In the spring semester 2010 the college started to teach the core circumpolar courses, being supported by the leader of the Uarctic Nordic-Barents Regional Office of Undergraduate Studies, Bjørn K. Sagdahl. Since then the program has had a remarkable growth and more than 200 students have been recruited.  

The Bachelor of Northern Studies degree program is being offered both as a double degree program and as an ordinary three year bachelor program, and also with a possibility to do only the core part of the program as a one year study program. Most of the students are doing the BNS as a double degree bachelor program. These are mostly Russian students, staying at universities and university departments in Murmansk , Apatity, Kirovsk and Ukhta. 

Located rather close to the Russian border, cooperation with the two state universities in Murmansk has been especially targeted. Local coordinators have been established both at Murmansk State Technical University and at Murmansk State Humanities University. The latter mentioned university has even integrated the BNS courses as part of one of its own programs, making the cooperation close, promising and lasting.      

The very first graduates will appear in June this year. These are students from Canada, France, Norway and Russia. The number of graduates is expected to rise for the following years, and graduates will also have the possibility to apply for access to a master program in Northern Tourism. The college is thus regarding the new degree program a success and hope that the University of Arctic still will have a strong focus on the core circumpolar studies program.