(Working Draft 10-26-09)
Baccalaureate Degree Requirements
A baccalaureate degree (also called a “bachelor’s degree”) is earned upon the
completion of at least 120 college semester hours. In order to earn the degree,
students must also meet a series of course requirements, explained in detail in the
numbered sections within this chapter.
There are three sections to pay attention to while working toward graduation:
I. General Education (Basic Core and Area) Requirements
II. Major Requirements
III. Integrative Requirements (Writing Intensive, Upper-Division, HawaiianAsian-Pacific, and Global Community Citizenship)
In addition to earning at least 120 semester hours and completing the requirements
in the three sections above, students must:
• Earn at least a 2.0 cumulative UH Hilo GPA as well as a 2.0 GPA in courses
required for the major (a higher GPA may be required for some degrees) and minor
(if any).
• Earn a minimum of 30 semester hours in the college from which a degree is
sought.
• Be registered as a classified student with a declared major and in attendance at
the University of Hawai’i at Hilo during the semester or summer session in which
the degree is granted.
• Meet all requirements of their respective colleges and departments.
In addition, students may take a number of elective courses, which are not used to
fulfill any particular requirement but make up the 120+ credits needed to graduate.
These may be chosen from virtually any undergraduate course offered at UH Hilo.
When choosing electives, student may wish to consult their advisors to select
courses that enhance learning in their major or expand options for careers or
graduate study.
All degree requirements must be met within the special limitations imposed upon
directed reading/directed studies, “credit/no credit” and special topics courses, and
the credit by examination policy. Students should consult the appropriate sections
of this Catalog and speak with their faculty advisors or college deans for more
details on these limitations.
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With the approval of his or her academic advisor, a student may petition the
University for a waiver or modification of academic requirements. If the request
involves a requirement for a major or minor, the petition goes to the chair of the
department. If it involves a General Education requirement, the petition goes to the
General Education Review/Certification Committee, and for graduation
requirements, the petition goes to the dean of the college. The petition should
include clear and convincing justification for the action requested as well as
appropriate documentation, such as syllabi or catalog course descriptions of the
courses in question.
It is extremely important that each student meet with an academic advisor regularly
to ensure timely progress toward a degree. Students who have not declared a major
should consult with the Advising Center staff (808-974-7688). Declared majors will
be assigned a faculty advisor in their discipline.
I. General Education Core (Basic and Area) Requirements
The Basic and Area Requirements for General Education apply to all baccalaureate
degrees at UH Hilo. All courses meeting General Education Core requirements must
meet the criteria of standards and be certified by the General Education Review
Committee.
General Education Curriculum (Basic and Area, along with Integrative
Requirements) is designed to meet the following goals within the six categories
given, and their expected learning outcomes:
Critical Thinking –
A UH Hilo graduate should be able to:
• Critique and interpret evidence (primary sources)
• Identify relevant arguments
• Analyze alternative assumptions
• Identify ethical problems and dilemmas
• Evaluate the validity of ethical arguments
• Critically reflect on value assumptions
Information Literacy –
A UH Hilo graduate should be able to:
• Identify appropriate information required to address particular
problems or issues
• Access relevant information using appropriate resources
• Evaluate different forms of data and sources
• Analyze the economic, legal, and socio-political and other issues
surrounding the use of information
• Use computer technology to conduct research and find information
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Communication –
A UH Hilo graduate should be able to:
• Articulate and pursue a line of reasoning using oral and written
forms
• Present ideas or results in a manner appropriate for college-level
discourse (i.e. structure, tone, syntax, and grammar) in written form
• Present ideas or results using collegiate-level conventions (i.e.
documentation, genres, and forms of presentation)
• Identify his/her audience and adapt accordingly
Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning –
A UH Hilo graduate should be able to:
• Use systematic, empirical approaches to address questions as part of
the scientific process
• Differentiate scientific and non-scientific methods of inquiry
• Conduct planned investigations including recording and analyzing
data and reaching reasoned conclusions
• Solve problems using mathematical methods and relevant
technology
• Use graphs, tables, etc. to represent and explain theoretical models
Human Interaction and Cultural Diversity –
A UH Hilo graduate should be able to:
• Identify multiple perspectives and identify perspectives based on
world views different from his/her own
• Differentiate key values, assumptions, and beliefs among cultures
• Describe how different racial, ethnic, religious, regional and
gendered backgrounds shape experience
• Explain or predict individual and collective human behavior
Collaborative Skills and Civic Participation –
A UH Hilo graduate should be able to:
• Participate in an activity that contributes to the environmental,
economic, social, or intellectual betterment of the local community or
global forum (i.e. field research)
• Participate in an activity that contributes to increased awareness of
local or global issues on campus
• Participate in group projects with peers that contribute to the
intellectual development of all involved.
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General Education Basic Requirements. (All courses selected to meet General
Education Basic Requirements must meet the criteria of standards and be certified
by the General Education Review Committee.)
G1. Composition Requirement (3 semester hours)
ENG 100 or 100T or ESL 100 or 100T
All entering Freshmen, continuing or transfer students without English 100,
and all students for whom English is not a native language must take the UH
Hilo Writing Placement Examination. It is strongly recommended that
students complete the English composition requirement within their first 24
semester hours at UH Hilo.
G2. Language Arts (3 semester hours)
Students select a semester course (with G2 certification) of foreign language
study, linguistics or second level English composition to fulfill this
requirement. These courses engage students in the process of constructing,
analyzing, and employing language. These courses include, but are not
limited to, the following:
• Chinese CHNS
• French FR
• Hawaiian HAW
• Japanese JPNS
• Latin LATN
• Linguistics LING
• Spanish SPAN
• Second level English composition course ENG 209, 215, 225, 285, 286, 287,
324, 345, 347.
G3. Quantitative Reasoning (6 semester hours)
Students select a semester course (with G3 certification) of math and a
second semester course of math, statistics or symbolic reasoning to fulfill this
requirement. These courses enable students to understand the use of
mathematical or symbolic concepts and require students to develop skills in
chains of reasoning from data to conclusions. These courses include, but are
not limited to, the following:
• Math MATH 100, 104, 115, 121, 205, 206, 231
• Astronomy ASTR 180
• Computer Science CS 102
• Economics ECON 130, 131, 340
• Philosophy PHIL 345
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• Quantitative Business Analysis QBA 260
• Sociology SOC 280/280L
G4. World Cultures (6 semester hours)
Students select two semester courses (with G4 certification). These courses
offer a broad, integrated analysis of cultural, economic, political, scientific,
philosophical, religious and social developments that recognizes the diversity
of human societies, diverse cultural traditions and cross-cultural interaction.
These courses include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Agriculture: AG 230
• Anthropology: ANTH 100, 320, 324
• English: ENG 201, 202, 253, 254, 275, 289
• Geography: GEOG 102
• History: HIST 151, 152
• Political Science: POLS 251
• Women Studies: WS 201, 202, 320, 324, 357
General Education Area Requirements. (All courses selected to meet General
Education Area Requirements must meet the criteria of standards and be certified
by the General Education Review Committee.) Area requirements may not be
double counted with Basic Requirements.
G5. Humanities Electives (6 semester hours)
Students select one semester course (with G5 certification) in one area and a
second semester course in a different area. These courses use the
terminology of the visual, performing, or creative arts; or of the study of
philosophy, language, communication, or religion; or of literary
representations. These courses include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Art ART 101, 109, 270, 280
• Communications COM 100, 231, 251, 270
• Dance DANC 150, Drama DRAM 171, Music MUS 176
• English Literature courses ENG 200, 201, 202, 204, 205, 206, 252, 253, 254,
257, 275, 290, 323, 423, 430
• First, second, third or fourth semester foreign language CHNS, FR, HAW,
JPNS, LATIN, SPAN
• Hawaiian Studies Culture courses HWST 111, 176
• Japanese Studies Culture courses JPNS 383
• Linguistics LING 102
• Philosophy PHIL 100, 101, 209, 211, 213, 220, 230
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G6. Social Science Electives (6 semester hours)
Students select one semester course (with G6 certification) in one area and a
second semester course in a different area. These courses use the
terminology of theories, structures, or processes in the social or
psychological sciences and engage students in the systematic study of human
behavior, both social and individual. These courses include, but are not
limited to, the following:
• Anthropology ANTH 100, 110, 121, 320, 324
• Business BUS 100
• Economics ECON 100, 130, 131, 340
• Geography GEOG 102, 103, 105, 430
• History HIST 151, 152, 274, 316, 317
• Nursing NURS 350, 457
• Political Science POLS 101, 220, 242, 251, 341
• Psychology PSY 100, 312, 323
• Sociology SOC 100, 240, 260, 280/280L
• Women’s Studies WS 151, 357
G7. Natural Science Electives (7 semester hours)
Students select one semester course (with G7 certification) in one area and a
second semester course with its corresponding lab in a different area. These
courses use the terminology of computational, physical or biological sciences
and include knowledge and theories of the computational, physical or
biological sciences. These courses include, but are not limited to, the
following:
• Agriculture, Animal Science, Horticulture, Forestry, Plant Pathology AG
100, 230 ANSC 175
• Astronomy ASTR 110/110L, 180
• Biology BIOL 101/101L
• Chemistry CHEM 114/114L, 141, 124/124L, 125/125L
• Computer Science CS 100, 101, 102, 130, 135, 150, 201
• Environmental Science ENSC 100
• Geology 101, 120, 100/100L, 111/111L, 170, 205, 300
• Kinesiology KES 206, 207
• Marine Science MARE 110, 140/140L, 156, 171/171L, 172, 201/201L, 282,
310
• Physics PHYS 115
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Notes:
* No directed study i.e. *99 courses can be counted for General Education
credit.
* No course may be counted for more than one General Education Core
(including Basic and Area) requirement. Students are cautioned that, in a few
instances, a single course has been approved as satisfying more than one of
the General Education Basic or Area requirements. However, students
completing such a course may only receive credit toward a single such
requirement. They will be offered their choice of which requirement is
satisfied and will be expected to fulfill the other requirement(s) with other
courses.
* Courses that meet both major requirements and General Education
requirements may be simultaneously counted for both. (Courses are not
excluded from meeting the UH Hilo General Education requirements solely
because they also may be required for a major.)
* Courses that meet both General Education requirements and the HawaiianAsian-Pacific requirement may be simultaneously counted for both.
* Courses that meet both General Education requirements and the Writing
Intensive requirements may be simultaneously counted for both.
Transfer Students with an Associate of Arts Degree
Students transferring into UH Hilo with a transferable A.A. degree from an
institution accredited by a U.S. regional accreditation agency will be exempt from
the General Education Basic and Area requirements, unless specific course
requirements are needed for a given major or specialty. The A.A. degree must have
been completed prior to initial matriculation to UH Hilo. Students transferring
credit hours without an A.A. degree may receive appropriate transfer credit toward
General Education requirements without certification of the General Education
Review Committee as long as the courses meet the spirit of the certification criteria.
Transfer Students from within the University of Hawai’i System
Students who have six credits or fewer to complete their University of Hawai’i
community college A.A. degree may transfer to UH Hilo and be exempt from the UH
Hilo General Education Basic and Area requirements providing the coursework for
the community college A.A. degree is completed in the first semester at UH Hilo.
Other Transfer Students
All other transfer students must fulfill the General Education Basic and Area
requirements appropriate to their degree, as stated in this catalog. Credit hours
transferred to the General Education Requirement at UH Hilo (from other colleges)
do not have to be certified by the General Education Review Committee as long as
they meet the spirit of the certification criteria.
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Students Pursuing a Second Baccalaureate Degree
Students entering the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business and
Economics, and Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke’elikolani College of Hawaiian Language at UH Hilo
with a Bachelor of Arts degree (excluding other baccalaureate degrees) from a U.S.
regionally accredited college or university will be deemed to have fulfilled the
General Education requirements, unless specific prerequisites are needed in a given
major. For a fuller discussion of requirements regarding second baccalaureate
degrees, see the section of this catalog entitled “Multiple Baccalaureate Degrees and
Majors.”
II. Major, Minor and Certificate Requirements
Requirements for specific majors, minors, and certificates are described in the
program description sections of this Catalog. It is important for students to know
that:
• Courses completed on an optional “credit/no credit” basis may not be used to
satisfy the course requirements for a major, minor, or certificate.
• Students transferring into the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business
and Economics, or Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke’elikolani College of Hawaiian Language,
regardless of the number of transfer credits, accepted, must earn a minimum of 25
percent of the required credits for their majors, minors, and certificates at UH Hilo.
The Major (required)
The major is an area of specialization, involving a sequence of coursework usually
concentrated in a single academic discipline. Completion of a major is an essential
component of a college education. At UH Hilo, students are expected to declare a
major by the time they reach their junior year (i.e., have earned 55 credits). This is
done by filing a Declaration/Change of Major/Program form, available at the
Registrar’s Office or at www.uhh.hawaii.edu/pdf/change_major.pdf. Students may
change majors, though it may lengthen the time it takes to complete a degree.
Students considering changing a major should first consult with an academic
advisor in the new major.
Courses required for the major may also be used to fulfill the General Education,
Upper-Division, Integrative requirements. Please be aware that students must earn
at least a 2.0 GPA in courses required for the major and that certain departments
have imposed their own requirements for minimal grades, which will be indicated
on their program descriptions.
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Students may pursue more than one academic major, provided that the
requirements for each major are satisfied. See the last section of this chapter for
policies governing second degrees, concurrent degrees, and double majors.
The Minor (optional)
An academic minor, earned in conjunction with a baccalaureate degree, is a
sequence of courses enabling a student to specialize in a field of study but to a lesser
extent than with a major program. In most cases, the choice to pursue a minor or not
is a voluntary one. (An exemption is the Natural Sciences degree, where a minor is
required.) The academic minor is intended to provide the student with a certain
competency in the subject but does not itself lead to a degree, nor would it
ordinarily prepare a student for graduate study.
Requirements for minors are listed in the program description section of the
catalog. Students must earn at least a 2.0 GPA in courses required for the minor.
Certain departments have imposed their own requirements for minimal grades,
which will be indicated on their program descriptions. Before declaring their minor
(through the Declaration/Change of Major/Program form), students should consult
with an advisor in their desired minor area.
Certificate Programs (optional)
The University also offers a number of certificates, which are earned upon
completion of a prescribed course of academic study. Depending upon the program,
a certificate can be pursued either in addition to a baccalaureate degree 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 (i.e., a candidate for a degree).
Students are urged to consult an advisor in the department sponsoring the
certificate program and to signal their intent to pursue a certificate by completing
the Declaration/Change of Major/Program form. The University’s teacher education
certificate programs require formal application and admission.
III. Integrative Requirements
Upper-Division Requirement
College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Economics, and Ka Haka
‘Ula O Ke’elikolani College of Hawaiian Language usually require students to earn at
least 45 semester hours in courses at the 300- and 400-level (also called “upperdivision courses”). However, for some majors requiring more than 15 semester
hours in 100- and 200- level courses, the upper-division course requirement has
been reduced. The majors approved for this reduction are:
• Art
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• Astronomy
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Geology
• Marine Science
• Natural Science
• Nursing, RN to BSN program
• Performing Arts
• Physics
The program descriptions in this catalog for some of these majors specify a set
number of upper-division semester hours, which must be completed to graduate.
Other programs use a formula to compute the number of upper-division semester
hours required of their majors. In these cases, the requirement for 45 semester
hours in 300- and 400-level courses is reduced by the number of semester hours
over and above 15 in 100- and 200- level courses required for the major.
WI. Writing Intensive Requirement (3-9 semester hours)
Students select three different courses designated “WI,” one of which must be
numbered 300 or above. These courses use writing to promote the learning of
course materials and provide interaction between teacher and students while
students do assigned writing. A WI course is a discipline-specific content course in
which writing plays a major, integrated role. WI courses are labeled as such in the
semester course schedule.
The distinguishing features of a writing intensive course include writing as a
method of learning the course materials, as a process in which multiple drafts are
encouraged, and can be in the form of critical essays or reviews, journals, lab
reports, research reports or reaction papers. Writing assignments allow for
meaningful professor-student interaction and should contribute substantially to the
student’s course grade. WI classes are restricted to 20 students.
Students should be aware that the requirement is for three separate WI courses,
regardless of the number of semester hours earned in each course.
The WI requirement for transfer students varies depending upon year of entry and
transfer credits accepted by UH Hilo. Only after final transfer credit evaluation can
it be determined how many WI courses a transfer student must take. The number of
WI courses required for transfer students is displayed below.
Freshman 0-24 transfer credits, must take 3 WI courses
Sophomore 25-54 transfer credits, must take 3 WI courses
Junior 55-88 transfer credits, must take 2 WI courses
Senior 89 + transfer credits, must take 1 WI course
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HP. Hawaiian-Asian-Pacific Requirement (3 semester hours)
Students select one semester course designated “HP”. These courses investigate
major aspects of the culture, language, economy, history, or natural environment of
Hawai’i or of another indigenous culture or nation or region of the Pan Pacific
region. Courses foster critical understanding of different cultural perspectives,
values, and world-views and the ability to acquire additional knowledge about
these. These courses include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Anthropology: ANTH 100, 385, 389
• Art: ART 280
• Biology: BIOL 156
• Computer Science: CS 135
• English: ENG 205, 286A, 323, 430
• Geography: GEOG 120
• Geology: GEOL 205
• Hawaiian Studies: HWST 111, 176, 211, 213
• History: HIST 274, 316, 317
• Japanese Studies: JPST 382
• Linguistics: LING 442
• Marine Science: MARE 140, 156, 310
• Nursing: NURS 350
• Philosophy: PHIL 101, 300, 301, 302, 430, 435, 450
• Political Science: POLS 351, 353
• Psychology: PSY 323, 475
• Sociology: SOC 480
GC. Global Community Citizenship (3 semester hours)
Students select one semester course designated “GC”. These courses enhance
awareness of local and global community and environmental issues and encourage
interaction with community, business and/or government sectors in order to effect
positive change. These courses include, but are not limited to, internship, fieldwork
and service learning activities.
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