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MS Program

• undergraduate degree in biology or a related discipline*
• appropriate course work in life sciences including microbiology (three semesters), organic chemistry and biochemistry (two years), physics (one year), mathematics including calculus (one year)**
• graduate program supplemental information form (download form)
• statement of objectives (download form)
• two letters of recommendation
• official GRE General Test scores
• official GRE Biology or any relevant science Subject Test scores
• official TOEFL scores — 580/237/92 or above (Required of most non-native speakers of English. Click here for information on exemptions.)

* Applicants with undergraduate degrees in other disciplines may be admitted, if they demonstrate sufficient knowledge in biological sciences.

** Applicants with course deficiencies who are otherwise qualified may be admitted. They must make up the deficiencies before they may be advanced to candidacy.

PhD Program

• undergraduate or graduate degree (equivalent to the master's level at UHM) in biology or a related discipline*
• appropriate course work in life sciences including microbiology (three semesters), organic chemistry and biochemistry (two years), physics (one year), mathematics including calculus (one year)**
• graduate program supplemental information form (download form)
• statement of objectives (download form)
• two letters of recommendation
• official GRE General Test scores
• official GRE Biology or any relevant science Subject Test scores
• official TOEFL scores — 580/237/92 or above (Required of most non-native speakers of English. Click here for information on exemptions.)

* Exceptional applicants with only an undergraduate degree may enroll directly in the PhD program. Students who enroll in the MS program initially may continue their studies at the doctoral level, upon satisfactory completion of the MS degree requirements and upon recommendation of the graduate committee.

** Applicants with course deficiencies who are otherwise qualified may be admitted. They must make up the deficiencies before they may be advanced to candidacy.

Tropical medicine is the study of diseases that occur more commonly in the tropical regions of the world. In this age of globalization and modern transportation, such diseases can easily spread beyond the confines of the tropics and become worldwide epidemics. The resurgence of infectious diseases in the 20th century has prompted increased research in tropical medicine and medical microbiology over the past 20 years.

The Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology, at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM) offers graduate programs leading to the MS and PhD in Biomedical Sciences (Tropical Medicine). The department is one of the few academic departments in the United States that offers learning opportunities in all of the knowledge areas required by a multidisciplinary field such as tropical medicine. Students who study tropical medicine at UHM have learning opportunities in virology, bacteriology, parasitology, entomology, immunology, cell and molecular biology, epidemiology, ecology, behavioral science and clinical medicine. In addition, they receive vigorous training in scientific methodology.

The faculty of the department conduct extensive research on pathogenic microorganisms and the diseases they cause. Using laboratory-based, field-based and clinic-based techniques, the faculty seek answers to fundamental questions associated with the pathogenesis and transmission dynamics of infectious diseases such as dengue, West Nile, AIDS, hepatitis, viral and bacterial encephalitis, malaria, tuberculosis and Kawasaki disease. In their research, the faculty employ a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses various aspects of tropical medicine, including immunology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention, control, treatment, socio-ecological systems, human ecology, microbial and vector ecology, environmental change, and participatory action.

Past graduates of the MS program have obtained teaching positions in science education at the secondary and college level, technical and research positions in universities, government agencies and biotechnology companies, or have continued on to pursue a PhD or MD at other universities. Graduates of the PhD program have pursued professional research, teaching, and administrative careers at various academic institutions, state and federal government agencies, international health agencies, or in biotechnology companies.

The MS and PhD programs in tropical medicine participate in the Western Regional Graduate Program administered by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). The program enables legal residents of WICHE member states to enroll in selected out-of-state professional or graduate programs at reduced tuition rates. For more information, see Financial Matters < WICHE Program.

MS Degree Requirements
Students may select Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis). Please note that students may select Plan B only under special circumstances.

• Plan A requires 30 credits (including nine credits of thesis research), a written thesis and defense of the thesis.
• Plan B requires 30 credits and a final exam.
• Both plans require a general exam and participation in a research project

PhD Degree Requirements
The PhD program requires the following:

• course work as deemed necessary by the student's advisory committee,
• reading knowledge of a foreign language pertinent to the student's area of interest (recommended),
• qualifying exam,
• comprehensive exam,
• dissertation,
• final oral exam / defense of dissertation.

Courses
To view a listing of courses offered, visit www.catalog.hawaii.edu/courses/departments/trmd.htm.