CAS Curricula

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Note: The B.A. degree and the B.S. degree require a minimum of 120 semester hours. Some degree programs require more hours. College of Arts and Sciences degree and certificate programs are more fully described in the next section. Individual course descriptions are listed alphabetically at the back of the Catalog.

*Post-baccalaureate Teacher Education Program

The UH Hilo Education Department offers the Teacher Education Program which includes a two- semester post-baccalaureate cohort to qualify teacher candidates for licensure by the State of Hawaiʻi. Please see the Education section of this Catalog or contact the Education Department, (808) 974-7582, for more information.

Certificate Programs

The College of Arts and Sciences offers certificate programs in 11 academic subjects. Certificates are earned upon completion of a prescribed course of academic study. Depending upon the program, a certificate may be pursued either in addition to a baccalaureate degree program or as a program objective by itself. In order to pursue a certificate, a student must either have a bachelor’s degree or be a classified student (a candidate for a degree). Information about specific program requirements may be obtained from the coordinator of each certificate program and by referring to the department section in this Catalog under which each certificate is offered.

*requires formal application and acceptance to the program.

Special Programs

In addition to the courses of study listed above, the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences has established a number of special programs which provide additional pathways to student achievement and success.

Pre-Law Studies

The study of law is a postgraduate professional program usually requiring three years of full-time study beyond completion of the bachelor’s degree. No specific pre-law program or major is required for admission to law school, however, many pre-law students major in political science, economics, history, philosophy, English, or business administration. Whatever the major, students intending to apply to law school would benefit from courses emphasizing critical analysis, writing, and interpretation. A number of law schools also suggest a course in accounting as well.

Law schools place a great deal of emphasis in their admissions decisions on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) as well as grade point average, so students considering law school should start preparing no later than their junior year for the LSAT. It is highly recommended that such students acquire The Official LSAT PrepTest published by the Law School Admission Council or similar publications that help prepare the student for the examination and see the pre-law advisor early in their academic career. The pre-law advisor can assist students in selecting appropriate courses and majors, in preparing for the LSAT, and in selecting law schools.

The UH Hilo pre-law advisor is Dr. A. Didrick Castberg, Professor of Political Science, located in UCB 358.

Keaholoa STEM Program

The primary goal of the Keaholoa STEM Program is to increase the number of UH Hilo students of Hawaiian ancestry who take courses or major in science, mathematics, and technology fields. The National Science Foundation’s Tribal Colleges and Universities Program funds the four components of Keaholoa STEM:

• Faculty Development. To enculturate Hawaiian values, ways of knowing and learning, and use of current technology.
• Curriculum Enhancement. To enhance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines taught at UH Hilo.
• Outreach. To reach out to Hawaiian students and Hawaiian communities through special enrichment classes, mentoring, and informational programs.
• Research. To integrate mainstream STEM methodology with Hawaiian traditional knowledge and practices reaching from the land and the stars to the surrounding ocean.

Kealoha/IOA-LSAMP Scholars Program

The Islands of Opportunity Alliance-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (IOA-LSAMP),steered by the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, works collaboratively with 18 other institutions throughout Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region. The alliance aims to increase the quantity and quality of underrepresented students receiving baccalaureate degrees in science, technology, engineering and math. To achieve this goal, IOA-LSAMP has partnered with the Keaholoa Program to provide students with summer bridge programs, research experience opportunities, academic support programs, retention activities, attendance at professional conferences, and biannual stipend awards.

UH Hilo Space Grant College

Chartered under the NASA National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, the Hawaiʻi Space Grant Consortium began its activities in 1990, funding undergraduate fellows at the Mānoa and Hilo campuses. The program now includes community colleges in the UH system, and is developing interdisciplinary education, research, and public service programs related to space science, earth science, remote sensing, human exploration and development of space, small satellites, and aerospace technology. Current programs at UHH supported by the program include:

Space Grant Fellowship Program

The Hawaiʻi Space Grant Consortium awards undergraduate fellowships to students at UHH. The goals are to help strengthen national capabilities in space-related math and science fields, to help prepare the future generation of space scientists and engineers, and to increase the understanding and development of space. The awards are given for space-related research and provide a stipend of $3000 per semester to each recipient. Fellows are also eligible for travel and supply funds up to $500 per semester. Fellows undertake research programs in collaboration with faculty mentors, and participate in a twice-yearly colloquium with fellows from other campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi. Recent fellows have been in the areas of astronomy, geology, computer science, marine science, physics and geography.

Space Grant Traineeship Program

The Hawaiʻi Space Grant Consortium awards undergraduate traineeships to students at UHH. The awards provide laboratory training and practical experience in any space-related field of science, engineering or math. Trainees receive a stipend between $250 to $1,000 per semester and may be eligible for an additional $250 per semester for supplies.