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Colleges of Arts and Sciences Program Requirements

BA Degree

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Second or Multiple Majors and Minors

Second Baccalaureate Degree


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Colleges of Arts and Sciences

Second or Multiple Majors and Minors

Arts and sciences students are encouraged to consider applying for a second major or a minor or a combination of both. Pursuing additional academic fields of study in the form of a second major, or with the addition of a minor, can benefit students in several ways, including the opportunity to discover relationships across disciplines, develop diverse perspectives, strengthen one’s appreciation for the acquisition of knowledge in more than one academic field and enhance one’s ability to problem-solve and communicate in a variety of settings. Applicants for multiple majors/minors need to:

  • be enrolled as classified arts and sciences students,
  • be in good academic standing,
  • be seeking majors under one degree program (i.e., BA/psychology and speech, or BS/physics and mathematics),
  • be able to complete degree requirements within the maximum total credits as specified by the UH’s excess credit policy (see “Undergraduate Education”),
  • submit a statement with the application that describes the reason for adding the second major and the educational benefits expected from the addition,
  • submit an academic plan that identifies the sequence of courses needed for graduation,
  • keep in mind that no Diversification course may be used to satisfy more than one requirement (General Education Core, college, major and minor requirements).

The Colleges offer minors in over 29 disciplines. Most minors require a minimum of 15 credits of non-introductory and upper division level course work, completed with a grade of C (not C-) or better.

Academic advisors are available to discuss with students the way that a second major or minor can complement the first major to help students formulate an academic plan so that adding a second major or a minor does not delay graduation unnecessarily.

Holders of a first baccalaureate degree who wish to pursue a second major rather than a complete second baccalaureate degree should pursue their academic major as an unclassified post-baccalaureate candidate. Students interested in pursuing the post baccalaureate second major option should meet with the undergraduate advisor in the second major in order to request permission to pursue a post baccalaureate second major and to identify the major requirements they need to fulfill. During a student’s last semester, a “Colleges of Arts and Sciences Graduation Worksheet Major Requirements” (goldenrod) form must be submitted to the Colleges of Arts and Sciences Student Academic Services.

Second Baccalaureate Degree

Priority for admission into any arts and sciences baccalaureate program is given to students seeking their first undergraduate degree. Fall applications must be received by Admissions and Records no later than May 1st, and spring applications must be received no later than October 1st. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Complete applications contain all the materials required by Admissions and Records in addition to the following materials required by Arts and Sciences:

  1. A typewritten or computer printed, signed statement explaining how the second degree will help the applicant attain his or her personal, academic and professional goals.
  2. Following initial review of the application by Arts and Sciences, applicants will be informed of their remaining program requirements and referred to the major departments in order to complete an academic plan demonstrating concrete knowledge of the second degree program for which they are applying.

Applicants will be given a separate deadline to submit the academic plan in order to continue the admissions process.

Applications for a second baccalaureate degree will be considered only if there is a demonstrable difference in curricula and objectives between the two degrees and majors and if the applicant has a superior grade point average and shows strong promise of success in the proposed second degree. Second degree students must earn a minimum of 30 credits in courses taken at UH Manoa upon admission as a second baccalaureate degree candidate while continuously enrolled in the colleges, and must satisfy all program requirements current at the time of official admission into the program. For more information, see the “Second Bachelor’s Degree” section of this Catalog or the Arts and Sciences Student Academic Services website, www.advising.hawaii.edu/artsci.

The colleges may approve concurrent multiple baccalaureate degrees for exceptional students. Students should speak with an advisor in the Arts and Sciences Student Academic Services Office for further information.