About Prince William Sound College
The mission of Prince William Sound College is to use its unique resources and magnificent landscape to enrich the lives of our students and our communities.
About Prince William Sound College (PWSC)
Prince William Sound College (PWSC) is a one-of-a-kind institution of higher education located in Valdez, Alaska. The main campus and its extension sites in Cordova and Copper Basin are set amidst some of the country’s most breathtaking scenery and rich cultural history. PWSC is a campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage, which has been accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities since 1974. Besides a general studies degree, PWSC offers associate degrees and occupational certificates not readily available elsewhere, such as an Occupational Endorsement Certificate in Millwright and Associate of Applied Science in Outdoor Leadership.
With no out-of-state tuition, Prince William Sound College makes attending college in Alaska affordable. Our student population of less than 1,000 students embodies out-of-state and international students, distance learners, rural students, and resident students living in housing.
Many factors make PWSC your college of choice. Small class sizes, a close-knit campus community, and one-on-one interaction with staff and faculty shape a unique learning experience. PWSC resident housing affords students the opportunity to live independently in fully furnished apartments among their peers. Recreational opportunities abound for outdoor enthusiasts in the nearby mountains, waterways, and glaciers.
Learn more about the accreditation
PWSC Land Acknowledgement:
"The Prince William Sound College main campus in Valdez respectfully acknowledges that we live, work, learn, and operate on the traditional, ancestral lands of the Chugach Alutiiq/Sugpiaq people.
These lands have been stewarded for thousands of years since time immemorial by the Chugach Sugpiaq and Ahtna people. The traditional name of this area in Sugt’stun, the language of the Sugpiaq, is Suacit, which means, “the people of the place that rises into view.” Suacit and the surrounding Prince William Sound villages provided a bountiful harvest for the Sugpiat, Ahtna, and Eyak people. Suacit played an integral role as an overland trade route that linked Interior Alaska to Prince William Sound.
PWSC acknowledges the painful history of colonization and the resilience of the Chugach Sugpiaq who still live here today. Valdez is a unique community in that the Valdez Native Tribe serves all local Indigenous residents and is not specific to the Sugpiaq people. PWSC acknowledges the ancient and current Indigenous stewards of this land who reside here today.
This land acknowledgment is important to the PWSC campus because too often Indigenous history is washed away, and we strive to include both the ancestral and the contemporary history of the Indigenous people in our region.
Quyanaasinaq
Tsin'aen
AwA’ahdah
Thank you very much."
PWSC Mission Statement
The mission of Prince William Sound College is to use its unique resources and magnificent landscape to enrich the lives of our students and our communities.
Located in Valdez, Alaska, with centers in Cordova and the Copper River Basin, PWSC provides access to a variety of educational and training opportunities in a geographically rich, culturally diverse, and inclusive environment.
Prince William Sound College attracts people with an adventuresome spirit who want to combine the love of outdoor activities with the opportunity to achieve their academic and career goals.
As a community campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage, PWSC is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities to offer college level courses and programs, both on-campus and on-line, leading to occupational endorsements, Associate of Arts, and Associate of Applied Science degrees.
PWSC Accreditation
Prince William Sound College, as a college of the University of Alaska Anchorage, is fully accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Accreditation by this Commission enables the College to offer college level courses and programs leading to Associate of Arts and Associate of Applied Science degrees as well as to certificates. The College also offers a limited number of upper division undergraduate and graduate courses. Accreditation documentation may be viewed by the public by contacting the Campus Director’s office.
Main Campus in Valdez, Alaska
Valdez is located on the magnificent Prince William Sound, a fjord formed by retreating glaciers. It is a paradise for any outdoor enthusiast or nature lover. Behind the town of Valdez is the Chugach Range, where Keystone Canyon and Thompson Pass provide access to breathtaking waterfalls, hanging glaciers, mountain hiking, and backcountry skiing access.
Copper Basin Extension Site
The Copper Basin Extension Site is located in Glennallen, approximately 120 miles up the road from Valdez. In the heart of the Copper River Basin, Glennallen and its neighboring communities are the gateway to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the largest national park in the country!
Cordova Extension Site
The Cordova Extension Site is located in Cordova, a quaint fishing village on Prince William Sound. Though Cordova is only 75 miles away from Valdez, the town is only accessible by boat or plane. Cordova is surrounded by hemlock and spruce trees on the northern edge of a temperate rain forest.