University of Hawaii at Manoa Reviews

"The graduate program in History is highly specialized towards your interests. Students are able to research what inspires them, and professors are always willing to help the student find the ways to turn interests into a valued work of scholarship."

"Graduate assistantships are lacking in this graduate program. You may be able to apply for a GA for Teaching Assistantship but the pay level is close to poverty. It is very difficult to earn a living and the work load is overbearing."

"I feel the cohort system is a great way to network and be a part of a multicultural and intelligent movement in business. Cons are that we take a lot of credit hours and don't get much time to master a subject."

"Studying for my Masters in Theatre for Young Audiences has been quite the experience thus far. There are so many opportunities to get involved at UH Manoa. The faculty is extremely knowledgeable and has many connections; plus they are always finding ways to push their students to get involved in the field. Working on shows and teaching kids has given me the kind of experience I need to better my career once I graduate, and there are very few other schools in the nation that would allow me to study theatre for children as in depth as I get to here at the University of Hawaii."

"It can be very expensive to live in Hawai'i but the University offers a wide array of scholarships, grants and other funding. The Library and Information Science program is a close community of students, faculty and alumni and prepares its students well for future careers in librarianship."

"The program is excellent! I am learning a lot of new information, methods, and strategies. I love the learning environment they have set up for use by the students in the program. It is excellent for studying and also social use. I wish that there was more financial aid opportunity, but they are helpful when sharing how to find outside scholarships."

"I think the program is set up well for those that have full time jobs and families. Because I have not found a job yet I have a lot of time to finish up my school work and give more towards this difficult first semester. I feel that the professors are reasonable and definitely understand what we are going through as a cohort."

"The University of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine provides sufficient breadth and depth for my medical education. Although it has been a competitive journey to secure a spot at my school, there are three words that are anything but competitive that describe my class--collaborative, synergistic, and fun. Collaborative - As future physicians we each have a stake in each other's education. We each make sure none of our classmates are falling behind. Synergistic - The definition, "the whole is more than the sum of its parts," holds true for my class and school. Everyone brings a unique perspective to the study of medicine and we each inspire each other to become the best physicians. Fun - I never expected medical school to be so enjoyable. Not only are the faculty better than most at teaching, they are also secret comedians; the same goes for the students. The curriculum style forces us to learn and teach each other difficult topics in unique and often humorous ways. As for cons, there are not many. Perhaps, just the area fronting the school being a magnet for individuals lacking a home. But, we do our best to help them in anyway we can."

"Pros -- great professors, a good computer lab, flexible scheduling Cons -- one disorganized professor, some classes not offered every semester"

"Great, renowned professors, and great classes though funding is scarce."

"The University of Hawai'i at Manoa's Political Science Program offers a diverse setting, professors who know their stuff, and an excellent Futures/Indigenous Studies Program. It is also very helpful for students studying Southeast Asia and the Pacific Island region. Unfortunately, cost of living is a huge obstacle, especially for out-of-state students. The financial aid offered to out-of-state students will only ensure that they remain in debt. As far as residency requirements go, one consecutive year of living in the state and not taking more than 5 credits of classes is required, along with a Driver's License, voter ID, and holding a job, ect. to help your case. Jobs are offered on-campus, but they typically will not pay you if you do not take over 5 credits of classes, so you are caught in a bind if trying to qualify for in-state tuition. It makes out-of-state students not feel welcome. It does have wonderful places like the East-West Center set up and has many conference opportunities available. The Political Science Program seems to be going through a bit of a transition right now, since certain rules like meeting with advisers are not enforced, but hopefully it will get back on its feet in the near future."

"As a first year student, the EdTec program builds a sense of ohana (family) with the cohort structure, that provides support from teachers and peers for success in the program."

"Small class size allows for opportunities to work one on one with the professors and to develop connections and relationships with peers."

"I believe this graduate program has an excellent balance in its practical and theoretical approach to the arts. Moreover, there is a wealth of opportunities to perform, conduct and present research, and be involved in internships. Moreover, the program is based in beautiful Honolulu, which is a great bonus. The faculty is pretty approachable and knowledgable. Overall, the university has a lot of red tape and therefore make sure to apply for scholarships, programs, and financial aid well in advance. If you decide to go to this program, you will not regret it."

"Pros: -provides unique opportunities for studying the subtropical ocean and islands -well-known, established faculty members -long term ocean time-series (HOT Station ALOHA) provides opportunities for ship time that other schools do not -beautiful campus, surrounding area Cons: -sometimes the laid-back Island attitude can be a detriment to productivity, requires serious motivation or you might not make it -current layout of coursework is a heavy load, doesn't leave much room for the required research until at least 1.5 years into the program, ends up dragging out the master's degree to 2.5 years minimum -whether you have a good or bad experience, or how fast you get through the program can depend on who your mentor is, so gauge it before accepting a position -Honolulu is one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S."

"The program has a lot of good comments. It is a credible program for there are a lot of past graduates that are well know for their works. The graduates continue to produce good work. Majority of the state knows about the program and those who graduate from the program are well sought out. There is a lot of support for the program as well, within the program as well as from outside of the program. Because the school is located on Hawaii, there is a great range of student diversity."

"The accounting program at Shidler College of Business has a good network. Not only studies are competitive but also community service is encouraged."

"Great school. The academics are great but the administration is not. Hard to get parking, etc."

"The University of Hawaii school of Nursing and Dental Hygiene has recently built a new simulation center with the most recent technology to train their nursing students. I gave the school this rating because of this recent installation to the program. Hawaii is also a very small island which allows students to precept at the best hospitals on the island. Although students get to precept at some of the best hospitals on the island, it is hard to get placement in certain areas. Because of the island, many schools have to compete and placement sites are scarce."

"I think Hawaii is the perfect place to study botany and ecology. Along with all the natural resources that are here for my program, I feel very fortunate that University of Hawaii can offer the teaching assistantships for their master students. Many schools do not provide this kind of aid to master students. However, almost every penny I earn goes straight to living expenses and my other bills, along with saving for the 3 months of the year I won't get paid from the school. Honolulu is a very expensive place to live. I wouldn't let the expenses discourage anyone from attending University of Hawaii. This school and the experience is what you make it."