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Administration
Degree,
Minors and Certificates Offered
General Information
Advising
Undergraduate
Programs
Requirements
for Undergraduate Degrees from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences
Professional
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Departments
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Botany
College of Natural Sciences
St. John 101
3190 Maile Way
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-8369
Fax: (808) 956-3923
Web: www.botany.hawaii.edu
Faculty
*Graduate Faculty
*T. A. Ranker, PhD (Chair)—ferns, ecology, evolution, systematics
*K. W. Bridges, PhD (Graduate Chair)—systems ecology, ethnobotany
*C. C. Daehler, PhD—population biology, invasive plants, plant-herbivore
interactions
*D. R. Drake, PhD—seed ecology and conservation of Polynesian plants
*D. C. Duffy, PhD—conservation, restoration ecology
*S. C. Keeley, PhD—molecular systematics, evolution in island systems
*W. C. McClatchey, PhD—ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology conservation
*M. Merlin, PhD—biogeography, ethnobotany, natural history of the
Pacific
*C. W. Morden, PhD—molecular systematics and evolution of plants
and algae
*A. R. Sherwood, PhD—systematics, evolution and biogeography of
algae
*C. M. Smith, PhD—physiological ecology of marine macrophytes, marine
ecology, cell biology
*A. H. Teramura, PhD— global climate change, ozone depletion, physiological
ecology
*T. B. Ticktin, PhD—ethnoecology, conservation
*G. J. Wong, PhD—mating systems and biosystematics of basidiomycetes
Cooperating Graduate Faculty
D. Borthakur, PhD—plant molecular genetics
D. A. Christopher, PhD—gene regulation of photosynthesis, uv effects
C. Dunn, PhD—conservation, habitat restoration
D. E. Hemmes, PhD—plant ultrastructure (UH-Hilo)
C. L. Hunter, PhD—reef ecology
R. Ostertag, PhD—ecology
W. S. Sakai, PhD—ultrastructure, physiological anatomy (UH-Hilo)
Affiliate Graduate Faculty
L. Basch, PhD—marine ecology
L. L. Loope, PhD—ecology, conservation of rare and endangered species
(Maui)
W. A. Whistler, PhD—systematics, Pacific ethnobotany
Adjunct Faculty
R. Bussman, PhD—ecology, ethnobotany
J. Canfield, PhD—ecology and conservation biology
A. K. Chock, MS—Hawaiian ethnobotany
S. Cordell, PhD—ecology, ecophysiology, restoration ecology
*T. K. Duarte III, PhD—hydrology, natural resources management/optimization
D. R. Herbst, PhD—endangered and threatened Pacific flora, plant
morphology
F. Hughes, PhD—ecosystem and invasive species ecology
S. James, PhD—plant ecology, systematics, phycology
D. H. Lorence, PhD—systematics of flowering plants (Kaua‘i)
*L. Sack, PhD—physiology and ecology of species co-existence; structure/function;
hydraulics
P. Vroom, PhD—phycology
Retired Faculty in Residence
I. Abbott—ethnobotany, marine algae
D. Mueller-Dombois—ecology
Degrees Offered: BA (including minor) in botany, BS
in botany, BS in ethnobotany, MS in botany, PhD in botany
The Academic Program
UH Mânoa has the only botany department (BOT) located in a tropical
environment in the U.S. Both aquatic and terrestrial tropical ecosystems
provide the subjects of research and teaching. The department is committed
to broad-based botanical training that focuses on developing an understanding
of Hawai‘i’s unique island environment. While it maintains
traditional areas of botanical study, the department also uses new approaches
and current technologies. It has faculty in anatomy, ecology, systematics,
ethnobotany, physiology, and population and evolutionary biology. Research
programs focus on ecology, evolution and conservation of Hawai‘i’s
ecosystem and unique endemic flora; the ecology and physiology of marine
macroalgae; invasion biology by alien weeds; and the uses of plants by
humans. Participation in the interdepartmental undergraduate biology program
and the graduate program in ecology, evolution and conservation biology
provides interactions with other departments and expands opportunities
for breadth in research and instruction. All botany faculty members, regardless
of rank, teach courses in the undergraduate curriculum as well as at advanced
levels.
The department offers bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and minor
degrees in botany and a bachelor of science degree in ethnobotany; the
MS and PhD degrees at the graduate level. Undergraduate majors follow
a number of career paths leading to employment as naturalists, environmental
planners, policy makers, conservation biologists, teachers, researchers,
and museum or organizational directors. A number of graduates have assumed
important positions in public and private institutions at the national
and international levels. Support at the undergraduate and graduate levels
is available via competitive tuition waivers and scholarships. Teaching
and research assistantships are available at the graduate level.
The botany programs strongly emphasize field experience and hands-on
laboratory training with locally important plants, their environment,
historical and present uses, as well as the unique aspects of plant evolution
and ecology in Hawai‘i and the Pacific. The department’s website
at www.botany.hawaii.edu allows glimpses into the many environments and
special plants in Hawai‘i, and provides further information about
faculty interests and research.
Over half of all the endangered plant species in the U.S. are endemic
to Hawai‘i. Botanical knowledge and understanding are essential
to the continued preservation of these unique plants. The botany department
cooperates with government and private agencies (see “Affiliations”
below) in conservation efforts for these species. The department also
provides identifications and fundamental knowledge about Hawai‘i’s
unique plants to local citizens, schools, and state and federal agencies.
Hawai‘i’s location provides botany students with the best
opportunity for exploration of tropical marine or terrestrial ecosystems
available anywhere in the U.S. The varied environments and climates present
in the islands allow work from oceanic reefs to the tops of snow-covered
volcanoes. The isolation and geology of the islands have produced a unique
flora, unmatched in its potential for effective study of systematic, evolutionary,
ecological, and ethnobotanical questions.
Affiliations
Botanical studies are enhanced by cooperative working relationships between
the department and Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, Harold L.
Lyon Arboretum, Kewalo Marine Laboratory of the Pacific Biomedical Research
Center, Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit of the National Park Service,
The Nature Conservancy, State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and
Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Tropical Botanical
Garden, Honolulu Botanical Garden, Herbarium Pacificum and the Department
of Botany of the B.P. Bishop Museum, Hawai‘i Agriculture Research
Center (formerly Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association), and Waikîkî
Aquarium.
Advising
Student advising is coordinated by the undergraduate advisor who is available
to talk with prospective majors about their interests. An information
sheet is available in the department office. Graduate students entering
the department are assigned an interim committee of three faculty members
who provide general advice. The student’s committee and the graduate
program chair oversee requirements and provide a link between the Graduate
Division and the student. Graduate students are encouraged to interact
with each faculty to become acquainted with various research approaches
and areas of expertise. Once a research topic has been identified, a permanent
committee will be established to provide specific assistance.
Undergraduate Study
BA Degree in Botany
The BA degree provides students flexibility to pursue a broad liberal
arts education and still gain a sound foundation in botany with an area
of particular interest. Courses are available in conservation, ecology,
ethnobotany, evolution, physiology, structural botany, systematics, and
selected faculty research specialties. The courses applied toward the
botany major may be selected with the student’s interest area in
mind.
Requirements
- Students must earn a grade of C (not C-) or higher in each course
applied to the major, including required courses in Chemistry, ICS,
Physics and Math
- 28 semester hours in approved biological courses beyond BOT 101 and
101L or equivalent
- BOT 201/201L and 351/351L
- 2 credit hours of BOT 399
- One option from each area:
- ecology and conservation: BOT 350, 450, 453, 454, or 456
- form and function: BOT 410/410L, 446, 470/470L
- genetics and evolution: BIOL 275/275L, 375/375L, BOT 450, 462,
CMB 351
- organisms: BOT 430, 461, 480
- CHEM 151/151L, 152/152L, or higher
- ICS 101
- PHYS 100/100L or higher
Prospective majors should consult the department promptly to design a
curriculum that satisfies these requirements.
BS Degree in Botany
The BS degree is designed for those students who plan a career in science
with an emphasis on plants, especially those intending to do graduate
studies. A full complement of basic courses in biology, chemistry, math,
and physics is required in addition to botany courses. As with the BA
degree, students may choose among a variety of courses to fulfill requirements
for the major.
Requirements
- Students must earn a grade of C (not C-) or higher in each course
applied to the major, including required courses in Chemistry, ICS,
Physics and Math
- BIOL 171/171L, 172/172L and the specific requirements in the following
areas:
- cell and molecular biology: BIOL 275/275L, BOT 470/470L
- ecology and conservation: BIOL 265/265L or BOT 351/351L and one
of BOT 350, 450, 453, 454, 456
- organismal and structural botany: BOT 201/201L, 461, or 410/410L,
and 430 or 480
- genetics and evolution: BIOL 375/375L, BOT 462
- CHEM 161/161L, 162/162L, 272/272L
- ICS 101
- MATH 215, 216 or higher
- PHYS 151/151L, 152/152L
Prospective majors should consult the department promptly to design a
curriculum that satisfies these requirements. BOT 101 to BOT 160 do not
fulfill major requirements.
BS Degree in Ethnobotany
The BS in ethnobotany provides a unique learning environment in which
biological and social science theories are integrated. Study in ethnobotany
will enable students to work in areas related to the conservation of biological
and cultural diversity, work in natural health care businesses and practices,
enter graduate school programs in ethnobotany, botany, anthropology, and
related fields or enter advanced medical training programs.
Requirements
- IOL 171/171L, 172/172L
- Botany: BOT 201/201L, 410/410L, 453, 461 and two 400 additional level
botany courses.
- Biogeography: Two courses in biogeography from an approved list.
- CHEM 161/161L, 162/162L, 272/272L
- Culture: ANTH 152 and three 400 level courses in cultural studies.
- Ethnobotany: BOT 105, 440, five credits of BOT 449 and two of BOT
442, 444, 446, or 448.
- MATH 215, 216
- PHYS 151/151L, 152/152L
Prospective majors should consult the department promptly to design a
curriculum that satisfies these requirements. BOT 101, 135, and 160 do
not fulfill major requirements.
Minor
Requirements
Students must complete 15 credit hours in non-introductory courses with
a grade of C (not C-) or higher.
For ethnobotany:
- BOT 440, and 461
- Two of: BOT 442, 444, 446, or 448
- One 400 level Social Science course that forms part of an ethnobotany
theme with the other courses
For evolutionary botany:
- BOT 201/201L, and 462
- Electives: BOT 410/410L, 430, 450, 461, 470/470L, or 480
For tropical field botany:
- BOT 453
- Electives: BOT 201/201L, 350, 450, 454, and 461
Individual programs may be designed by the student and advisor for approval
by the faculty.
Graduate Study
The department offers programs leading to MS and PhD degrees. Hawai‘i’s
location offers unique opportunities to study the patterns and processes
of evolution, adaptation, and morphological and physiological variations
within a geographically variable and isolated setting. Faculty expertise
spans from the molecular to the whole organism in marine and terrestrial
environments, with emphasis on evolutionary biology, ecology, ethnobotany,
molecular evolution, physiology, structural botany, and systematics. The
faculty includes a number of nationally and internationally recognized
scientists in ecology, ethnobotany, physiological ecology, and systematics.
In addition to the previously listed affiliations, botany is closely
affiliated with the program in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology,
providing a variety of opportunities for graduate student education, research,
and support.
Recipients of the MS degree often teach at the high school level, pursue
careers with government agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
or National Park Service, or work with environmental organizations like
the Nature Conservancy or the Sierra Club. Those with a PhD may teach
and/or conduct research in private industry or in colleges and universities
or work with environmental organizations or the government.
A listing of faculty members and their research areas and publications
is available on the department website: www.botany.hawaii.edu.
Applications for admission and opportunities for financial aid and support
are available upon request.
At the time of application, an official record of the student’s
performance on the GRE General Test must be submitted to the department.
The subject test in biology is also recommended. Three letters of recommendation
from persons who can appraise the student’s aptitude for advanced
work are required. In their statement of objectives; applicants should
identify a specific area of study within botany: conservation, ecology,
ethnobotany, general botany, marine botany, systematics/evolution, or
whole plant biology. Minimum curriculum requirements for each track are
available at the department website. Applicants will be evaluated for
their level of preparation and potential to successfully complete their
proposed plan of study. Application deadlines are February 1
for fall semester and September 1 for spring semester.
Normally, teaching assistantships are available for the beginning of fall
semester, but openings may occur mid-year.
MS and PhD students are admitted to candidacy when they have successfully
completed any requirements and pre-program deficiencies identified by
their committee and after they have demonstrated the ability to collect,
analyze, integrate, and communicate scientific information effectively
in the English language. This requirement may be satisfied by a class
paper, publication, or other written evidence deemed acceptable by the
committee.
Because scientific findings are typically presented orally, as well as
in writing, all students must gain and demonstrate proficiency in the
presentation of seminars. Students must complete BOT 610 to satisfy this
requirement. In addition, MS Plan A and PhD students must present two
public seminars: first, outlining the background of a research problem
and the student’s proposed research program; and second, at the
conclusion of their program, describing the research results and conclusions.
The latter seminar also includes a final examination by the thesis or
dissertation committee. The final examination for the MS Plan B students
includes the presentation of a public seminar summarizing the results
of one of their directed research studies.
Master’s Degree
Plan A (thesis) and Plan B (non-thesis) are separate MS programs with
distinct purposes. Before admission to candidacy, the plan that a candidate
intends to follow must be declared and approved. Plan A is the usual program
to be taken by candidates intending a research-related career. Plan B
is for students who do not intend to make research in botanical sciences
their profession.
Plan A (Thesis) Requirements
For Plan A, a minimum of 30 credit hours is required. Of that, a total
of 12 credit hours shall be for thesis and a minimum of 18 additional
credit hours for courses approved by the candidate’s committee.
Plan B (Non-thesis) Requirements
For Plan B, a minimum of 30 credit hours is required. Of that, a total
of 18 credit hours shall be earned in the major field or an approved related
field in courses numbered 600 and above. Of these credits, at least 6
(but not more than 9) must be for directed research in aspects of botanical
sciences chosen by the candidate in consultation with his or her committee.
Doctoral Degree
The PhD program includes gaining a working knowledge in an approved foreign
language or other research-tool subject, as well as passing a comprehensive
examination and writing a dissertation. Suitability of the language or
tool subject is determined by the graduate faculty according to the student’s
area of specialization, and proficiency is ordinarily determined by examination
or satisfactory completion of a specific course of study.
Requirements
The comprehensive examination is a combination of oral and written parts,
and is conducted by the candidate’s committee, plus any members
of the graduate faculty who wish to attend. In addition to general botany,
the candidate is examined in-depth in areas of related disciplines that
have been previously agreed upon by the student and the committee.
The dissertation is expected to be an original contribution based on
independent research. It is initiated by the preparation of a critical
review of the literature that becomes the basis for a dissertation proposal.
Dissertation research for the PhD degree is carried out in an aspect of
botanical sciences for which a member of the graduate faculty of the field
will accept responsibility as committee chair.
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