University of Alaska Anchorage
MASTER OF ARTS IN ARCTIC & NORTHERN STUDIES
Anchorage, USA
MA
DURATION
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
Key Summary
About: The Master of Arts in Arctic & Northern Studies at the University of Alaska is a fully online programme that examines climate change, environmental pollution, permafrost thaw, coastal erosion and cultural impacts across the circumpolar north. You’ll connect with faculty in history, political science, Alaska Native studies and other fields, deepen concentration, sharpen analytical and writing skills studying Arctic and sub-Arctic social and policy issues.
Career Outcomes: Graduates can pursue roles in environmental research, policy and planning, community resilience, Indigenous and cultural preservation, natural resource management, science communication and education. Employers include government agencies, NGOs, institutes and community organisations.
More than ever before, research critical to humanity’s survival is taking place in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. In recent years, as climate change has threatened the global environment, the world’s eyes have turned to the Arctic, where the pace of warming is more than double that elsewhere in the world. Similarly, threats from environmental pollution are also magnified in the Arctic.
Residents of the circumpolar north don’t have to imagine how climate change and environmental pollution might affect them in a decade or two. Communities are already experiencing the devastating effects of coastal erosion, sea ice melt, crumbling infrastructure resulting from melting permafrost, and the most destructive wildfires on record, while toxins accumulate within their traditional foods.
This fully online program provides students the opportunity to study these and many other compelling issues in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. By connecting with supportive faculty experts in history, political science, Alaska Native studies, anthropology, English and geography, you will develop knowledge of the circumpolar region and become an expert in your chosen field of concentration, while sharpening your analytical, critical thinking and writing skills.
