Distance Education
The baccalaureate programs delivered through Distance Education have been established as transfer programs for students who have completed the first two years of coursework (freshman and sophomore) in-person at UH West Oʻahu, from a community college in the UH system or from an accredited institution outside of the UH System.
West Oʻahu offers online coursework in many of the most popular areas of study. After completing lower-division coursework in-person and online at UH West Oʻahu and/or a partnering University of Hawai’i Community College, or transfer credits have been accepted from another institution, students may pursue UH West Oʻahu’s distance learning upper-division coursework in select concentrations in Business Administration, Public Administration, or Social Sciences entirely online.
- Online Courses – Courses are taught completely online via the internet. Students access course material from their personal computers. Most online courses use Laulima, the course management and collaboration system for the University of Hawai‘i. Online courses may be entirely asynchronous or may require synchronous meeting times via video conferencing software. Online courses that require synchronous class sessions will have the synchronous meeting dates and times listed in the Schedule of Classes.
- Interactive Television – Some UH West Oʻahu courses are taught for residents of the neighbor islands through Interactive Television (ITV), using classroom facilities provided by Kauaʻi Community College, Maui Community College, and the University Education Centers at Lana‘i, Molokaʻi, and West Hawai‘i. Students meet at the ITV receive sites to participate in classes.
Degree Programs
Six concentrations offered as Distance Education programs.
The concentration in Accounting is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of accounting and the skills necessary to analyze, evaluate and report financial information as well as identify local and international issues that affect the business environment. The program is offered in-class and through distance learning instruction.
Students pursuing a concentration in Finance will have a strong knowledge of analytical, mathematical, and problem-solving skills to assess the financial performance of a firm and design risk reducing strategies. The study of Finance prepares students for careers in commercial and investment banking, consulting, insurance, real estate, academia, non-profit organizations, and government.
The concentration in General Business Administration prepares students for management roles in small to multinational organizations. Students receive a solid foundation in business objectives and processes and are provided with an understanding of perspectives that form the context of business including: ethical and global issues; the influence of political, social, legal, regulatory, environmental, and technological issues; and the impact of demographic diversity on organizations. The General Business Administration program is offered in-class and through distance learning instruction.
The concentration in Hospitality and Tourism is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the skills necessary to manage operations in large and small hospitality and tourism related businesses including hotels, restaurants, food service, airlines, travel agencies, events and attractions and more. Courses are offered at UH West O‘ahu in-class and through distance learning instruction.
The Hospitality and Tourism concentration prepares students for managerial positions with a local and global perspective of the industry; students have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of the service-oriented economics and concepts of hospitality and tourism.
The concentration in Management prepares students for management occupations and today’s increasingly complex competitive business environment. In addition to receiving a strong foundation in business objectives and processes, studies are provided with an understanding of management principles as it applies to business ethics, entrepreneurship, human resources and operations. The Management concentration addresses the growing demand for management professionals globally, nationally and in the state of Hawai‘i.
The study of management prepares students in two broad areas: working with people — hiring, training, coordinating, and creating an effective environment for the attainment of a business objectives and providing the skills and knowledge to become a manager of a business or organization where strategy and decision-making skills are important.
Management students will gain critical thinking skills necessary for effective managerial decision making in dynamic and diverse work environments.
The study of Marketing involves analyzing processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners and society at large. Marketing students learn to evaluate and develop advertising, public relations, and direct mail campaigns as well as examine the science of consumer behavior and business in the context of promotion and publicity.
Students pursuing a concentration in Marketing will be exposed to an interdisciplinary business curriculum including finance, economics, information systems, accounting and management. The program is offered in-class and through distance learning instruction.
The General Creative Media concentration is offered as a Distance Education program.
Integrating various media domains, such as design, storytelling, and technology, the general creative media concentration provides study and extended practice in the student’s chosen area of competence. Course requirements address development and maintenance of existing artistic skills; foster support for a broader understanding of related disciplines including humanities and technology; and provide experience in working in multidisciplinary teams on realistic problems.
The concentration in English offers students the opportunity to critically and creatively examine literature; artistic expression; cultural, social, and rhetorical analyses; and a wide array of reading and writing practices.
The concentration in Hawaiian-Pacific Studies offers a wide array of courses on Hawai‘i and the Pacific Islands, enabling students to gain an overview of Pacific Island peoples and an in-depth knowledge of specific aspects of the cultures of Hawai‘i and the Pacific. The curriculum is designed to provide a good foundation of knowledge that includes art, history, language, literature, and contemporary issues of all Oceania (including Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia) with Hawai‘i at its core. Some courses are offered online synchronously, with scheduled class meeting times accessed through video conferencing.
Students pursuing a concentration in History will learn about the cause of significant events in history; examine historical developments in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Hawai’i, and the Pacific; assess the role of major actors on the world stage; and foster the skills necessary to develop and express effectively an understanding of the past. Some courses are offered online synchronously, with scheduled class meeting times accessed through video conferencing.
Six concentrations are offered as Distance Education programs.
Students studying Community Health will be equipped with a diverse set of skills in the areas of community engagement, community health education and promotion, and community action research necessary for improving the health of communities. Current health professionals may broaden their knowledge of techniques for engaging communities in health across sectors.
The program provides students training in becoming leaders in the field of community health, promoting health, advancing health equity, and improving health in communities where they live, learn, work, and play.
Community Health may be suitable for those interested in future careers in nursing, medicine, research and biomedical related fields. The concentration prepares students for professional schools such as medical school, physician assistant school, nursing school and graduate public health programs. Salaries in these fields start well above $60,000 with degrees in advanced health education.
The study of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management provides students with a broad range of administrative skills and knowledge that are ideally suited to meet the critical needs of emergency management administrators. At UH West O‘ahu, students may pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration with a concentration in disaster preparedness & emergency management or a certificate in Disaster Preparedness & Emergency Management. All courses meet the national standards as established by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Higher Education Project. Courses for the bachelor’s degree and certificate are offered through in-class and distance learning instruction.
The disaster preparedness and emergency management concentration is the only upper division disaster management program in the State of Hawaiʻi.
Learn more about the disaster preparedness and emergency management program at UH West O‘ahu in E Kamakani Hou.
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration with a concentration in General Public Administration learn to apply the principles of effective public sector management and identify and evaluate problems, policy dilemmas, and solutions in public administration. This program will also assist those who are already employed with the city, state, and federal government to advance their careers, and to more fully develop management, legal, behavioral and communication skills for more effective job performance.
Students will receive a solid foundation in public sector practices and processes complemented by coursework in the social sciences. All General Public Administration students will receive a fundamental understanding of, and appreciation for, public sector management practices and administrative procedures. The General Public Administration program is offered through in-class and distance learning instruction.
The UH West O‘ahu Health Care Administration concentration is designed to further a student’s understanding of central concepts of health care systems as well as analyze and provide solutions to health care challenges. The program provides students with the essential skills and knowledge to work as health care administrators in hospitals, ambulatory care centers, and long term care facilities.
This concentration will also assist those who are already employed in the health care field to fully develop management, legal and behavioral skills for more effective job performance. UH West O‘ahu offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Health Care Administration, as well as a Health Care Administration certificate program. The UH West O‘ahu Health Care Administration program is the only undergraduate degree of its kind in the state and is offered in-class and through distance learning.
The Health Care Administration concentration prepares students for supervisory, management, and leadership roles in the dynamic and growing health care field.
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration with a concentration in Justice Administration will learn to apply the principles of justice administration to local, state and federal judicial systems, as well as identify and evaluate problems, policy dilemmas and solutions. Courses for this program are offered in-class and through distance learning instruction.
Students completing their Associate’s Degree in Administration of Justice from Honolulu Community College may elect to complete the UH West O‘ahu articulation agreement for seamless transfer. Justice Administration students may combine the bachelor’s degree with the Federal Emergency Management Agency-approved certificate in Disaster Preparedness & Emergency Management.
The Long-Term Care concentration is designed to address the needs of the growing elderly population who need access to long-term care services. The concentration provides the skills needed to lead and manage long-term care facilities and community-based services.
Long-Term Care may be suitable for those interested in future careers in nursing, medicine, research and biomedical related fields. The concentration prepares students for professional schools such as medical school, physician assistant school, nursing school and graduate public health programs.
The Hawaiian and Indigenous Health and Healing concentration strives to create a pathway for the dissemination of traditional healing knowledge and skills. Training in the Native Hawaiian traditional healing practices will focus on hoʻoponopono (conflict resolution), lomilomi (massage), and lāʻau lapaʻau (herbal medicines). Some courses are offered online synchronously, with scheduled class meeting times accessed through video conferencing.
The Health Information Management concentration provides students with a strong foundation for managing health information and information systems, medical billing, coding and reimbursement processes, and other administrative medical record functions. Students acquire vital leadership skills in health informatics, revenue cycle management, data analytics, and information governance.
This UH West O‘ahu Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree with a concentration in Middle-level Education, grades 6-8, is designed for teacher candidates who wish to specialize in English language arts only. This DE program is open to students located on Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island only. Participation in field-based coursework at assigned local school sites must be completed in-person.
This UH West O‘ahu Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree with a concentration in Secondary Education, grades 6-12, is designed for teacher candidates who wish to specialize in English language arts only. This DE program is open to students located on Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island only. Participation in field-based coursework at assigned local school sites must be completed in-person.
Three concentrations are offered as Distance Education programs.
The Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences with a concentration in Early Childhood Education program focuses on Early Childhood Education (birth through age eight) from a theoretical orientation and places the field within broader social, historical, political, and cultural contexts. Coursework in other areas of the social sciences provides a foundation for students to critically examine early education and childcare.
Early Childhood Education students will examine how parents and other family members work collaboratively with teachers to build a learning and home environment that stimulates curiosity through informal educational opportunities. The principles of quality education, multiculturalism, critical thinking, and reflective teaching are infused in all major coursework. The courses are designed to build a strong sense of social justice while also educating all students from diverse backgrounds and inspiring teachers as agents of change. Courses are taught in-class and through distance learning instruction, and in partnership with associate’s degree programs in Early Childhood Education at Hawai‘i Community College, Honolulu Community College, Kaua‘i Community College, and UH Maui College.
Political science at UH West O‘ahu is distinctive in the inclusiveness of its concerns. It differs from the other social sciences in drawing from all the disciplines, from psychology and anthropology to history and philosophy, in offering a ‘big picture’ perspective on our public and private lives. The discipline goes beyond simply understanding the way things are, to an ethical consideration of ‘what could and should be.’ In this sense a political science education is transformational, enlightening the political culture and strengthening democracy. Today the big picture allows us to see our most pressing local problems as increasingly influenced by global economic and environmental forces in a world where multinational corporations are becoming more powerful than nation-states. At the same time there is a move back to localism in all its positive and negative aspects from place-based community building and identity politics to xenophobic ethnic nationalism and militant sectarianism. New electronic information technologies and social media are giving individuals and non-governmental organizations unprecedented access to the global stage in shaping politics. The goal of the program is to offer students an in-depth understanding of this rapidly changing landscape as a frame for self-understanding. In so doing, it helps students cultivate the motivation, skills, and creativity necessary for constructive participation in public life through civic engagement. Teaching strategies are personalized and promote holistic, democratic, active, service and multi-cultural modes of learning. All of this makes Political Science at UH West Oʻahu central to a well-rounded education. This also gives the degree wide application in most areas of public, personal, and work life.
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences with a concentration in Political Science will be encouraged to take an interdisciplinary and diverse selection of courses. Teaching is in-person and online. Students who have completed all lower division course credits may complete a bachelor’s degree in Political Science at UH West Oʻahu entirely online.
Note: Distance education courses may be offered in online unscheduled or online scheduled modalities. Online scheduled courses will have online class meetings at specific times. Please refer to the UH West Oʻahu Course Availability for scheduled class meeting times for specific online scheduled courses.
Psychology is the study of mind and behavior. UH West O‘ahu offers a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences with a concentration in Psychology that integrates practical mental health applications with current theory. Students select courses from four clusters: human development; social psychology; experimental psychology; and clinical and applied psychology. The program culminates with a final senior seminar capstone course that is designed to guide students in the research and writing of a review paper on a topic of psychology. Through these course offerings, students will gain a strong understanding of psychological theory and methodology, while developing effective analytical and interpersonal skills. Courses are offered in-class and through distance learning instruction.
Note: Distance education courses may be offered in online unscheduled or online scheduled modalities. Online scheduled courses will have online class meetings at specific times. Please refer to the UH West Oʻahu Course Availability for scheduled class meeting times for specific online scheduled courses.
Certificate Programs
The Certificate Program in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (DPEM) provides students and practitioners in the field of disaster preparedness and emergency management with a broad range of administrative skills and knowledge required in the growing and challenging areas of disaster preparedness, emergency management, and homeland security. The Certificate can be earned as a self-standing credential and may also be used as a part of a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration at the University of Hawai‘i West – O‘ahu. The DPEM bachelor’s degree program includes on-campus classes. The UHWO DPEM courses meet the requirements of Federal Emergency Management Institute’s Higher Education Project, and this certificate is approved by FEMA within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Hawai‘i State Board of Regents.
The Certificate in Hawaiian & Indigenous Health & Healing provides an opportunity for non-traditional students and current healthcare professionals to add knowledge and value to their existing professional credentials. The certificate will function as a pathway for the dissemination of traditional healing knowledge and skills that will serve as a model for other indigenous groups.
The Hawaiian Language Certificate focuses on building language proficiency and cultural knowledge, establishing a cultural base and language identity for students. Required courses are grounded in a Hawaiian worldview and offer students a framework to better relate to other languages and cultures around the world.
The Certificate Program in Hawaiian-Pacific Studies provides students of all majors with basic, introductory information on Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Islander culture. Certificate students learn specific aspects of Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Island peoples (such as history, geography, politics, arts, music, literature, contemporary issues and cultural practices) to deepen their cultural understanding and to enrich and enhance their educational experience.
The Certificate Program in Health Care Administration provides students and health care practitioners with a broad range of administrative skills and knowledge needed in the dynamic and growing health care field. The Certificate can be earned as a self-standing credential and may also be used as part of a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration at the University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu.
The Labor Studies Certificate Program empowers students with the knowledge to improve their working lives and equips them with the skills necessary for labor resource specialists. Courses address workers’ rights, labor laws, collective bargaining, and labor theories. As an interdisciplinary field, Labor Studies prepares students for graduate school in law, work in unions, labor resources, public service, or social sciences fields.
The Certificate in Long-Term Care provides students and health care practitioners with a broad range of administrative skills and knowledge needed to work in the growing field of long-term care.
The Certificate Program in Social Science Health and Medicine fosters a transdisciplinary perspective on health and medicine drawing from a broad range of disciplines. Students gather, analyze and interpret data using qualitative and quantitative methodologies together with social science health-related theories, and learn to apply this information to complex health questions at the individual and community level.
The Certificate in Substance Abuse and Addictions Studies (CSAAS) is designed to help students meet the state education requirements for certification as substance abuse counselors and to provide continuing education opportunities for professionals in the addictions field.
The Certificate in Sustainability Issues will develop civic-minded graduates with the following key competencies: systems thinking; ability to work in diverse communities; work across disciplines; ethical decision-making; innovation; leadership and management skills. This certificate focuses on the analysis of ecological and social issues in sustainability from the regional to the global scale.
UH West O'ahu is an NC-SARA participating institution.
Distance Learning degree programs offer the upper-division or “concentration” portions of select degree programs. Lower-division degree requirements of Distance Learning degree programs are not guaranteed to be offered through online modes of delivery.
UH West Oʻahu admits students who are located in NC-SARA member states, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and California. UH West Oʻahu enrolls students who are located in American Samoa and Guam. UH West Oʻahu is not authorized to enroll students located in other countries in Distance Education programs.
California is not a SARA member. However, public institutions are not regulated by the Bureau for Private Post-secondary Education and are able to offer distance education to California residents.
The University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu is an Institutional Member of the Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education