CSS Online is deeply committed to ensuring access to the prestigious UH Mānoa educational experience to place-bound students from the Hawaiian Islands, the Pacific, and beyond. We proudly offer three Fully Online BA Degree Completion Programs in Economics, Social Sciences of Oceans, and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. With esteemed faculty and innovative technology, these programs foster enriching and transformative learning environments. Join us to embark on a rewarding educational journey that opens doors to new opportunities and empowers you to make a meaningful impact.
Fully Online Degree Completion Programs
Economics
Earn a BA in Economics, where you’ll explore social issues and policy problems. Our program emphasizes quantitative analysis techniques to tackle complex economic challenges. Gain a deep understanding of how economies function and develop skills to craft effective policy solutions. Make a meaningful impact in today’s global economy.
Social Sciences of Oceans
Embark on a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, Social Sciences of Oceans. Gain a deeper understanding of Oceania’s lands, waters, cultures, and peoples through a social sciences lens. Explore the region’s diverse societies and their relationship with oceanic environments. Prepare to address unique challenges and foster sustainable futures for Oceania’s rich heritage.
Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Immerse yourself in the BA program in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Investigate the complex world of women and gender, examining their intersections with race, class, colonialism, nationalism, and other power dynamics throughout history. Become an advocate for equity, challenging societal structures, and fostering a more inclusive and just global society.
What is a ‘degree completion’ program?
Our CSS Online programs are designed as degree completion programs for students who have already made significant progress toward fulfilling their general education requirements. This progress may have been achieved during their enrollment at:
- UH Mānoa
- Any UH community college, including as a Kaʻieʻie program participant
- Other higher education institutions outside the UH System
These Fully Online BA Degree Completion Programs allow students with an unfinished bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or transferable college credits to enroll and graduate with a UH Mānoa bachelor’s degree, all from the comfort of their own home.
General Information
While open to all qualified students, our Fully Online BA Degree Completion Programs are ideal for working adults, family caregivers, and non-traditional, place-bound students, particularly from Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands. Participants do not need to live in Hawaiʻi to complete this program. Participants should feel at ease in an online, digital environment, as the programs require self-motivation and independent work. Please note that due to online class restrictions, F-1 and J-1 students living in the United States may not enroll in fully online programs.
Ideally, you should have already earned your first two years of lower-division general education credits (approximately 60) before requesting to enroll in one of our Fully Online BA Degree Completion Programs. Our programs only guarantee upper-division courses (300-400 level). However, if you are missing a few credits, our advisors can assist you in filling those gaps through online courses within our system or provide alternative solutions.
As an incoming transfer participant, your transcript will be evaluated by the UH Mānoa Admission Office as part of the admissions process. Once you are admitted by UH Mānoa, an expert advisor from your chosen Fully Online BA Degree Completion Program will review your transcript to determine if there are transferable credits. The UH Course Transfer Database provides a searchable library of previously evaluated courses. The displayed course equivalencies serve as a guide and are not guaranteed until a formal evaluation is completed. Equivalencies are based on the unique characteristics of each college and university.
If you are a current UH Mānoa student who would like to enroll in one of our three Fully Online BA Degree Completion Programs, you can request a change of major through your current advisor. Before doing so, you should have made significant progress toward fulfilling your general education requirements. If you have questions, please email us at cssop@hawaii.edu.
If you are not a current UH Mānoa student and you would like to enroll in one of our three Fully Online BA Degree Completion Programs, you will need to complete a UH Mānoa Transfer Application. Before doing so, you should have made significant progress toward fulfilling your general education requirements. The transfer admission requirements, which are identical to any other UH Mānoa degree, include the following:
- 24 or more transferable semester credits
- 2.0 GPA for Hawaiʻi residents
- 2.5 GPA for non-residents
Upon successful transfer, UH Mānoa will be your home campus, and it will appear on your transcript and diploma.
UH Mānoa Transfer Application
We recommend watching this short video before completing your UH Mānoa Transfer Application. For the question “What is your planned course of study?”, be sure to carefully select either:
- Economics – BA – Online Only
- Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Sciences of Oceans – BA – Online Only
- Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies – BA – Online Only
Admissions to the Fully Online BA Degree Completion Programs are open year-round. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received, with evaluations occurring on a rolling basis during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.
Students enrolled in our Fully Online BA Degree Completion Programs do not have to pay specific mandatory student fees per Hawaiʻi Administrative Rule 11-157 (§11-157-3.05 pp. 157-5, 157-6) and EP 6.208 Mandatory Student Fees. These excluded fees include the following:
- Student Activity & Program Fees
- Campus Center & Student Recreation Fees
- Student Health Fees
- Student Transportation / UPASS Fees
Students enrolled in fully online programs are also exempt from submitting Health Clearances. Please note that if you wish to participate in on-campus employment and/or activities, you must submit Health Clearances to be cleared for such involvement.
For current tuition and fees information, visit UHM Regular Tuition & Fees or UHM Outreach College Tuition & Fees.
The UH Board of Regents Policy on Exemptions to Non-Resident Tuition outlines the different military-connected student types eligible to receive an exemption from the non-resident tuition differential. This includes United States military personnel stationed in Hawaiʻi on active duty and their authorized dependents during the period they are stationed in Hawaiʻi.
Options for financial aid and scholarships include:
- STAR Scholarships – Access is only available to students with a valid UH ID number. Students must be admitted to the university before they can search for scholarships on this site.
- Kua‘ana Tuition Waiver
- Student Scholarships (Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Hawai‘i Education Association, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kamehameha Schools, and additional opportunities)
- UH Financial Aid
- Veteran and Military Student Financial Aid