Our Philosophy

Education, the APU Way

Alaska is more than where APU is located. It is part of how we teach, learn, and understand the world. At Alaska Pacific University, students learn through relationships, experience, and connection to place, while engaging with Alaska Native knowledge and perspectives. Our philosophy is designed to help students discover what they care about, develop the skills to pursue it, and find meaningful ways to contribute

Core Distinctives

Know Your Professors. Find Your People

At APU we value our relationships. Students get to know their professors, staff, and fellow students.  We pride ourselves on a small and personalized environment in which your professors know your name and care about your interests.  Students explore their own interests and bachelor programs culminate in a senior project that is unique to them.

Student Life
Take Learning Beyond the Classroom

Since our first classes in 1959, APU has focused on a hands-on activities and real-world experiences.  Individuals actively engage with the material, apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations, and develop critical thinking and problem-solving.  Whether it’s camping on a mountain in Outdoor Studies, or running investment scenarios in a business class, our professors make it a priority to provide learning experiences that go beyond the classroom walls for personal growth and greater understanding. Bachelor’s degree students complete their program with a Senior Project of their own choosing, allowing students to apply their learning through their own passions and interests. Internships and research opportunities abound.

Research & Community
Learn With Purpose. Lead With Purpose

At APU, learning is the work. Students choose APU because they want a high-quality experience that results in personal growth and preparation to pursue their passions and contribute to their communities.  The education environment is simultaneously challenging and supportive, using our relational approach to provide individual attention and engaging learning experiences.  Students are guided to reflect on their experiences, analyze their learning, and integrate new knowledge into their understanding. Students are invited to bring in unique perspectives and ways-of-knowing rooted in who they are and their own culture.  Professors draw on the power of place and positionality to create thought provoking and hands-on experiences to connect learning to students’ desires to make a difference.

Academics
Where Alaska Native Knowledge Leads

Students of all cultural backgrounds are invited to engage in APU’s inclusion of Alaska Native ways-of-knowing and being. Our campus reflects Alaska Native culture and art and seeks to be a space that is welcoming to all. Many courses include traditional knowledge, Indigenous scholarly works, and/or applications to the contemporary needs of Alaska Native communities.  Our founder Peter Gordon Gould, an Unangax from the Aleutian Islands, established APU to ensure Alaskans had access to the type of education he had to leave Alaska to receive. APU offers the formalized education our founder envisioned, while creating opportunities for the rich educational history and contemporary contributions of Alaska Native people to be reflected and honored in our educational institution. All students are invited to bring their whole selves into the learning environment and to benefit from the inclusion of Alaska Native knowledge and perspectives.

Alaska Native University

The APU Approach to Learning

Five Ways We Prepare You to Make an Impact

At APU, learning goes beyond the classroom. Across every academic degree program, students develop five core competencies: effective communication, ethical engagement, scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and cultural and historical perspectives. Rooted in Alaska Native knowledge and APU’s place-based, hands-on approach to education, these competencies give students the tools to understand complex challenges, engage meaningfully with their communities, and apply their learning in the real world. The result is a well-rounded education that prepares students with the knowledge, skills, and perspective to pursue meaningful careers and lead with purpose.

APU operates within a unique set of variable length terms, providing for intensive hands-on block classes and course delivery methods responsive to industry and students.  Each semester starts with a block class.  Many block classes include travel or field work, allowing students to access some of APU’s most unique and experiential classes.  Freshmen are encouraged to participate in Expedition Alaska, a block class that includes ten days in Alaska’s wilderness. Other block classes include travel abroad and research opportunities.

All Bachelor level undergraduate degrees culminate in a senior project. Students work with an advisor to identify a hands-on learning project to apply their learning.  This may include undergraduate research, an internship, or an entrepreneurial endeavor.  Many students are able to use their senior project to jump-start their career or next educational step.

APU recognizes that many of our students have busy lives outside of school and may need to fulfill their educational goals over a period of time.  Many of our programs include multiple levels of degrees, certificate through graduate degrees.  These are designed to step-up; a student may return and enroll in the next level of degree when they are ready without starting over.

At APU, we know life doesn’t always follow a straight path—and your education shouldn’t have to, either. Our advisors take the time to understand your goals, your interests, and what you want from your college experience, then work alongside you to help you get there. Whether your goals change, your circumstances shift, or an unexpected life event calls for a new direction, we’ll help you explore your options and find a path forward. From adjusting your degree plan to finding a program that better fits your changing needs, you’ll have people in your corner who are invested in your success and committed to helping you reach your academic goals.

Every APU bachelor’s student completes a senior project during their final year, bringing together the knowledge, skills, and experiences they’ve gained throughout their education. These projects give students the opportunity to explore a meaningful question, solve a real-world problem, create something new, or contribute to their community and field of study. And the work doesn’t always end at graduation. Many students use their senior projects to showcase what they can do, build professional connections, and open doors to employment after college. At APU, your senior project is more than a graduation requirement—it can be the first step toward what comes next.

Student Testimonials

Heather Reiss

The community here really stands out. Everyone knows you on a few different levels, and that support lets you dive deep into your project because people are genuinely invested in the work and in you. That’s what makes it so fun.

Heather Reiss

Outdoor & Environmental Education Master of Science
Fall 2025

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A College Schedule That Works for You

Here’s how our semester classes are structured:

Start

End

Block (B)

(1st month)

Session (S)

(Begins 2nd month)

Module I (M1)

Module II (M2)

Full Semester (F)

Academic Calendar

“APU’s unique semester timeline gives students the opportunity to learn in settings that go beyond the classroom, whether that’s hiking in Alaskan mountains or diving into real-life business investments, we offer true hands-on learning unlike anywhere else.” – Janelle Vanasse, President of APU

Your Next Steps

Here, an education is an adventure in living and learning.