Summer Sessions at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
At the crossroads of the Pacific, the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa (UHM) plays a key role in responding to the needs of Hawai‘i, the nation, and a contemporary world experiencing dynamic changes. Located in Honolulu's verdant Manoa Valley, it is the flagship campus of the state's ten-campus university system. UH Manoa is a renowned center for research and advanced graduate and professional studies. It offers excellence in its wide-ranging undergraduate programs and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
The UHM Outreach College's Summer Sessions annually attract students, professionals, and faculty from around the world, in part, because it is renowned for its Asian and Pacific Studies curricula. Drawn from these fields, academic offerings are an integral part of the more than 1,200 undergraduate and graduate classes ranging from Accounting to Women's Studies. These are not the only reasons, however. Special institutes and a diverse array of non-credit classes enliven the UHM summer campus. Open to the public, these performances, special events, and free lecture series feature extraordinary scholars and artists from Hawai‘i and around the world.
The Campus
The classes are not the only multicultural aspect of UH Manoa. The campus is a microcosm of Asia Pacific. Short walks separate an authentic Japanese tea house and garden at the East-West Center; a Thai pavilion (a gift from the royalty of Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit); the Korean Studies Center that replicates the Kyongbok Palace from Korea's Yi Dynasty; the Center for Hawaiian Studies with its lava-field stone walls and adjacent three-acre lo'i (taro patch); and the University's first museum, The John Young Museum of Art, housing an outstanding collection of artifacts from around the world.
The Campus Center provides one-hour guided tours scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 2:00pm (except on holidays). While there are no reservations, Campus Center recommends arriving 10 minutes early at the Ticket, ID and Information Desk to meet your tour guide. For information on group tours for prospective students, call the UHM Office of School and College Services at (808) 956-7137.
For more information about virtual tours and other campus maps, call (808) 956-7236 or visit the Campus Center website. There are also self-guided tours if you prefer to explore the campus on your own.
Campus Art focuses on works exhibited in and among campus buildings. Perhaps you have already seen the Chance Meeting of three bronze people in the Law School Plaza or the red-orange Gate of Hope in front of Holmes Hall? Tour brochures are available at the Campus Center Ticket, ID and Information Desk or on the web at www.hawaii.edu/ur/brochures/art/art.html.
Campus Plants focuses on the botanical treasures growing here. The Bo tree on campus is purportedly grown from the one Buddha sat under when he achieved enlightenment. This tour is available only online at www.hawaii.edu/ur/brochures/plants/plantt.html.