Distance Delivered & Off-Campus Programs

Distance delivery of courses and programs provides access to quality higher education to students who are unable to enroll in campus-based courses. Distance-learning technologies strengthen and augment good teaching and life-long learning; create new opportunities to investigate learning styles and pedagogy; and provide more flexible and accessible opportunities for student learning. Further, through these modalities, we can create new opportunities for collaboration within and across academic disciplines and between researchers, teachers, instructional support specialists, and learners.

The Mānoa Distance Learning Committee (MDLC), together with colleges and individual departments, ensures that the institution provides high-quality programs via modern distance technologies. A subcommittee of the MDLC reviews all distance learning proposals to ensure adherence to best practices and compliance with federal, state, and accreditation requirements, and UH policies and procedures.

All programs provided through distance technology are subject to the same requirements for program review as proscribed by BOR and UH executive policies. This assures that all programs, regardless of the mode of delivery, are periodically reviewed and assessed. The assessment of student learning outcomes is a critical component of the program review process.

Please be advised that WASC substantive change screening and approval is required for all degree and certificate programs, including program modifications that result in 50% or more of the curriculum being delivered off-campus or via distance modalities.

Distance Delivery Approval Process

(for Existing Programs)

Note: Campus and/or BOR approval is required for all new programs prior to submission of a substantive change proposal

Department and Dean-level review of proposals to assess program coherence, pedagogy, content, learning objectives, faculty support, and quality of delivery.
Department and Dean confer with Outreach College regarding financial and administrative planning.
Department prepares the UHM Substantive Change proposal (template links below) and submits to OVPAE (email to academic@hawaii.edu).
OVPAE facilitates WASC substantive change screening and approval with the UHM Accreditation Liaison Officer. Full substantive change review may be required.
Department completes UH Online and Hybrid Program Recognition Form. Approvals by OVPAE, OVPEM, Provost and UH Online are required to finalize approval. Notice of new program is submitted to International Student Services and the Office of Enrollment Management.
Program implementation. Once fully approved, program will appear in UH Online and be assigned a unique program code in Banner.

Distance Program Proposal Templates and Forms

UHM Substantive Change Proposal Templates
UH Online and Hybrid Program Recognition Form and Guidelines