Graduate Policies at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo

Admissions

Admissions Policies

The University of Hawai'i at Hilo is an equal opportunity institution of higher education, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual identity, age, disability, religious affiliation, or country of origin.

Application requirements

Applicants applying for admission to graduate programs must submit the following directly to the Graduate Office of Admissions (GOA):

A completed application form and appropriate fee. This form and fee information are available online.
One official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended (must be sent directly from the institution, or submitted by the applicant in a sealed institutional envelope if accompanying the application), except for transcripts from within the UH system which are not required.
Official Graduate Record Exam scores or other qualifying test scores as determined by the program, and TOEFL scores for international applicants whose native language is not English, or who have not attained a baccalaureate or higher degree from an English speaking institution.
Verification of financial status (for all international students).
A minimum of two letters of recommendation attesting to the academic ability or other qualifications of the applicant.
Statement of academic and/or long range goals.

Unaccredited US or international institutions : Degrees from such institutions are not automatically recognized. Applicants with such degrees will be dealt with on a case by case basis.

International applicants : In addition to the above requirements, international applicants must submit official academic records in the original language accompanied by certified English translations. These translations must bear the embossed seal or inked stamp of the issuing institution or government agency and the original signature of the translator, and must be complete and exact word for word translations of the original documents. International applicants with a GPA of less than a B (or equivalent) in their undergraduate work or less than a B in 12 or more credits of post-baccalaureate work are not eligible for admission.

Minimum qualifications for acceptance

Bachelor degree. Each applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree or graduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, or its equivalent from a recognized non-U.S. institution of higher learning. The standards of the degree in question must be equivalent in both the distribution of academic subject matter and in scholarship requirements to those maintained at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo .

Students may be required by programs to fulfill additional coursework beyond the major requirements if such courses are deemed important to the student's ability to successfully complete the course of study. These courses will be determined prior to the student's official admission notification, and will be included in the acceptance letter. Programs and program advisors are responsible to monitor student completion of these courses.

If an applicant has been initially determined to be inadmissible based on his/her academic record, the graduate program may petition the Graduate Council on behalf of the applicant to reconsider the application. The petition must present evidence (e.g., relevant education, training, experience, publications) that the applicant is capable of successfully completing the desired graduate program.

GRE. The GRE is required for all applicants for acceptance. Some programs may require a professional test specific to the program of study in lieu of the GRE for admission purposes. Minimum scores on the GRE or professional tests are set individually for each program.

Applicants who have completed a graduate program at a regionally accredited U.S. institution or its equivalent from a recognized non-U.S. institution are not required to submit GRE scores

TOEFL. In addition to above requirements, an applicant whose native language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency as a partial admissions requirement. Acceptable evidence of proficiency in English is successful completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language ( TOEFL ) with a minimum score of 550 (paper version) or of 213 (computer version). Applicants who have baccalaureate degrees from English-speaking institutions are exempt from the TOEFL requirement.

GPA. The applicant must have a GPA of 3.0 or the equivalent from the last 60 semester credits (or equivalent) completed, or must hold a graduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or better in his/her graduate program. Under special circumstances, a GPA of 2.75 or higher will be considered based on the applicant's other qualifications and subject to the petition process noted above.

The meeting of minimum requirements does not assure acceptance. Acceptance into a graduate program is competitive and decided upon by the graduate program.

Admission Procedures

The Graduate Office of Admissions (GOA) is responsible for accepting application materials for all graduate programs. The GOA screens for minimum qualifications of each application and distributes completed applications to the respective program for decision of acceptance or rejection. The admissions committee within individual programs will make the final decision on applications that meet minimum university qualifications.

The application deadline for fall semesters is February 1. The deadline for spring semesters is November 1. Applications received after the priority deadlines will be considered on a space available basis . A letter is sent to each applicant notifying him/her of receipt of the application. Incomplete applications will be held in the Graduate Admissions Office until complete and ready for review by the graduate program. Applications that remain incomplete at the end of the selection process will be rejected as "incomplete," and the student will be notified by mail of this action.

Official notification of acceptance or rejection is generally mailed by the GOA between March 1 and May 30 for fall admission. For spring admission, notification is generally mailed between November 15 and December 15. Applicants should not make definite arrangements to attend the University until they receive formal notice of acceptance from the GOA .

Evaluation of transcripts of international students and of non-traditional grading will be done at the program level if the applicant meets other minimum qualifications. The Graduate Division and GOA will help with interpreting unusual grading practices and other special cases.

Classification of students

Regular admission. Regular admission may be granted to applicants who hold a baccalaureate degree with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better for the last 60 semester credits (or equivalent) , or who hold a graduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or better from an accredited institution, or through the petition process noted above. Determination of acceptance is made by the admissions committee of individual programs. These students are defined as "classified students."

Denied admission: Students whose academic records do not meet the minimum requirements, and/or whose admission is not supported by the program and the Graduate Division will be denied admission.

Visiting Graduate Student. Applicants who are pursuing an advanced degree in another institution and who wish to study at UH HILO for a limited time period may apply for admissions as visiting graduate students.

To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled in and actively pursuing a graduate degree program at a regionally accredited institution of higher education, and be in good academic standing.

Visiting graduate students register on a space available basis and only in courses for which they are judged to be eligible by the instructor of the course and the chair of the graduate program.

Typically, visiting graduate students enroll as unclassified graduate students. They may be allowed to change their status from unclassified to regular status if they apply and are accepted by a graduate program at UH HILO.

Admission as a visiting graduate student does not guarantee subsequent admission as a regularly admitted graduate student. A visiting graduate student who decides to apply for admission as a regular graduate student must apply for acceptance via the standard admissions process as do all other applicants.

Visiting graduate students who later become admitted as regular students may request to have courses taken under the visiting student status credited toward the new degree objective. They should consult with their graduate programs, which then make appropriate recommendations to the Graduate Division.

Unclassified Graduate Students

Students with documented baccalaureate degrees who do not meet the minimum requirements for admission to a program, or who for any other reason have not been formally accepted into a program, may attempt to register for selected courses. Such registration is done on a space-available basis, and is with the written consent of both the faculty teaching the course and the chair of the program. Admission into a course as an unclassified graduate student does not guarantee admission as a regularly classified graduate student at a future date . A limit of 9 credits at UH Hilo may be taken at the graduate level by unclassified graduate students in their academic career unless a special waiver of this rule is made with the approval of the instructor, graduate program chair, and the chair of the Graduate Council.

Applicants who are sponsored by an educational institution or governmental agency and who wish to undertake a special program of study, research or training without degree objective may apply as unclassified graduate students.

All applicants for unclassified graduate student status are required to submit the following: graduate application, proof of baccalaureate degree, and a brief statement of objectives specific to each class in which the applicant hopes to enroll. Unclassified graduate students are not required to submit the application fee, GRE scores or letters of recommendation. If an unclassified graduate student later applies, and is accepted, into a graduate program, the student may petition for acceptance of credits taken while in unclassified status, but acceptance of the petition by the graduate program is not assured.

Undergraduate students in their final semester of coursework before being granted a bachelor's degree may petition to take graduate coursework for credit in the status of an Unclassified Graduate Student. Permission must be received from the student's academic advisor, course instructor, and graduate program director. This coursework must be in excess of the requirements for the bachelor's degree, and failure of the student to obtain the bachelor's degree at the end of the semester in which the graduate coursework is undertaken will invalidate any graduate credits from the coursework.

Additional Considerations

Concurrent Degrees

An applicant may apply to more than one graduate program but may enroll in only one program initially. Concurrent enrollment in more than one program is strongly discouraged. However, the individual programs applied for will individually determine what constitutes the minimum course load, and the student (in consultation with the graduate programs) may decide to attempt both programs.

Reapplication

Applicants who have been denied admission to a graduate program at UH HILO because of failure to meet academic standards may reapply for admission after completing at least 12 semester credits of post-baccalaureate course work. The courses must be numbered 400 or above and completed with a GPA of 3.0 or above.

Completion of additional course work does not guarantee admission. To be reconsidered for admission, applicants go through the standard application process and will be considered along with all other applicants.

If admitted, no more than 12 semester credits of relevant post-baccalaureate course work may be applied toward the new degree objective.

If Admitted But Not Enrolled

Admission may not be postponed or deferred. Newly admitted students who do not register during the semester for which they are admitted or who withdraw from all courses before the last day to drop are considered no-shows. Their admission status will be rendered invalid. To reapply for admission, they are directed to contact the Graduate Admissions Office for instructions.

Returning Student

If a student has not registered continuously, the student must reapply for admission, and this readmission is not guaranteed.

International Student Documents

International student documents are processed by the International Admissions Office. Visa questions will be handled only by this office.

Registration and Degree Requirements

Registration

Graduate students are encouraged to participate in early registration whenever possible. Graduate students must meet general guidelines and payment schedules set by the university.

Full-Time Registration Requirements for Students

Graduate students must register for six or more credits to be considered full time.

Academic Standards

A cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (on a scale where A = 4.0) in courses required by their graduate program is required in order to maintain satisfactory academic standing and graduate degree certification. When the cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on academic probation. Once a student is placed on probation, the student has two semesters to attain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher or the student will be dismissed. Graduate students who do not meet other academic/program standards will be dismissed from their graduate program . This process entails a warning letter from the Chair of the graduate program to the student. If the necessary academic standards are not attained within a period specified by the graduate program, the graduate program's chair recommends to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA) that the student be dismissed from the program. Students will be sent written notification of the intended action. Appeals of such action may be made in writing to the VCAA within ten business days.

Graduate Committees and Primary Academic Advisors

With the exception of certain professional programs, all graduate programs utilize a graduate committee system for advising and evaluating graduate students. At the Master's level, the committee is comprised of a minimum of three faculty members. One member will chair the committee and serve as the student's primary academic advisor. At least two members of a student's graduate committee must be full time tenured or tenure track faculty at UH Hilo . For students in a non-thesis option, the graduate committee serves as an examination and evaluation body of the student's requirements as listed by the graduate program. For students utilizing a thesis option, the committee serves as the thesis committee. Acceptance or rejection of a student's work as fulfilling degree requirements is determined by a majority of the graduate committee.

Some professional programs may not utilize a graduate committee system. In these cases, a designated faculty member serves as the student's primary academic advisor. Acceptance or rejection of a student's work as fulfilling degree requirements is determined by a majority of the graduate program's faculty.

Minimum Residence Credits for Degree Certification

Regardless of any previous graduate experience, a minimum of 24 credit hours must be taken at UH Hilo before a degree can be granted. This is known as the "residence requirement," and applies to all graduate degree programs at UH Hilo . Credit hours earned under courses designated as "thesis" may not be counted toward the Graduate Division's minimum residence requirement.

Minimum Credits in Graduate Level Courses

Students are required to complete a minimum of 24 credits in courses at the 600 level or higher before a degree may be granted. Specific graduate programs may require additional credits at the 600 level or higher; students are advised to read program requirements and discuss them with their primary graduate advisor.

Use of Undergraduate Courses for Graduate Credit

Graduate students may use up to six credits of course credit in 400-level classes toward their graduate degree requirements with the approval of the graduate program chair. Courses numbered 499 may not be used for graduate credit. Credits used to meet requirements for an undergraduate degree may not be used to meet graduate program requirements.

Dual Level Courses

Some courses are dual-listed at the 400 and 600 level. Courses identified by graduate programs as core courses are not eligible as dual level offerings. For dual level courses, credit in the graduate course is not available to students who have received credit in the corresponding undergraduate course.

Dual level courses must be evaluated as a unit based upon their specific content, including specification of differences in expectations for undergraduate and graduate levels. Courses that have changing content from semester to semester, such as those ending in the number -94, -97 and -98, are not eligible for use in dual level offerings.

Overload Policy

Students may register for up to 15 credits with the approval of the graduate chair. Any registration above 15 credits requires approval by both the graduate chair and the Graduate Division. Students wishing to register for more than 15 credits must complete an Overload Petition. After obtaining the approval of the graduate program chair, the form is brought to the Graduate Division for approval by the VCAA or designee. The Overload Petition must be approved before the end of the add deadline.

Incomplete Grades

An instructor may assign an Incomplete (I) when a student has done most of the course work satisfactorily, but due to unforeseen circumstances has not completed all course requirements. The Incomplete is not for the purpose of converting a failing grade, or unsatisfactory work, to a passing grade. The student must request the Incomplete option from the instructor, but it is the instructor's decision as to whether it is appropriate or not. Graduate students who are given a grade of "I" must complete the coursework before the due date listed in the university calendar. "I" grades that are not completed by this due date automatically are converted into "NC" grades. The instructor may set a deadline sooner than that listed in the university calendar, reflecting the instructor's availability to extend his/her commitment beyond the course, but the instructor cannot extend the due date unless granted a specific waiver by the college Dean or, for interdisciplinary programs that involve more than one college, the VCAA.

Some departments and programs may have more restrictive policies regarding incomplete grades. Students should confer with their academic advisors concerning departmental rules and expectations.

The incomplete policy has specific implications for students receiving tuition scholarships and other kinds of financial aid and for international students holding visas.

Financial aid: Graduate students who receive federal or state aid may lose these benefits if they receive Incompletes. See the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

International students: Student visas require that students are registered as full time, so withdrawal from courses may result in a failure to meet visa requirements.

All courses taken by graduate students are subject to the above policy. Incomplete grades must be resolved before students can receive a graduate degree.

Repeating Courses for Credit

A few graduate courses (numbered 600 and above) are repeatable for credit. Examples include thesis research and courses that are approved via the curriculum review process as "repeatable for credit" (e.g.; special topics).

Retaking Courses for a New Grade

With the exception of courses that are explicitly repeatable for credit (see above), graduate courses cannot be retaken unless approved by the program chair and graduate division prior to registration . With the permission of the graduate program chair, courses may be retaken, but not for additional credits. No more than two courses may be retaken, and no graduate level course may be retaken more than once during the student's graduate career. All grades are factored into the UH Hilo cumulative graduate GPA. For graduation purposes, however, a program grade point average may be computed which includes only the grades earned in the courses included in the student's graduate program. A statement which specifies the recomputed program GPA will be reflected on the student's academic records and transcript.

Continuous Registration

All students admitted to a degree-granting program must maintain continuous registration each semester for at least one credit hour. Students who do not register will be removed from the graduate program and will be required to reapply to the Graduate Division. Students do not need to maintain matriculation during the summer session unless final degree requirements are to be completed during this period. Students must be registered during the semester when the degree is granted.

Leave of Absence

Under exceptional situations, students may apply for a Leave of Absence. Students on leave are excused from the registration requirement during the period of the leave. Leaves are normally granted for six months with an extension of up to one year. A Leave of Absence is granted only in exceptional circumstances, such as illness or other unusual personal hardship, and requires detailed justification. Leaves of Absence are not granted to students who wish to absent themselves to undertake thesis or dissertation research elsewhere. If possible, requests for Leaves of Absence should be submitted one month prior to the semester for which the leave is requested. Students must complete a readmission application upon return.

Withdrawals

Students who withdraw from courses for which they are registered at the University must follow a formal withdrawal procedure if they wish their record to indicate good standing. Absence from class does not constitute due notice of withdrawal . No grades are recorded for students who formally withdraw by the listed withdrawal date that is noted in the Catalog. Withdrawal from all classes after the listed withdrawal date may be granted, but only in exceptional circumstances, such as illness or other unusual personal hardship, and requires detailed justification. Withdrawal from classes may affect financial aid eligibility. See the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Transfer of Graduate Credits

Students matriculated in advanced degree programs must petition to have previously earned graduate credits from other institutions transferred toward their University of Hawai'i at Hilo graduate degrees within their first semester at UH Hilo . Using the Graduate Division's "Application For Transfer Credit" form, students submit this petition to their graduate program. A copy of the official transcript from the other institution must be on file with the Graduate Division.

Credits petitioned for transfer must be relevant to the student's UH Hilo degree program, must have been earned at a regionally accredited university, must not have been used to satisfy the requirements of another degree, and must have been earned in graduate-level courses for which the student earned at least a B. Credits for courses in which the student received no letter grade cannot be transferred. Credits earned through correspondence courses or through courses or experiences offered under the auspices of proprietary schools, business or industrial training programs, or schools conducted by federal agencies such as the Department of Defense, are normally not considered for transfer. Courses taken more than five years prior to matriculation in the Graduate Division are accepted only when the graduate program chair attaches a statement justifying the transfer. The graduate chair in the student's program forwards all approved petitions to the VCAA or designee for final approval. Approved transfer credits will be included on the student's official Graduate School transcript as a single entry of total credits accepted in transfer. Letter grades from transfer credits are not considered in the determination of grade-point average.

Limitations on the number of credits acceptable in transfer are set in the first instance by the minimum residence requirement of 24 credit hours for any advanced degree; transfer credits cannot be applied toward the residence requirement. For example, for a masters' program requiring a minimum of 30 credit hours, no more than six transfer credits may be applied toward the degree. When graduate programs require more than 30 credit hours, the VCAA or designee may accept a correspondingly larger number of transfer credits.

Policy Prohibiting Award of a Second Degree in the Same Field

The UH Hilo policy is that a second degree at the same level (masters' or doctoral) can be awarded only when a significant amount of additional coursework in a very different field is completed. Normally students who have already earned a master's or doctoral degree in a given discipline at either a foreign or U.S. institution may not earn a second degree in a similar field at the same level from UH Hilo.

Transcript Notations of Approved Concentrations Within a Major Program

For each advanced-degree recipient, approved concentrations, or specializations, may be listed on the official graduate transcript, along with the graduate major. Such listings are limited to two concentrations. In addition to the titles of approved and satisfactorily completed majors and concentrations, official graduate transcripts show the titles of doctoral dissertations and masters' theses. All such special transcript listings are made only at the time of completion of final degree requirements.

Courses Taken in Other Graduate Programs at UH Hilo

Graduate students may take courses offered by other graduate programs at the university with the consent of the course's instructor. These other courses may count toward the student's degree program only with the authorization of the student's graduate program, and this authorization must be obtained before the student registers for the course.

Policy on Graduate Student Conduct and Removal of Financial Support

Graduate students are subject to the policies and and procedures governing student conduct as described in the UH Hilo Student Conduct Code. This includes acts of academic dishonesty, e.g. plagiarism, cheating, and falsifying data. Accusations that students have committed acts of academic dishonesty may be brought before the Graduate Council, which issues a finding and a recommendation to the VCAA; the student receives a copy. A graduate student who is found to have violated the rules of academic integrity--who plagiarizes, cheats, or falsifies research data--is subject to suspension or expulsion. Students have the right to appeal such recommendations in writing to the VCAA within ten business days.

Instances in which graduate students are alleged to have violated the Student Conduct Code in other areas than academic dishonesty will be handled following the procedures described in the UH Hilo Student Conduct Code. It may be reasonable and appropriate in some instances to involuntarily withdraw a student from the University without academic penalty if his/her behavior is deemed to be a threat to his/her or others' health or safety.

"Without academic penalty" is defined as continuing as a student in good academic standing at the institution and eligible to return. Efforts will be made to preserve a student's academic progress with incomplete grades and/or withdrawals through consultation with faculty. If there are irreconcilable disagreements in these discussions, the VCAA will make the final decision(s) about the disposition of the student's academic record. Recommendations for involuntary withdrawals are submitted to the VCAA and VCSA for appropriate action. Students will be sent written notification of the action. Appeals of such action may be made in writing to the VCSA within ten business days. Students are not readmitted without a positive recommendation from the VCSA.

All other recommendations to dismiss a student from the Graduate Division or one of its programs, or to break a student's assistantship contract or to revoke a fellowship, tuition scholarship or other source of financial support, are made to the VCAA, accompanied by appropriate documentation. The student should be informed of the basis for any such decision and can appeal it, using first the grievance procedure of the student's program and then, if needed, the appeals procedures of the Graduate Council Grievance Committee. Action on a recommendation to remove support from or to dismiss a student in good academic standing will await the outcome of the grievance procedure.

Waiver of Regulations and Requirements

Some Graduate Division regulations and/or program requirements may be waived by the VCAA or designee in exceptional individual instances. A petition for waiver must be endorsed by the student's program graduate committee or graduate chair, who append their reasons for believing that the waiver request would not breach the spirit of the specified regulation or requirement.

Academic Complaints

The process for handling academic complaints by graduate students will follow the same general procedure as utilized for undergraduate students at UH Hilo (University of Hawai'i at Hilo Student Academic Complaint Policy), with the exception that, the following phrase will be inserted under III B. 3.: "For complaints relating to academic impropriety involving post-baccalaureate students, the Dean shall refer the written complaint to the UH Hilo Graduate Council (Academic Complaints Committee) for timely review and recommendation (10 calendar days) before taking action."

Graduate Programs and Faculty

Graduate Programs

All graduate programs will either have an official locus within a given Department at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo or will assemble an interdisciplinary graduate committee consisting of the graduate program chair and the chairs of all departments in which program faculty are housed. The department or interdisciplinary graduate committee must approve the initiation and any modification of the graduate program, initiation or modification of course offerings, the inclusion of individuals as faculty within the program, and requests for certification of non-UH Hilo faculty in training roles within the program.

Graduate programs are required to track the academic progress of all their students on a continual basis and to keep updated records of such. The programs must submit a report on academic progress of students to the Graduate Division on an annual basis.

Course Schedules

Graduate programs are required to have current course schedule cycles planned in advance for at least a two year period, with these schedules approved by the appropriate Dean or Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The course schedule cycles are to be made available to students through web posting.

Classification of Faculty

All full time faculty at UH Hilo of rank 3 or higher are eligible to sit on graduate committees and/or to teach graduate courses, with the permission of the graduate program in which they will serve. Voting members of a graduate committee must have a degree at or above the level for which the student is a candidate. Individuals who serve as graduate committee chairs and/or primary academic advisors must meet the following criteria:

Have a terminal degree in their academic field;
Be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member at UH Hilo ;
Be a productive scholar in their field as evidenced by ongoing independent professional, scholarly, or artistic achievements as documented by two or more refereed/juried publications or other outlets for artistic/creative activities as appropriate to the field in the past five years (in fields where books are the standard form of shared scholarship, significant progress must be demonstrated). Additional criteria may be established by the respective graduate programs.

The Graduate Council will be responsible for periodic reviews of faculty eligibility to serve as graduate committee chairs and/or as primary academic advisors.

Non-full time UH Hilo Faculty

Qualifications and procedures required for certification of graduate training personnel who are not full time UH Hilo faculty are:

Terminal degree in the field of study, and/or extensive experience within the field
Certified by the Graduate Council

The graduate program will initiate the request for certification to the Graduate Council. The program must make the case for "extensive experience within the field" in cases where the candidate does not have a terminal degree. The details used to make the case may differ considerably for different graduate programs. In making its certification, the Graduate Council will determine if the candidate has sufficient educational and/or experiential background to provide the high level of training expected for graduate education. Certifications must be renewed every three years.

Requirements for Advanced Degrees- Candidates for Masters Degrees

Advising and Guidance; Graduate Committee

At the beginning of a student's work toward the master's degree, the chair of the student's graduate program, in consultation with the student, designates a primary advisor. The primary advisor may be the chair of the graduate program or another faculty member. This advisor may also serve as chair of the student's graduate committee. The graduate committee, when required by the program, will consist of a minimum of three members who meet periodically with the student to discuss his or her progress.

Requirements for a Master's Degree

The Catalog stipulates the specific requirements for a master's degree in each program of the University. The minimum requirements include:

Continuous registration, including the semester in which the degree is awarded.
Completion of at least 24 credit hours of graduate coursework in residence, exclusive of a thesis. A minimum total of 30 credit hours of graduate coursework is required for all masters = degrees. A maximum of six hours of transfer credit is allowed for programs requiring 30 credit hours; additional credit hours may be accepted for transfer in programs that require more than 30 credit hours, as long as the 24 credit minimum in residence is maintained.
Graduate students must maintain at least a B average in courses approved by the program or graduate committee and presented for the degree.
Fulfillment of all departmental or school course requirements (no credit is granted for graduate courses in which a grade lower than a B- has been received). Grades lower than a B- will appear on the student's transcript and will be computed into the student's GPA, although the student may not use the course to fulfill degree requirements.
Completion of all other requirements as listed by the specific graduate program.
Completion of all requirements, including thesis if required by the program, within five years after admission to the Graduate Division.

Examination

If a general examination is required for the student's masters = degree, the examination may be written, oral, or a combination of both. The decision for pass or fail shall be by majority vote of the graduate committee in programs that utilize a graduate committee. In programs that do not use graduate committees, the program faculty by majority vote shall determine whether the student has passed or failed.

Thesis

Evaluation

If a thesis is required for the student's masters = degree, the graduate committee, or the program faculty in programs that do not use graduate committees, will supervise and approve the thesis. Programs may designate additional examiners for the master's thesis beyond the student's graduate committee.

Preparation and Typing

Master's theses and doctoral dissertations should conform to Style and Policy Manual for Theses and Dissertations available at:

http://library.uhh.hawaii.edu/research_tools/theses.htm.

Annual Review Form

The primary academic advisor will submit an annual review form for each graduate student under their charge to the chair of the graduate program, using the form provided by their graduate program. This form will include data concerning number of credits earned; progress toward meeting other requirements such as papers, projects or theses; GPA; and other specific requirements for the graduate degree.

Awarding of the Degree

When the student has satisfied the requirements for a master's degree, the chair of the student's graduate program submits a "Recommendation for Award of Doctoral/Masters = Degree" form to the Graduate Division by the required deadline. If submitting a thesis, this form should be submitted with the thesis when possible.

Deadlines

Degree completion dates will be posted on the university calendar. Those who have not completed all degree requirements by the established deadlines will be required to register the following semester.

Degree Conferral and Commencement

Degrees are conferred three times each year: in December, May, and in July. Students who complete degree requirements late in the summer or in the fall semester are awarded degrees in December; students who complete degree requirements in the spring semester are awarded degrees in May; students who complete degree requirements in early summer are awarded degrees in July.

To participate in the commencement ceremony, the student's graduate program must submit the A Recommendation for Award of Doctoral/Master's Degree @ form to the Graduate Division by the required deadline. Commencement exercises are held only in December and May.

Completion Letter

Students who complete all requirements for the degree well in advance of the award of the degree may, upon request, receive a statement from the VCAA or designee certifying that all requirements for the degree have been completed.

Checklist For Completion of Degree Requirements

Master's Degree (non-thesis option):

Graduate program:
1. Appoints primary academic advisor and, where appropriate, graduate committee, in consultation with the student.
Student:
1. Completes coursework required for the degree.
2. Completes any other program requirements.
3. Registers for semester in which degree requirements will be completed.
4. Submits "Application for Graduation" form to the Business Office by the required deadline.
5. Passes final examination, and/or passes requirements for papers or projects as specified by the graduate program.
6. Completes all other requirements specified by the graduate program
Graduate program:
1. Submits "Recommendation for Award of Masters = Degree" form to the Graduate Division.

Master's Degree (thesis option)

Graduate program:
1. Assigns primary advisor and committee.
Student:
1. Completes coursework required for the degree.
2. Completes any other program requirements.
3. Passes general examination if required.
4. Registers for semester in which degree requirements will be completed.
5. Submits "Application for Graduation" form to the Business Office by the required deadline.
6. Completes thesis.
Graduate program:
1. Submits "Recommendation for Award of Masters = Degree" form to the Graduate Division when student submits thesis.
Student:
1. Submits original copy of thesis (with signatures) and an electronic version to the Graduate Division. [pending specifics from the library]

Requirements for Advanced Degrees-Candidates for Doctoral Degrees

Admission to Doctoral Work

For masters’ degree candidates intending to continue into the doctoral program in the same graduate program, the student's graduate committee, at a designated time near the completion of the student's masters’ work, decides whether or not to admit the student to the doctoral program. This will be indicated on a form submitted to the Graduate Division by the program. For entry into a UH Hilo doctoral program from a masters’ program at another university, or from a masters’ program in a different discipline at UH Hilo, students follow the regular graduate application and admission procedures.

Beginning the Program

At the beginning of the student's doctoral work, the chair of the graduate program appoints a faculty advisor or graduate committee (whose chair is the principal academic advisor). The initial advisor assists the student in planning coursework and in understanding the program structure and requirements; the advisor has primary responsibility for monitoring the progress of the student's work. The advisor may or may not become the student's graduate committee chair at a later stage in his or her studies. The initial advisor should meet with the student at least once each semester.

Requirements for a doctoral degree

The Graduate Catalog stipulates the specific requirements for the doctoral degree in each program. The requirements include:

Maintenance of at least a B average in courses approved by the program's graduate committee and presented for the degree.
Fulfillment of all program course requirements (no credit is granted for graduate courses in which a grade lower than C- has been received).
Completion of at least 24 credit hours in residence regardless of any previous graduate coursework elsewhere. Students continuing their studies for a doctoral degree in the same UH Hilo program from which they earned their masters’ degree need not fulfill a second residence requirement.
Continuous registration including the semester in which final degree requirements are completed (this does not include summer terms).
Demonstration to the graduate committee by means of a comprehensive examination (written and/or oral) of familiarity with basic hypotheses and techniques of the discipline and competence in applying them.
Fulfillment of any research skills requirements.
Submission of a dissertation on a topic approved by the department or school, embodying the results of original research and giving evidence of high scholarship.
Successful defense of the dissertation at a final oral examination.
Completion of any other requirements specific to the graduate program.

Research Skills Requirements

Each graduate program establishes foreign language reading competency or equivalent research skills for its students. The graduate program determines the method(s) to be used to fulfill these requirements. Graduate students may register for research skills courses that have been established in each program.

Comprehensive Examination

A comprehensive or proficiency examination is used to test candidates' specialized knowledge in the discipline and to demonstrate that they are qualified to undertake advanced-level dissertation work. The comprehensive examination may be written and/or oral.

The student's graduate committee serves as the examination committee, and this body determines the outcome of the examination. The student may repeat all or part of the comprehensive examination only once without prior approval from the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA) or designee. The student has five years to complete the doctorate after passing the comprehensive examination.

Dissertation Planning

After the student passes the comprehensive examination, the student's graduate committee will oversee the dissertation work. The committee will include an additional member chosen from a field outside the graduate program or from a similar field but from a different university, appointed by the VCAA or designee. Based on the student's recommendations, the committee is appointed by the chair of the student's graduate program. Two of the three regular members of the committee must be full time faculty at UH Hilo.

Committees are formed and modified (if necessary) by mutual agreement between the student and the faculty. The principal dissertation supervisor serves as chair of the graduate committee. Faculty are not required to serve on a particular dissertation committee if they do not wish to, and they are entitled to withdraw from a dissertation committee for reasonable cause. Faculty members from outside the student's own department or school may serve on the dissertation committee, but they do not replace the outside examiner, who is appointed by the VCAA before the final oral examination is scheduled.

Visiting, adjunct, and research faculty of UH Hilo (not holding the rank of Professor, Associate Professor, or Assistant Professor) may be appointed to a dissertation committee by the VCAA or designee upon recommendation of the program for a period not to exceed their term appointment at UH Hilo. If such term appointment is renewed, the member may continue to serve on the student's graduate committee.

Prospectus

The prospectus functions to identify the topic to be undertaken in the dissertation and to formalize the approval of the project by a faculty committee. The timing, format, length, and conventions governing the prospectus are set by each graduate program. If the student's program requires a prospectus, the student should submit it within six months after being admitted to candidacy; the prospectus must first be approved by the dissertation committee. In a conventional prospectus, a student is asked to identify a topic, to summarize relevant backgrounds, and to explain the approach. Some programs substitute for the prospectus another means of ensuring that the student's project has been identified clearly and has received written approval by each member of the committee.

Before approving the dissertation project, the chair of the graduate committee is encouraged to arrange a conference with the student and the other committee members for the purpose of discussing the research topic. Each program must inform doctoral students of its expectations, standards, and procedures regarding the prospectus or other approval of dissertation projects and must provide access to samples of accepted proposals or prospectuses. Graduate programs should include specific information about their expectations for a prospectus in advising manuals for graduate students.

Admission to Candidacy

After the student has passed the comprehensive examinations and met all research skills and coursework requirements, as certified by the program's submission of the "Recommendation for Admission to Candidacy for Doctoral Degree" form, he or she will be officially admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree by the VCAA. Intra- and interprogram majors and minors should be declared at this time where applicable.

At least two semesters normally elapse between admission to candidacy and the granting of the degree. Doctoral candidates must complete all requirements for the degree, including the dissertation, within five years after admission to doctoral candidacy.

Declaration of Candidacy

In the semester that the student plans to complete the dissertation, he or she must submit a "Declaration of Candidacy for a Graduate Degree" form to the Graduate Division by the required deadline.

Preparation and Typing

Doctoral dissertations should conform to Style and Policy Manual for Theses and Dissertations available at:

http://www.hawaii.edu/graduate/download/manuals/tdstylepolicy.pdf .

Submission and Binding

The student should obtain "Requirements and Guidelines for Graduate Theses and Dissertations" from the UH Hilo Library for detailed instructions. Two print copies of the dissertation must be presented by the student to the Library by the due date listed on the University calendar. One copy will be bound and returned to the student, the other will be bound and added to the Library's collection. There is a fee for binding (of the student's copy) and copyright.

Dissertation Defense

The graduate committee has direct charge of all matters pertaining to the dissertation. The student's dissertation must have the unanimous approval of his or her dissertation committee and of the chair of the graduate program before arrangements are made for the final examination for the degree. Members of the student's graduate committee serve as the examination committee.

Outside Examiner

The VCAA or designee, upon recommendation from the graduate program, adds an outside examiner to the examination committee as the representative of the faculty. The outside examiner is either a UH Hilo faculty member from a related area outside the student's graduate program or someone from a related discipline outside the University. Normally, the outside examiner will have no involvement in the supervision of the student's dissertation. The outside examiner's function on the examination committee is to render an independent judgment and to assure that the dissertation satisfies Graduate Division standards. An outside examiner is supposed to serve the Graduate Division and, therefore, must have substantial experience evaluating the scholarship/research of doctoral students (e.g., by being part of a graduate program, on graduate committees, supervising graduate research).

In special circumstances, particularly when a student would benefit from early counsel from a faculty member outside UH Hilo, the department chair or director of graduate studies can petition the VCAA or designee to appoint an outside examiner while the dissertation is still being written. If the nominee is from another institution, the program officer should forward the nominee's academic credentials, including a vita, to the VCAA or designee to be evaluated. The VCAA or designee then invites the nominee or another faculty member to serve as outside examiner.

Final Oral Exam (Dissertation Defense)

After the student's program has been notified of the appointment of an outside examiner, the program director, in conjunction with the chair of the examination committee, may proceed to schedule the final oral examination.

Because of the time required to give adequate consideration to the student's research, the student should submit the dissertation to the graduate committee well in advance of the final oral defense. Normally, two months is recommended; the student should consult the committee.

The final oral examination is open to any person wishing to attend. Members of the graduate committee must be given sufficient time to question the candidate about the dissertation. The final defense is a public examination, however, and the committee chair is responsible for the conduct of an open and impartial examination, including reasonable participation by observers. At the conclusion of the examination, it is customary for the chair to request that everyone except the graduate committee leave the room, so that the members may reach a decision. This procedure should not be invoked at any other time during the examination and should not preclude any questions from either committee members or outside observers.

No member of a graduate committee can be expected to participate in a dissertation defense if that member has not had at least two weeks to read and consider the dissertation beforehand.

At the final examination, the student will be required to respond to examiners’ questions concerning the dissertation and to defend the validity of the dissertation. To pass, the student must receive no more than one dissenting vote from the total graduate committee present. All members of the graduate committee who accept the dissertation in partial fulfillment of requirements for the doctorate shall so attest by their signatures on the "Recommendation for Award of Doctoral Degree" form. If the outside examiner does not signify approval in this manner, he or she should give the reason for dissent by submitting a separate memorandum to the VCAA or designee within three days of the examination.

If at the final examination the examiners generally approve of the dissertation but require significant changes and are not yet prepared to sign the "Recommendation for Award of Doctoral Degree" form, the chair of the graduate committee will coordinate with other members of the committee to compile all required changes and will inform the student of the scope and substance of those changes. The committee will establish how the changes will be reviewed and approved.

Following the oral exam and approval of the dissertation, the chair of the graduate program submits to the Graduate Division the signed "Recommendation for Award of Doctoral Degree" form, indicating that the student has now fulfilled all academic requirements for the doctoral degree and has successfully defended the dissertation. Members of the dissertation committee sign the signature page in the original copy of the dissertation; the outside examiner does not sign the signature page.

Remote Participation

Normally, all members of the graduate committee and the outside examiner are present at the defense. At the discretion of the program, with the unanimous consent of all members of the graduate committee and the student, committee members or the outside examiner may participate in the defense via real-time teleconferencing or real-time videoconferencing. In all cases, the chair and at least one other member of the dissertation committee must be physically present.

If in exceptional circumstances one member of the graduate committee cannot be present (either physically or virtually), they may submit questions and comments in writing. Such arrangements must be approved in advance by the program and must have the unanimous consent of all other members of the graduate committee and the student.

Filing the Accepted Dissertation

Submission

By the deadline published for each semester, the student is required to submit the dissertation to the Library along with payment of the appropriate fees. Details on these requirements may be found at the Library.

The dissertation should include the acceptance (signature) page with original signatures indicating approval by the dissertation committee (see sample below):

[Center and double spaced]:

Full title of thesis

by [Author's full name]

APPROVED BY: