Certificate

Graduate Certificate in Philippine Studies
The Graduate Certificate Program in Philippine Studies, offered by the Asian Studies Program, affords a structured way for graduate and professional students to gain cutting-edge knowledge of the Philippine ​HISTORY, POLITICS and CULTURE, augment their major field of study, and enhance future employment opportunities. With a wide variety of courses crosscutting many disciplines, students can tailor the certificate program to meet their academic and career goals.
For further information, please see the Asian Studies Program website.

Who is Eligible to Apply?
Students currently enrolled in any Master’s, Doctoral, or Professional degree program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa who would like to add a specialized and interdisciplinary dimension on the Philippines to their studies.

Academic Requirements
Working with a designated academic advisor, students in the Graduate Certification for Philippine Studies Program will complete eighteen credit hours of approved coursework on the Philippines at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, to include:

  • Fifteen (15) credits (usually five courses) from at least two major divisions (social sciences, humanities, or arts) with no more than nine credits in a single discipline. Students should get a grade of B or higher for their courses to count. Please see attached list of approved courses.
  • Of the fifteen credits, a minimum of nine (9) credits in graduate-level courses (600-level or higher).[1] Students should get a grade of B or higher in their courses.
  • ASAN 600P: Scope and Methods in Asian Studies: Philippines, culminating with a research paper on a topic related to the Philippines and/or Filipinos.  Students may substitute this course for ASAN 600S or equivalent methodology course upon approval from the Center for Philippine Studies academic advisor.
  • Language competency at the third-year level: requirements to be met either through coursework (Tagalog/Filipino and Ilokano 301/302) or equivalent examination.  Language courses do not count toward minimum credit requirements for the Graduate Certificate.

Academic advising is provided by the Center for Philippine Studies at Moore Hall 415 in consultation with various departments and programs. Contact Dr. Federico Magdalena (fm@hawaii.edu) for advising and academic matters.

How to Apply to the Graduate Certificate in Philippine Studies Program
Individuals already admitted to an UHM graduate degree program need apply only to the Center for Philippine Studies in the Department of Asian Studies, School of Pacific and Asian Studies (SPAS).  Non-degree seeking individuals must apply to the Graduate Division and the Center for Philippine Studies.

[1] This is a Grad Division minimum requirement.  Also from the Grad Division: 1) 399 or 499-level courses are not applicable for a Grad Certificate; 2) 100- or 200-level courses are not applicable; 3) neither credits nor grade points are awarded for a lower-level prerequisite course, if the course is taken after the higher-level course (for which it is a prerequisite) is completed; 4) extension courses are not applicable; 5) only credits earned with required letter grades may be applied (exceptions are for courses that only offer CR/NC option and for 699 credits with CR designation).

Please contact Dr. Federico Magdalena at fm@hawaii.edu for information.