The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) is a public university in Anchorage, Alaska. UAA also administers four community campuses spread across Southcentral Alaska: Kenai Peninsula College, Kodiak College, Matanuska–Susitna College, and Prince William Sound College. Between the community campuses and the main Anchorage campus, roughly 15,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students are currently enrolled at UAA. It is Alaska's largest institution of higher learning and the largest university in the University of Alaska System. The university is classified among "Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs" with an additional classification for Community Engagement.
UAA's main campus is located approximately southeast of its downtown area in the University-Medical District, adjacent to the Alaska Native Medical Center, Alaska Pacific University and Providence Alaska Medical Center. Nestled among an extensive green belt, close to Goose Lake Park, UAA has been recognized as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for ten consecutive years (2010-2019). Much of the campus is connected by a network of paved, outdoor trails, as well as an elevated, indoor "spine" that extends east to west from Rasmuson Hall, continuing through the student union and across UAA Drive (the more heavily-traveled of the two north-south roads which go through the campus) before terminating inside the Consortium Library.
UAA is divided into five instructional and research units at the Anchorage campus: the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business and Public Policy, the Community and Technical College, College of Engineering, and the College of Health. UAA offers master's degrees and graduate certificates in select programs, and the ability to complete certain PhD programs through cooperating universities through its Graduate Division. As of May 2012, the university is accredited to confer doctoral degrees. UAA is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. In 2019, UAA's School of Education lost Initial Preparation specialized accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The school's Advanced Preparation program successfully renewed CAEP-accreditation during annual review in 2021. As of May 2022, the School of Education has provisional approval from the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development to offer a bachelor's degree in early childhood education that leads to licensure.
History
In 1954, the Anchorage Community College (ACC) was founded and began offering evening classes to 414 students at Elmendorf Air Force Base. In 1962, the ACC, and other community colleges around the state were incorporated into the University of Alaska statewide system. Five years later, ACC began offering both day and evening classes at the main campus' current location in the University-Medical district. ACC provided academic study for associate degrees and the first two years of work toward baccalaureate degrees.
In the late 1960s, strong interest in establishing a four-year university in Anchorage brought about the birth of the University of Alaska, Anchorage Senior College (ASC). While ACC administered the lower division college, ASC administered upper division and graduate programs leading to baccalaureate and master's degrees, as well as continuing education for professional programs. In 1971, the first commencement was held at West Anchorage High School, where 265 master's, baccalaureate and associate degrees were awarded. ASC moved to the Consortium Library Building in 1973. The following year, when the first classroom and office facility was completed, daytime courses were offered for the first time. In 1977, ASC became a four-year university and was renamed the University of Alaska, Anchorage (UA,A). Ten years later, ACC and UA,A merged to become what is now known as the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA).
Since 1987, the university has continued to grow and expand. More than 200 programs, ranging from certificate programs to associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees, are offered at campuses in Anchorage and community campuses and extension centers throughout Southcentral Alaska. The university's mission is to discover and disseminate knowledge through teaching, research, engagement and creative expression.