The General Education Core and graduation requirements
are based on the conviction that an educated person has access to a
shared body of knowledge; a comprehension of the major divisions of
learning; and an understanding of the commonality in ways of thinking,
of experiencing self, and of acquiring new knowledge and skills. The
common body of knowledge focuses broadly on heritage; values; political,
economic, and social life; and a relationship with nature. Its study
requires critical reading and listening, careful judgment, and clear
exposition. The common thread in general education is the
interconnectedness of human knowledge.
The General Education Core and graduation
requirements, consisting both of specific courses and categories of
courses with options, are intended to help students communicate clearly
and effectively in standard English; appreciate and understand foreign
language(s) both as a means of communication beyond their native
language system and as avenues to the literature and cultures of the
world; reason clearly and effectively through the application of logic
and validated information; develop a clear understanding of the
inherited values, ideas, and philosophies of human cultures as they find
expression in works of literature, history, philosophy, religion, art,
and music; develop a clear understanding of the aims and methods of
science; understand the ways in which humans organize for social action
and how social institutions shape human behavior; develop a deeper
appreciation of the complexities and potentialities of humankind through
the study of the human experience from the perspectives of the arts,
humanities, and the natural and social sciences; and develop an
understanding of imagination and creativity through the application of
abstract and intuitive thinking.
Fulfilling the Requirements
The General Education Core and graduation requirements
are fulfilled by meeting the specifications listed in the following
categories. Students should note that options are provided in nearly all
parts of the general education curriculum. Required course work, with
the exception of English 100, may be challenged by examination. Final
approval rests with the dean of the college or school to which a student
belongs. Students may seek clarification from the student academic
services office in their college or school.
Effective fall 1994, students who have earned an
articulated associate in arts (AA) degree from a University of Hawai‘i
Community College shall be accepted as having fulfilled the General
Education Core requirements at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.
However, students must also complete all specialized lower division,
major, college/school, degree, and graduation requirements. In addition
to the core requirements, competency in a second language and five
writing-intensive courses are required. With planning, most, if not all,
of these requirements may be incorporated into the AA degree; if not,
they are required in addition to the associate in arts degree.
Warning: All students should be aware that
Manoa’s individual schools and colleges may require specific General
Education Core courses to meet their requirements.
Honors Program
Selected studies students and honors students should
consult the Honors Program for the honors courses that fulfill the
General Education Core and graduation requirements. |