About Prince William Sound Community College

Prince William Sound Community College, founded in 1978 to serve the rural Alaskan communities of Valdez, Cordova, and the Copper Basin has grown to welcome students from throughout the United States and beyond. Our students enjoy small class sizes and personal attention from knowledgeable, caring faculty and staff. While many students choose to live and learn in the natural beauty and wilderness which surrounds our main location in Valdez, Alaska, our emphasis on distance education allows students to take classes and complete degrees from anywhere in the world.

Our main campus location in Valdez provides easy access to year-round recreational opportunities in the Chugach Mountains and Prince William Sound. Our small, safe community provides many of the amenities available in larger cities while maintaining easy access to wildlife viewing, world-class winter sports, miles of well-maintained hiking trails, and some of the best salmon fishing in the world.

English Language Learner Programs

Small classes with live, native English speakers are designed to help students improve their English abilities. Our structured curriculum, along with informal conversational opportunities, allows students to build English skills with the goal of building English proficiency and earning a university degree. We’ll assess each student’s individual English skill level and advise the student into a course of study to prepare the student for the TOEFL exam and further university study.

Academic Programs

PWSCC is proud to offer a wide range of courses across a variety of academic disciplines. Our academic programs are designed to both exist as standalone two-year degrees, providing a broad set of skills and education to enter the workforce and to transfer to a four-year college or university, often meeting all or most of the general education requirements of a bachelor’s degree.

Available academic programs include:

• Associate of Arts in General Studies
• Associate of Fine Arts in Playwriting
• Associate in Applied Science, Business Administration
• Associate in Applied Science, Computer Information and Office Systems
• Associate of Arts, Disability Services
• Associate in Applied Science, Industrial Technology
• Associate in Applied Science, Outdoor Leadership

A number of certificates and occupational endorsements are also available. International students may also work towards the following degrees through partnerships with other University of Alaska campuses:

• Associate in Applied Science, Business Administration
• Associate in Applied Science, Fisheries Technology
• Associate in Applied Science, Health Sciences
• Associate in Applied Science, Nursing

Online Degrees

PWSCC is a leader in distance education, making it easy for a student to take classes and earn a two-degree from anywhere in the world. Our online Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree in General Studies provides a well-rounded liberal arts education designed to transfer to any accredited college for further study, or to enter the workforce with broad-based knowledge and critical-thinking skills to apply to any career. PWSCC students can even apply their online PWSCC A.A. degree towards online four-year degrees offered in partnership with other University of Alaska campuses.

Transfer

While most students choose to continue their studies at one of the four-year universities within Alaska, it’s possible to transfer your PWSCC coursework or degree to any of the top colleges and universities in the US, and with no non-resident tuition, completing general education coursework at PWSCC can save you thousands of dollars on your university degree.

Campus Life

Academics are clearly the most important part of a student’s higher education, but a rich, vibrant experience outside of the classroom is also central to the collegiate experience. PWSCC strives to keep students active and engaged through a comprehensive offering of extracurricular activities. From kayak and camping trips to karaoke nights to performances by nationally-touring comedians musicians, there’s always something happening to keep students active and entertained.

Student organizations such as Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society and the PWSCC Student Association help students build leadership skills and make meaningful impacts on the campus community, and living in our apartment-style residence halls is not only convenient and affordable, but helps students build relationships and foster a sense of community.

Admissions

Applying to PWSCC is easy. Follow the clear instructions on our website to submit your application and other required documentation at least three months before the semester you intend to begin studies at PWSCC. Because PWSCC has an open door admissions policy, students meeting the minimum requirements will be accepted for study. The student housing application may be submitted at the same time as the application for college admission.