Elementary Alaska Native Language I 4 Credits
Introductory course for students with little, or no, prior knowledge of the offered
Alaska Native language. Develops listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills
in the Alaska Native language for effective communication at the elementary level.
Addresses history of Alaska Native languages and cultures.
Special Note: May be repeated one time with a different language.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A101D Elementary Inupiaq Language I 4 Credits
Introductory course for students with little or no prior knowledge of the Inupiaq language. Develops listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Inupiaq for effective communication at the elementary level. Addresses history of Alaska Native languages and culture.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A101E Elementary Alutiiq Language I 4 Credits
Introductory course for students with little or no prior knowledge of the Alutiiq language. Develops listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Alutiiq for effective communication at the elementary level. Addresses history of Alaska Native languages and cultures.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A101F Elementary Dena'ina Language I 4 Credits
Introductory course for students with little or no prior knowledge of the Dena'ina
Athabascan language. Develops listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Dena'ina
for effective communication at the elementary level. Addresses history of Alaska Native
languages and cultures.
Special Note: Class conducted in the Dena'ina language.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A101H Elementary Ahtna Language I 4 Credits
Introductory course for students with little or no prior knowledge of the Ahtna language. Develops listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Ahtna Athabascan for effective communication at the elementary level. Addresses history of Alaska Native languages and culture.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A102A Elementary Central Yup'ik Language II 4 Credits
Continuation of introductory course. Further develops elementary listening, speaking,
reading, and writing skills in Central Yup'ik for effective communication. Enhances
appreciation of Alaska Native and cross-cultural perspectives.
May Be Stacked With: AKNS A109A
Prerequisites: AKNS A101A.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A102B Elementary Tlingit Language II 4 Credits
Continuation of introductory course. Further develops elementary listening, speaking,
reading, and writing skills in Tlingit for effective communication. Enhances appreciation
of Alaska Native and cross-cultural perspectives.
May Be Stacked With: AKNS A109B
Prerequisites: AKNS A101B with a minimum grade of C.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A102C Elementary Alaska Native Language II 4 Credits
Continuation of introductory course. Further develops elementary listening, speaking,
reading, and writing skills in a selected Alaska Native language for effective communication.
Enhances appreciation of Alaska Native and cross-cultural perspectives.
Special Note: May be repeated one time with a different language.
Registration Restrictions: Same language as taken in AKNS A101C
Prerequisites: AKNS A101C with a minimum grade of C.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A102D Elementary Inupiaq Language II 4 Credits
Continuation of introductory course. Further develops elementary listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Inupiaq for effective communication. Enhances appreciation of Alaska Native and cross-cultural perspectives.
Prerequisites: AKNS A101D.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A102E Elementary Alutiiq Language II 4 Credits
Continuation of introductory course. Further develops elementary listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Alutiiq. Enhances appreciation of Alaska Native and cross-cultural perspectives.
Prerequisites: AKNS A101E with a minimum grade of C.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A102F Elementary Dena'ina Language II 4 Credits
Continuation of introductory course. Further develops elementary listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Dena'ina for effective communication. Enhances appreciation of Alaska Native and cross-cultural perspectives.
Prerequisites: AKNS A101F with a minimum grade of C.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A102H Elementary Ahtna Language II 4 Credits
Continuation of introductory course. Further develops elementary listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Ahtna Athabascan for effective communication. Enhances appreciation of Alaska Native and cross-cultural perspectives.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A109A Central Yup'ik Orthography 4 Credits
Introduction to reading and writing Central Yup'ik for students with oral proficiency
in the Central Yup'ik language. Students will be introduced to alphabet and phonetic
classification, dialects, and a history of the Central Yup'ik writing system. Enhances
cross-cultural perspectives.
Registration Restrictions: Fluency in Central Yup'ik and instructor approval required.
May Be Stacked With: AKNS A102A
AKNS A109B Tlingit Orthography 4 Credits
Introduction to reading and writing Tlingit for students with oral proficiency in
the Tlingit language. Students will be introduced to alphabet and phonetic classification,
dialects, and a history of the Tlingit writing system. Enhances cross-cultural perspectives.
Registration Restrictions: Fluency in Tlingit and instructor approval required.
May Be Stacked With: AKNS A102B
AKNS A109C Alaska Native Language Orthography 4 Credits
Introduction to reading and writing an Alaska Native language for students with oral
proficiency in the Alaska Native language. Students will be introduced to alphabet
and phonetic classification, dialects, and a history of the selected Alaska Native
language writing system. Enhances cross-cultural perspectives.
Registration Restrictions: Fluency in Alaska Native language and instructor approval required. Must be same language
as AKNS A101C.
May Be Stacked With: AKNS A102C
AKNS A109D Alutiiq Orthography 4 Credits
Introduction to reading and writing the Alutiiq language for students with some listening
comprehension and verbal skills in Alutiiq. Students will be introduced to alphabet
and phonetic classification, dialects, and a history of the Alutiiq writing system.
Enhances cross-cultural perspectives.
Registration Restrictions: Prior exposure to spoken Alutiiq and instructor permission.
AKNS A181 Community Project Planning 1 Credit
Introduces the process of community planning for projects requiring grant-based or other funding. Includes capacity and asset-based approaches appropriate to rural communities.
AKNS A182 Grant Writing for Alaska Native Communities 1 Credit
Introduces grant writing focused on community-based grant proposals, including successful approaches appropriate to rural and Alaska Native communities. Includes grant tips, reviewer scoring, grant trends and proposal components.
AKNS A184 Indigenous Leadership and Civic Engagement 1 Credit
Introduces traditional and modern Indigenous styles of leadership, and orients to methods of civic engagement to foster positive community change.
AKNS A185 Event Planning and Meeting Facilitation 1 Credit
Provides an overview of event coordination and meeting facilitation focusing on small and large events common for tribes, rural communities, Native corporations, and organizations.
AKNS A190 Selected Topics: Alaska Native Cultural Skills 1-3 Credits
Focuses on an applied traditional Alaska Native skill. Covers historical and modern
practices, as well as traditional knowledge and mentorship learning of Alaska Native
practices such as arts, technologies or culinary techniques.
Special Note: May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits with change of subtitle.
AKNS A201 Alaska Native Perspectives 3 Credits
Introduces Alaska Native perspectives on kinship, time, philosophy, symbolism, spirituality, communication, justice, oral traditions, storytelling, material culture, and the relationship to the environment. Includes the diversity of Alaska Native peoples, languages, and worldviews and how these influence contemporary and global issues.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A215 Music of Alaska Natives and Indigenous Peoples of Northern Regions 3 Credits
Explores music and dance practices of Alaska Native and Indigenous peoples of the
circumpolar north by region and culture group. Interdisciplinary methods will be used
to examine the historical and social dynamics behind changing musical and cultural
traditions. Fundamentals of ethnomusicology theory and research methods will be introduced.
Registration Restrictions: AKNS A201 or MUS A111 recommended prior to registering for this course.
Crosslisted With: MUS A215.
Prerequisites: WRTG A111 with a minimum grade of C.
Attributes: UAA Fine Arts GER.
AKNS A216 World Indigenous Music 3 Credits
Survey course on indigenous music cultures of the world. Musical traditions of Europe,
the Americas, Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Near/Far East are examined within the
context of musical styles and culture.
Crosslisted With: MUS A216
Prerequisites: WRTG A111 with a minimum grade of C.
Attributes: UAA Fine Arts GER.
AKNS A218A Alaska Native Drummaking Techniques: Athabascan and Southeast Style 3 Credits
Studio course in which students learn the fundamentals of making hand drums in the
Athabascan and Southeast Alaskan Indian style. Students will also study the living
tradition of Alaska Native drum practices.
Crosslisted With: MUS A218A
AKNS A218B Alaska Native Drummaking Techniques: Inupiaq and Yup'ik Style 3 Credits
Studio course in which students learn the fundamentals of making handheld frame drums
in the Inupiaq and Yup'ik Alaskan Native tradition. Students will also study the living
tradition of Alaska Native drum practices.
Crosslisted With: MUS A218B
AKNS A230 Oral Traditions of Alaska Native People 3 Credits
Introduces Alaska Native oral traditions, both the stories told by different Alaska Native cultures and the indigenous languages that convey those stories. Examines the role of oral traditions in sharing knowledge and beliefs in Alaska Native cultures, the importance of indigenous languages in conveying ideas, the translation of oral traditions into recorded or printed media, and contemporary settings where oral traditions continue.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
AKNS A240 Alaska Native Cultural Orientation - Alutiiq/Sugpiaq 3 Credits
Holistic introduction to the history, culture, arts, politics, and contemporary issues in the Alutiiq/Sugpiaq region. Designed for professionals and educators working with Native community members and families. Enhances cross-cultural perspectives.
AKNS A261 Alaska Native Art History 3 Credits
Introduces Alaska Native art forms, past and present. Examines the uses of art in Alaska Native cultures, materials and methods used in creating arts, differences between Native and Western approaches to art, and contemporary approaches to customary art forms. Fosters appreciation of Alaska Native arts and cultures exposing students to world-class artists and collections here in Alaska as well as introducing them to the epistemological underpinnings of Alaska Native art forms.
Attributes: UAA Fine Arts GER.
AKNS A290 Topics in Alaska Native Studies 1-3 Credits
Examines contemporary issues in Alaska Native studies at an introductory level. Course
can include political, social and historical aspects of Alaska Native peoples and
culture.
Special Note: Subtitle varies. May be repeated for credit up to three times with a different subtitle.
AKNS A292A Alaska Native Language Apprenticeship 1-3 Credits
Introductory language learning through apprenticeship with a fluent speaker of a specific
Alaska Native language in an individual or small-group workshop format. Students will
learn strategies and techniques of the master-apprentice method and study intensively
with a fluent speaker to increase oral fluency. Enhances cross-cultural perspectives.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor permission
AKNS A292B Alaska Native Language Conversational Fluency Intensive 1-3 Credits
Intensive study of conversational speech in an Alaska Native language. Designed to
maximize fluency development for students with previous coursework or life experience
with an Alaska Native language.
Registration Restrictions: Course prerequisite or instructor permission
Prerequisites: AKNS A101A with a minimum grade of C or AKNS A101B with a minimum grade of C or AKNS A101C with a minimum grade of C or AKNS A101E with a minimum grade of C.
AKNS A313 Tribes, Nations and Peoples 3 Credits
Analyzes and evaluates the history of expansion, invasion, contemporary questions,
and issues that confront indigenous tribes, nations and peoples, including their political,
social, economic, and cultural activities. Investigates corresponding relations with
non-indigenous governments and private entities as well as international developments
concerning indigenous human rights.
Crosslisted With: PS A313
Prerequisites: AKNS A201 with a minimum grade of C or PS A102 with a minimum grade of C.
AKNS A346 Alaska Native Politics 3 Credits
Introduction to historical relationships among federal, territorial, state and local
laws and policies as they affect Alaska Natives and Native/non-Native relations. Includes
contemporary issues and comparative case studies.
Special Note: May be used to fulfill the Alaska studies requirement for teacher certification.
Registration Restrictions: Upper-division standing
Crosslisted With: PS A346
AKNS A356 Yup'ik Music and Dance Ensemble 2 Credits
Ensemble course in Central Yup'ik Alaska Native music and dance. Teaches movement,
singing, drumming and the cultural contextual aspects of Alaska Native dance, including
history, culture and connection to language. Designed for students who are interested
in learning about Alaska Native creative expression.
Special Note: May be repeated twice for credit.
Crosslisted With: MUS A356
Prerequisites: AKNS A201 with a minimum grade of C or (AKNS A215 with a minimum grade of C or MUS A215 with a minimum grade of C) or (AKNS A216 with a minimum grade of C or MUS A216 with a minimum grade of C).
AKNS A357 Inupiaq Music and Dance Ensemble 2 Credits
Ensemble course in Inupiaq Alaska Native music and dance. Teaches movement, singing,
drumming and the cultural contextual aspects of Alaska Native dance, including history,
culture and connection to language. Designed for students who are interested in learning
about Alaska Native creative expression.
Special Note: May be repeated twice for credit.
Crosslisted With: MUS A357
Prerequisites: AKNS A201 with a minimum grade of C or (AKNS A215 with a minimum grade of C or MUS A215 with a minimum grade of C) or (AKNS A216 with a minimum grade of C or MUS A216 with a minimum grade of C).
AKNS A432 Indigenous Well-Being and Education 3 Credits
Examines psychological and cultural perspectives of human development and well-being
of indigenous peoples. Designed to promote, nurture, explore and understand the influence
of culture on the indigenous person. Of special interest to educators in schools serving
indigenous students and individuals working with indigenous communities regarding
cultural understandings, and change in historical and contemporary contexts.
Special Note: Course is co-organized as a multi-site international videoconference seminar - collaborating
institutions include the University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Arizona, Dine
College, University of British Columbia, University of Montana, University of Hawai'i
Hilo, and Te Whare Wanaga o Awanuiarangi, New Zealand.
Prerequisites: AKNS A201 with a minimum grade of C or AKNS A346 with a minimum grade of C or ANTH A200 with a minimum grade of C or PS A346 with a minimum grade of C.
AKNS A461 Decolonizing Methodologies 3 Credits
Introduces research methods informed by Indigenous ways of producing and sharing knowledge,
ethical considerations, collaborative research design with Indigenous communities
and peoples, the sharing of research materials and outcomes, and multivocal authorship.
Examines the process of integrating responsibilities as a researcher with respect
for cultural property rights and ownership.
Crosslisted With: ANTH A461.
Prerequisites: AKNS A200 with a minimum grade of C or ANTH A201 with a minimum grade of C or ANTH A202 with a minimum grade of C.
AKNS A482 Indigenous Knowledge(s) and the Sciences in Global Contexts 3 Credits
Explores ideologies underlying the sciences and Indigenous Knowledge(s) (IK) including
how aspects of each paradigm converge, diverge, or negotiate parallel paths. Surveys
IK and Western science methodologies, including how paradigms are constructed and
reconstructed through the influence and engagement of Indigenous peoples.
Special Note: Course includes 7 weeks of videoconference and online exchanges with Victoria University
of Wellington Te Kawa a Maui-School of Maori Studies students and co-instructor/UAA
AKNS affiliate faculty Dr. Ocean Mercier (PhD-Physics).
Prerequisites: AKNS A201 with a minimum grade of C or ANTH A200 with a minimum grade of C.
AKNS A490 Advanced Topics in Alaska Native Studies 1-3 Credits
Examines topics on contemporary issues in Alaska Native studies at an advanced level.
Course can include political, social and historical aspects of Alaska Native people
and culture.
Special Note: Subtitle varies. May be repeated three times for credit with a different subtitle.
Registration Restrictions: Upper-division standing
Prerequisites: AKNS A201.
AKNS A492 Cultural Knowledge of Native Elders 3 Credits
This course is offered in a structured setting to provide a hands-on experiential
learning encounter for the student. Elders from different Alaska Native cultures will
be invited to participate and impart knowledge to the students. The course fosters
an appreciation of diversity across cultures, a broader understanding of creative
expression, and indigenous worldview.
Special Note: Students enrolling in this course should have either upper-division class standing
with a strong background in the social sciences or appropriate life experience, or
a combination of the two prior to enrolling in this course.
Registration Restrictions: AKNS A201 or upper-division standing
AKNS A495 Alaska Native Studies Internship 1-3 Credits
This is designed as a supervised on-campus or off-campus internship which provides
an opportunity for students to work in the professional environment of an Alaska Native
organization. Students perform significant work and/or research and develop professional
skills and networks. The internship requires a formal agreement between the student,
the faculty member and the supervisor.
Special Note: May be repeated for up to 6 credits.
Registration Restrictions: Instructor permission, upper division standing and knowledge of Alaska Native issues
required.
Prerequisites: AKNS A201.