University of Hawaii

Programs & Degrees at the University of Hawaii

The University of Hawaii appears in our ranking of the 30 Best Online Bachelor’s in Emergency Management Degrees. The University of Hawaii is arranged as a series of campuses and centers scattered throughout the island chain. It’s designed to help students attend college even if they don’t live in Honolulu where the main campus is located. Well-respected programs at the University of Hawaii include those in:

• East Asian languages and literature
• Hawaiian and Pacific studies
• comparative philosophy
• astronomy
• marine science

Degree types available include those from the associates level through the doctoral level. Students can also earn professional degrees and certificates in subjects as varied as:

• astronomy
• architecture
• tropical plant pathology
• theater

Some of the research centers where students can study include:

• the East-West Center
• Hawai’i Natural Energy Institute
• the Institute of Geophysics and Planetology
• the Lyon Arboretum

Professional schools housed in the university system include:

• the William S. Richardson School of Law
• the Shidler Colleges of Business
• the School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology

Within those professional schools at the University of Hawaii, students can earn any of 60 doctoral degrees, as well as professional degrees in:

• law
• medicine
• geoscience
• professional educational practice

Many of the school’s doctoral programs are housed at the Mānoa campus. Students can study fields like:

• cell & molecular biology
• electrical engineering
• linguistics

There are locally popular degrees leading to a Ph.D. in Hawaiian & Indigenous Language & Culture Revitalization or a Ph.D. in East Asian Language & Literature. Also available are concentrations in:

• Chinese
• Korean
• Japanese

Students in doctoral, graduate and bachelor’s degree programs may want to pair their studies with a certificate program in an area like:

• Chinese studies
• aging
• data visualization & communication
• gender and women’s studies
• global health protection & security.

The university is in the process of introducing degrees that students can earn entirely online. The first degrees available will be those leading to an associate of arts degree. The online programs are designed for working adults who may not have the time in their busy schedules to attend classes on campus. Classes available online include those in:

• English
• psychology
• Hawaiian studies
• mathematics
• history
• speech

Students will take one class at a time in the associate of arts online degree system. Each class lasts for five weeks. Additional distance learning topics include those in:

• retail foundations
• risk management
• business writing
• disaster preparedness
• health care administration

About the University of Hawaii

Established in 1907, the University of Hawaii is located in Honolulu, Hawaii. It features:

• three campuses
• seven community colleges
• several research and university centers

The university’s main offices are in Honolulu. The school was originally created after the passage of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. The school’s official colors are gold and black. There are more than 50,000 students attending the university. The university’s  community centers and learning centers  help local students around the islands access their education with greater ease. It also helps keep costs lower. The university also offers distance education opportunities for its rural communities. The university is governed by the Board of Regents student representation.

University of Hawaii Accreditation Details

The University of Hawaii is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The university is also affiliated with the Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning. Some of the schools and programs accredited by additional agencies include:

• the School of Nursing, which is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
• the College of Business and Economics, which is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
• The College of Pharmacy’s program leading to a Doctor of Pharmacy degree is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Pharmacy Education
• the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology is accredited by the Masters in Psychology Accreditation Council

University of Hawaii Application Requirements

High school graduates who want to apply to the University of Hawaii must take classes in:

• English
• math
• science
• social sciences
• other college-preparatory subjects

The minimum GPA for applicants is 2.8 on a 4.0 scale. Students must graduate in the top 40 percent of their high school class. The minimum score for the SAT is a combined reading, writing, and math score of 1100. The minimum score on the ACT is 22. Students can apply if they come from a home school background or have earned a GED instead of a traditional high school diploma. The application fee is $70. Students will mail their application materials to the Office of Admissions at the campus they want to attend. Graduate degree programs may have additional requirements. Students should contact the program they wish to apply to for more information on graduate admissions criteria.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition varies for programs at the University of Hawaii. It’s based on the campus location a student attends. Tuition at the Hilo campus for in-state residents is $7,200. Students will pay an estimated total of $23,244 when fees, books, supplies, meals, housing, and other expenses are included. Non-residents will pay $20,160 for tuition and an estimated total of $36,204 when all other fees and costs are included. Students who live off-campus with roommates can expect to pay slightly more for their housing and transportation. Graduate students from Hawaii can expect to pay $5,748 for tuition and non-residents pay $13,164 for tuition. When all costs are included, in-state residents will pay an estimated $22,266 for tuition and fees. Non-residents will pay $29,682 for tuition and fees. Students can apply for financial aid by submitting their FAFSA form, which may qualify them for:

• federal student loans
• scholarships
• grants

The priority filing date for financial aid is February 1. The deadline for financial aid requests and appeals is April 12. Students may be offered a combination of Federal Direct Loans and Federal Direct PLUS Loans in their financial aid award. The university also offers several scholarships. To earn scholarships, students must usually create a personal statement, as well as essays. Students attending the University of Hawaii may qualify for scholarships that include:

• the Second Century Scholarship
• the Hawai’i Promise Scholarship
• the Regents & Presidential Scholarship

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