General Information

Matanuska-Susitna College (MSC) is an extended college of the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). MSC was changed from its previous designation as a community college by University System restructuring in 1987. Now serving nearly 1,650 students per semester, MSC was known originally as Palmer Community College, and provided its first course offerings to residents of the Matanuska and Susitna Valleys in 1958. In 1963, when the Borough government was formed, the name of the College was changed to correspond to the boundaries of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

The main campus is located on a 950 acre site on Trunk Road, about halfway between Palmer and Wasilla. A modern 102,676 square foot facility houses the majority of the educational activities.

MSC offers a general program for the first two years of college courses leading to the Associate of Arts; the curriculum provides a strong foundation for the pursuit of a baccalaureate degree. In addition the College offers courses leading to Associate of Applied Science in Accounting, Architectural & Engineering Technology, Computer Information & Office Systems, computer Systems Technology, Fire Service Administration, Human Services, Refrigeration & Heating Technology, Small Business Administration, Telecommunications, Electronics & Computer Technology, and the Information Technology Specialist through University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).

Vocational Programs are offered providing certificates in Architectural Drafting, Civil Drafting, Mechanical & Electrical Drafting, Structural Drafting, Computer Information & Office Systems, Computer & Networking Technology (TECT), Refrigeration & Heating Technology, and the Information Technology Specialist through UAF. Non-credit vocational and personal enrichment courses, continuing education courses, and selected upper division courses are also offered as demand warrants.

Mat-Su College offers professional development courses and provides selected college level classes to area high school students through Tech Prep, Academic Concurrent Enrollment, and District-wide course agreements with the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.

Accreditation

Matanuska-Susitna College is accredited through the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Commission on Colleges of the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. The Alaska State Approving Agency for veteran’s educational benefits approves many programs of study at Mat-Su College. As a unit of the statewide system, the College benefits from the University's membership in the Association of American State Colleges and Universities, the Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges and institutional membership in the American Council of Education, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. The University is on the approved list of colleges and universities of the American Association of University Women.

Mission of Matanuska-Susitna College

Matanuska-Susitna College, an extended college of University of Alaska Anchorage, has two primary missions: first, the college serves the geographically and culturally diverse region of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, and second, as a college within the largest university in Alaska, it serves the people of the state and the nation. The mission of the college reflects a desire to build on the strengths of the history of the state, its diverse languages and cultures, and the individual experiences of our students. It is our goal to reflect the past and to shape future directions of the cultural and academic life of the valley and the state of Alaska through an informed and academically rigorous curriculum that requires well-developed general education components, allows students to pursue individual interests, and offers a meaningful variety of certificate, associate, and baccalaureate degree programs. The college is dedicated to providing an atmosphere conducive to the free exchange of ideas. We are committed to the tenets of academic freedom.

The college seeks to graduate students who welcome the challenges of living within a diversity of world views and creative expressions; who think critically and act responsibly within these environments; who are prepared for the world of work, and who value the close relationships between the college, their local communities, the state of Alaska, and the nation.

Matanuska-Susitna College is dedicated to providing excellent, life-long learning opportunities for all adults. The college’s instructional method is dedicated to a variety of learning styles, and a broad range of student services are essential to its dual mission.

The college strives to produce students who recognize the role of information technology in the modern world, the special role of technology in education and creativity, and its potential to enhance dialogues among diverse groups of people. To these ends, the college offers a wide range of information technology classes, integrates technology across the curriculum, and continually assesses and revises its opportunities for extended learning.

History of the University of Alaska

The University of Alaska dates from July 4, 1915, when the Honorable James Wickersham, delegate to Congress from Alaska, laid the cornerstone on land near Fairbanks that was set aside by Congress for the support of a land-grant college. The Territorial Legislature accepted the land-grant on May 3, 1916, and created "The Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines," defined its duties, and pro­vided for a Board of Trustees consisting of eight members.

The College opened for instruction on September 18, 1922, with the Honorable Charles E. Bunnell as President. The College became the University of Alaska by act of the Territorial Legislature on July 1, 1935; the Board of Trustees became the Board of Regents.

Today, the University's statewide system includes university centers at Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau. The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) has three extended colleges: Kenai Peninsula College in Kenai-Soldotna, Kodiak College in Kodiak, and Matanuska-Susitna College in Palmer, and an affiliate college, Prince William Sound Community College in Valdez. UAA also offers military education services at Eielson Air Force Base, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Fort Richardson Army Base, and Fort Wainwright Army Base.