COLLEGES OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Navigation

Administration

Degree, Minors and Certificates Offered

General Information

Accreditations and Affiliations

Certificate Programs

Marine Option Program

Advising

Undergraduate Programs

Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences

UH Manoa General Education Core Requirements

UH Manoa Graduation Requirements

A&S College Requirements

A&S Degree Requirements

A&S Major Requirements

Second or Multiple Majors and Minors

Second Baccalaureate Degree

Professional Programs

Graduate Programs

Student Organizations

Honors and Awards

Instructional and Research Facilities

Center for Biographical Research

Center for Language and Technology

Second Language Teaching and Curriculum Center

National Foreign Language Resource Center

Departments

Colleges of Arts and Sciences

General Information

The Colleges of Arts and Sciences are comprised of four colleges that offer an integrated curriculum leading to baccalaureate and graduate degrees, minors, and certificates in their respective colleges. Each college includes an administrative unit and a number of academic departments and programs.

An excellent education is the primary mission of UH Manoa, and the Colleges of Arts and Sciences is at the heart of this mission, providing students with a comprehensive learning experience in a vibrant academic climate.

UH Manoa undergraduates take many of their first UH Manoa courses in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences as they undertake the General Education Core curriculum that is part of all the bachelor degrees offered on the campus. This liberal arts curriculum stresses the integration of knowledge to enhance students' understanding of life, the human condition, and the world in which we live. The core curriculum also entails critical thinking, which enables students to evaluate arguments, ideas, and theories, and to develop creative and meaningful applications of what they learn. The core gives students the tools of inquiry, enabling them first to identify important questions and then to seek, analyze, and interpret possible answers to issues of their lives, world, and universe. The curriculum also provides opportunities to develop students' artistic and creative imaginations and their oral and written communication skills so that they can effectively present their ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Since values guide human actions, the core curriculum allows students to examine their own values and learn about those of others in order to help the students understand themselves and others around the world.

Students who earn their degrees in one of the Colleges of Arts and Sciences will find that the programs of the colleges are designed with the conviction that, beyond the core curriculum, liberally educated persons should have both broad exposure to and an intensive knowledge of at least one field of the arts, the humanities, the languages, the natural sciences, or the social sciences. An ideal education, based in the liberal arts, prepares students for productive lives and careers, enlightened citizenship, and lifelong learning. The colleges strive to enhance excellent learning opportunities by promoting active student participation.

Accreditations and Affiliations

All academic programs are reviewed and evaluated regularly by campus and external faculty committees. Some academic programs, because of the nature of the discipline, are accredited or certified also by national organizations. Check with individual academic departments and programs for their accreditation status or affiliation with national or international organizations.

Degrees, Minors and Certificates

For a listing of the degrees, minors, and certificates offered by the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, see table.

Bachelor's Degrees: Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Music (BMus), Bachelor of Science (BS)

Master's Degrees: Master of Arts (MA), Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Master of Library and Information Science (MLISc), Master of Music (MMus), Master of Public Administration (MPA), Master of Science (MS), Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP)

Doctoral Degrees: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in various disciplines

Certificate Programs

In addition to the major concentrations that are part of every bachelor's degree, students may choose to pursue a certificate in an area of personal interest. Certificates signify that a student has completed a defined body of work in a particular department or program. Certificates can be conferred as soon as the student completes the program's requirements. The right to confer certificates has been granted to certain programs and departments by the Board of Regents; some certificates are only for graduate students. Certificates entail a minimum of 15 credit hours of non-introductory course work (including all upper division courses and those at the 200 level that have college-level course prerequisites), completed with a grade of C (not C-) or better and an overall GPA of 2.5 or better for those courses. Information on specific certificates can be obtained from the appropriate department or program office. See page 83 for a complete listing of certificate programs offered by the Colleges of Arts and Sciences.

Marine Option Program

The Marine Option Program (MOP) is a unique opportunity for undergraduates with an interest in the ocean. It is open to students in all fields and provides a clearinghouse for marine-oriented experiential education as well as a chance for students with common interests to meet. MOP sponsors a wide variety of marine activities, including field trips, workshops, seminars, symposia, and noncredit courses.

A certificate is awarded to undergraduates who successfully complete at least 12 credit hours of marine-related courses (including OCN 201, ORE 202, ZOOL 200, or an equivalent survey course; one 3-credit interdisciplinary ocean course; 6 credit hours of marine electives). In addition, students must complete the MOP Seminar (IS 100/BIOL 104) followed by the MOP skill project. The unique MOP skill project (worth 3 or more credits, e.g. IS 400/BIOL 400) allows students to design and conduct a personal marine or aquatic project related to their educational goals. Past projects have run from scientific research to endeavors in the arts. Classified and unclassified graduate students are also eligible to enroll in MOP and earn a certificate.
Students interested in MOP or in marine careers and curricula should visit the Marine Option Program offices in Dean Hall, room 105A; tel. (808) 956-8433; Email manoamop@hawaii.edu; www.hawaii.edu/mop/; Facebook ID: uhm mop.