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Outdoor Studies Department

Why should I consider the Outdoor Studies Program at APU?

There are lots of reasons why you should consider the Outdoor Studies Program at Alaska Pacific University, but several are especially important. First, consider the setting: Alaska. In 1981 the United States Congress passed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) setting aside in national parks, monuments, and preserves, over one hundred million acres of public land. Think about it. That's bigger than the state of California. ANILCA quadrupled the size of the National Park Service. Of course, with all that land comes a host of management issues ranging from resource extraction to recreation. Think of Alaska as your laboratory.

The second reason is the Block and Session. At Alaska Pacific University, each September, January, and May, students enroll in just one course for twenty-eight days. The "block" allows us to explore Alaska and teach our outdoor skills classes entirely in the field. For example, Expedition Sea Kayaking might head for Kodiak Island. Expedition Mountaineering might attempt a remote peak in the Alaska Range. You're likely to be in the field for three weeks, living in a tent, sleeping in a sleeping bag, dealing with rain, heavy packs, and probably mosquitoes, exploring that laboratory created by ANILCA. And of course, there might even be some sunshine.