• Student Profiles
• The Colloquia
• MAP Topics Past & Present
• MAP Guidelines (PDF)
• MAP Thesis Guidelines
• Application Procedures
• Meet the Program Director
• Course Descriptions

• Links

  • Admissions
  • Campus Undergraduate
  • Graduate Programs

  • Courses

    • Catalog
    • Course Schedule

 Contact Us:
 admissions@alaskapacific.edu
 907.561.1266
 
 4101 University Drive
 Anchorage, AK 99508
 
 Request Information
 

 

 Advanced Search
 Site Map
 
 Log In

Master of Arts Program

Application Procedures

Alaska Pacific University welcomes applications from students who wish to pursue their educational goals within the context of the university's distinctive educational philosophy of self-directed learning.

Each Graduate program requires admission to the University as well as to the program the student wishes to enter. Application documents are collected by the Admissions office and then sent to the appropriate department for evaluation by the Program Director. When a decision is made regarding admission, the applicant will be notified by the Graduate Program Director and the Graduate Admission Counselor.

Students wishing to apply to Masters of Arts Program must submit the following to the Admission Office:

• Application and $25 application fee
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
• Three references from academic and professional sources
• Official, current, standardized test scores. Please see MAP director for assistance in determining which test (GRE, GMAT, Miller Analogies Test) is best suited for your application
• Personal statement and study plan
• Samples of applicant's work (if applicable)

Proposed Area of Study, Personal Statement, and Study Plan

The purpose of this section is to help us decide if you and your interests are a good fit with the Master of Arts Program (MAP) and also to see how you think, write, and articulate your beliefs. Don't be afraid to think big and creatively-that's the program's life-blood. Please write a statement in response to each numbered item. Suggested length of each response: 1-3 typed, double-spaced pages.

The Director of MAP is very willing, and in fact prefers, to meet with prospective students prior to completing the Personal Statement and the Study Plan. If either seems in need of work, you will be advised as to how they can be strengthened.

Proposed Area of Study

1. What do you think you want to study? At this point try to be expansive and creative, but keep your thinking organized around a coherent center. Are your interests a combination of different disciplines (for example, psychology and environment, creative writing and historical study, mathematics and culture, business and foreign affairs, art and social action)?
2. What is your goal? Where do you want your MAP studies to take you?

Personal Statement

1. MAP consists principally of self-directed, independent study and projects under close guidance by qualified faculty and mentors. Why are you attracted to this form of education? Why do you think it is right for you? What are your wildest dreams for success? Any fears?
2. MAP is designed for adult students who already have gained some mastery of their subject area through undergraduate education, workplace training, and life experience. What level of mastery of your subject area do you already have, and how did you get it?
3. With what kind of person/people do you study/work with most effectively?

Preliminary Study Plan

If accepted, you will work with your advisor to write a complete study plan for each semester you enroll. For now, we want to hear from you what some important ingredients of that study plan might be. The following questions reflect the three-phase structure of MAP.

1. Research Phase. Your obligation in this phase is to find out and understand the best and most important things that are thought, said, and done in your area of study. What do you want to learn about? How will you go about learning it? Remember that research is not done only in a library, but also through travel, experience, reflection, interviews, and other techniques.
2. Practicum Phase. Your obligation in this phase is to put into practice what you have learned through research-and to evaluate the results. For a teacher that might mean trying new classroom techniques or lesson plans. For a scientist, an experiment. For a business-professional, a business plan, project, or internship. For an artist, an experiment with a new art form. What do you want to do?
3. Thesis or Professional Project Phase. Imagine that your research and practicum are over, and it is time to create a finished product, your contribution to your field. What do you think your culminating project will be titled when you present it prior to graduation? What will it be about?

How do I apply or get more information?

The first step in applying to any program at Alaska Pacific University is to contact the Office of Admissions. Our friendly staff will help you understand the application requirements and send you an application form. If you prefer, you can apply on-line clicking the apply on-line link on your left.

Next, you should arrange to meet with the program's director, Karen McCain. She can help determine if the Master of Arts Program is the right path for you, as well as discuss your proposed study plan and area of interest. You can reach Karen by phone at (907) 564-8243 or by email at mccain@alaskapacific.edu.

The prerequisite and masters courses for the MAP degree can be found in the MAP Graduate Degree Course Descriptions.

Application Deadline

The deadline to submit a completed application packet is two weeks before semester start date. Please consult academic calendar for specific dates.