Administration

Keller 201
2565 McCarthy Mall
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-6451
Fax: (808) 956-9111
Web: natsci.manoa.hawaii.edu
Dean: Aloysius G. Helminck
Interim Associate Dean: Alison R. Sherwood

Departments and programs: Chemistry, Information and Computer Sciences, Library and Information Science, Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy, School of Life Sciences: Biology, Botany, Marine Option Program, Microbiology, Zoology

Advising

Within the context of a liberal education, the College of Natural Sciences assists students in clarifying their life and career goals, developing meaningful educational plans, and preparing for productive lives, enlightened citizenship, and life-long learning. Students are expected to be active partners in the advising process by initiating contact with their advisors and by coming to advising sessions prepared.

Students at UH Manoa have exceptional freedom in crafting their college experience. Students are able to explore connections between fields, engage in co-curricular activities, and develop unique combinations of majors, minors, and certificates. In addition to meeting all mandatory advising initiatives required by their major departments, declared Arts and Sciences majors meet with their advisors throughout their career at UH Manoa for clarification of degree requirements, individual concerns, and resolution of complex academic issues.

Advising Offices

Web: hawaii.edu/natsci/advising
Sinclair Library 301
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-5911
Fax: (808) 956-9111
Email: cnsadvis@hawaii.edu

Instructional and Research Centers

The Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit

3190 Maile Way
Room 408
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-0808
Fax: (808) 956-4710
Web: pcsuhawaii.org/aboutus/staff.html
Email: honarvar@hawaii.edu

The mission of the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (PCSU) is to protect and restore Hawai‘i’s native species, ecosystems, and cultural resources. With a staff of over 300, PCSU has a 45-year history of working to protect cultural and natural biodiversity in the Pacific, while encouraging a sustainable economy.

Degrees, Minors and Certificates

Bachelor’s Degrees: Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS)
Master’s Degrees: Master of Arts (MA), Master of Library and Information Science (MLISc), Master of Science (MS)
Doctoral Degrees: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College Certificate

Mathematical Biology Undergraduate Certificate

The purpose of the certificate is to induce students to pursue the interdisciplinary study of biology and mathematics together with research. The course work will be similar to, but less than, that required to receive a minor in mathematics or biology. However, the students will also have to do a substantial amount of research in addition to the course work. The emphasis in the certificate is different, however, in that the majority of the work is interdisciplinary.

Students will be considered accepted into the Mathematical Biology Certificate Program upon formal request for acceptance and completion of either MATH 304 or 305 with a grade of C or better. To receive the certificate, students must complete 15 credits of approved course work with no grade below a C and attain a GPA of 2.5 in the collection of courses used to satisfy the certificate requirements. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the certificate, 6 credits of required electives will differ depending on a student’s major. Courses used towards the certificate can only be double-dipped with focus requirements.

Participation in an interdisciplinary Mathematical Biology research project is required. These projects must be substantial, requiring at least the effort of a 3 credit 400-level course; examples include a senior honors research project, summer Research Experiences for Undergraduate programs, and the Undergraduate Biology and Mathematics Research Program; students are advised to discuss their projects with an advisor from the Mathematical Biology Certificate Coordinating Committee before commencing. A research report based on this research project must be submitted to and approved by the committee. Students are expected to present their research to an approved symposium or conference. Students may enroll for 3 credits of MATH 499, BIOL 499, HON 496 or other approved course so long as the project is approved by the Mathematical Biology Certificate Coordinating Committee.

Prerequisites to the Certificate

  • BIOL 171 (lab not required)
  • CHEM 161 or 171 (lab not required)
  • year of calculus (MATH 215/216, MATH 241/242, MATH 251A/252A
  • electives may have additional prerequisites

Requirements for the Certificate (15 credits)

  • Required courses (9 credits): MATH 304, 304L, 305, 305L, MATH/BIOL 490 (capstone); Math majors may replace MATH 304 or 305 by a 3 credit course covering their research project, as described above.
  • Certificate Electives (6 credits):
    • Math majors: BIOL 172 (lab not required) and one additional biology course approved by the committee;
    • Life science majors: two courses selected from MATH 243/253A, 301, 302, 303, 307, 311, 371, 373, 402, 403, 407, 414, 471, or 472. Life science majors may replace one of these courses by a 3 credit course covering their research project, as described above;
    • Other majors: at least 6 credits of electives approved by the Committee.

Honor Societies

Honor societies at UH Manoa in the College of Natural Sciences include Beta Phi Mu (library science), Golden Key National Honour Society (undergraduate), Lambda Delta (freshmen), Mortar Board (seniors), Phi Beta Kappa (liberal arts and sciences), Phi Eta Sigma (freshmen), Phi Kappa Phi (general scholarship), Sigma Pi Sigma (physics), and Sigma Xi The Scientific Research Society (sciences).