General Education
Like most universities, the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
(UHM)
builds its curriculum in part around knowledge and skills that are of
value to all students. That combination of knowledge and skills is the
basis for the University's General Education requirements.
The UHM General Education requirements involve four
categories:
- Foundations
- Diversification
- Focus
- Hawaiian or Second Language
How to Meet UHM's General
Education Requirements
Freshman Year
Sophomore Year
Junior Year Senior Year
Freshman Year
During your freshman year (0-24 credits), you should concentrate on completing the
Foundations
requirements. Foundations courses are designed to help you develop skills and
perspectives that are basic to more advanced learning.
As a freshmen, you should also start taking Diversification
courses. The Diversification requirement ensures that you have
experience with different ways of acquiring knowledge (for example,
using the methods of biological science, literature study, social science).
Finally, you should find out if Hawaiian or a Second Language is required
by the School or College that you plan to
graduate from. Ask a college adviser about your language requirements.
If you need to develop second language skills from
scratch, you should probably start a language-course sequence while you
are a freshman. If, on the other hand, you have already had experience
in a language other than English, you should take a language placement
exam or ask for
a language waiver.
FOUNDATIONS REQUIREMENTS
- Written Communication (FW): 3 credits
- Symbolic Reasoning (FS): 3 credits
- Global & Multicultural Perspectives (FG): 6
credits, 2 courses
RESOURCES
DIVERSIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
- Arts, Humanities, and Literatures (DA, DH, and
DL): 6 credits from two different areas
- Social Sciences (DS): 6 credits from two
different departments
- Biological Science (DB): 3 credits
- Physical Science (DP): 3 credits
- Science Laboratory (DY): 1 credit
Effective March 2007:
You may take Diversification and
Foundations courses from the same department. Please note that the
printed 2007-2008 Catalog is incorrect.
RESOURCES
HAWAIIAN OR SECOND LANGUAGE
REQUIREMENT
RESOURCES
TIPS
You can also read the
Catalog and the "Program
Sheet" for a particular college's set of recommended core courses.
-
Placement exams are required for
some Symbolic Reasoning
(FS) courses. Refer to the
UHM Catalog - UH Manoa Core Requirements section to see if
an exam is required for the FS course you want/need to take.
-
Effective March 2007: Diversification courses
can be
from the same department of Foundations Global & Multicultural
Perspectives courses. Example: a student who takes ANTH 151 and
HIST 152 may take ANTH or HIST courses to meet the
Diversification requirement. Please note that the printed
2007-2008 Catalog is incorrect.
-
Transfer
students. Many transfer students can transfer courses
that will satisfy UHM's Foundations, Diversifications, and
Hawaiian or Second Language requirements.
Carefully review transcript evaluations and meet with a college
adviser to determine what GenEd requirements are already
satisfied.
-
UH
transfer students: students entering UHM with an
AA degree from a UH campus have already satisfied all of the
Foundations and Diversification requirements.
-
Focus Exemption: if you have had extraordinary extracurricular
experiences, consider applying for an exemption from a
particular Focus requirement.
-
A typical freshman class
schedule includes Foundations courses, Diversification
courses, a language course, and courses that will satisfy a
School/College requirement. You can check with your
School/College to find out its requirements.
Sophomore Year
You should have completed your Foundations requirements during
your freshman year (or before you complete 24 credits). During your
sophomore year, you should continue taking Diversification courses.
You are classified as a sophomore when you have earned 25-54 credits.
Check with your college adviser to determine what
College/School requirements must be satisfied. If a major has already been
selected, your should also meet with a major adviser.
Most students start taking Focus classes during their sophomore
year.
FOCUS REQUIREMENTS
- Contemporary Ethical Issues (E): 1 class
- Hawaiian, Asian, & Pacific Issues (H): 1 class
- Oral Communication (O): 1 class
- Written Communication (W): 5 classes, at least 2 must be
numbered 300- or 400-level
RESOURCES
TIPS
-
Focus classes change every semester.
When you register on the web, make sure the Focus designation
for a section is clearly indicated. If
no Focus designation is listed, you will not receive Focus credit for that section.
-
Some classes have more than one Focus
designation. By successfully completing the class, you earn all of the Focus credits indicated.
-
Some classes have both Focus and
Diversification designations. By successfully completing the class,
you will earn Focus credit and the Diversification credits.
-
Because the Focus requirement is a
"class requirement" instead of a "credit requirement," successfully
completing even a 1-credit Focus class will earn you Focus credit.
-
The Contemporary Ethical Issues (E)
and the Oral Communication (O) Focus classes are offered only at the
upper-division level (courses numbered 300-499). You are
encouraged to select E and O Focus classes in your major
to get the most out of the requirement.
-
Transfer
students: Students entering UHM with 37 or more credits
have reduced Focus requirements. The
Catalog explains the
"pro-rate" schedule in the UH Manoa General Education Core
Requirements section.
Junior Year
When you reach junior status, you should have completed all of the Foundations
requirements and most, if not all, of the Diversification
requirements. You will concentrate on taking Focus classes and
courses required by your College/School and your Major.
You are classified a junior when you have earned 55-88
credits.
TIPS
-
At least 2 of the
Writing-intensive (W) Focus classes must be at the 300- or 400-level.
Find a W class in your Major to get the most out of the
requirement.
-
Contemporary Ethical Issues (E)
and Oral Communication (O) classes are only offered at the 300-
and 400-level. Take E and O classes in the Major to get the most
out of the requirement.
-
Transfer
students: Students who enter UH with 37 or more
transfer credits have to take fewer Focus classes. The
Catalog explains the
"pro-rate" schedule in the UH Manoa General Education Core
Requirements section. Transfer
students should confirm their Focus requirements with a College
adviser.
Senior Year
During the senior year, you should finish taking your Focus
classes and other courses required by your School/College
and your Major. Seniors have students who have earned 89 or more credits.
You need a minimum of 124 credits to graduate from UHM.
See "tips" under "Junior Year" in the previous section.
Scroll up and visit the links under "QUICK LINKS" for additional
information.
updated July 2, 2009; report errors to
gened@hawaii.edu |
