Address: 2500 Campus Road, 96822 Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Oceanography, Astronomy, Asian and Pacific Studies
Set in the Manoa Valley of Honolulu on the island of Oahu, the University of Hawaii at Manoa is the flagship campus of the University of Hawaii System. It began in 1907 as the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts of the Territory of Hawaii, teaching agriculture and the mechanical arts, and it moved to the Manoa Valley in 1912.
The Carnegie Classification places Manoa among the doctoral universities with very high research activity (R1). It is a land-grant university and takes part in the sea-grant and space-grant programmes. Its degree offerings include 93 bachelor’s and 84 master’s programmes, and the university reports oceanography and astronomy among its best-known research fields.
About 20,000 students were enrolled in fall 2024. The university is public, and the directory also lists Asian and Pacific studies among its specialties.
Domains taught:
Agriculture, AI and Machine Learning, Astroscience, Ecology and Sustainability, Life Sciences, Marine Science, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Flagship campus of UH System. Unique location for research in marine biology, oceanography, astronomy (Mauna Kea observatories access), and Pacific Island studies. Diverse student body.
Research:
A leading research university with strengths in oceanography, earth sciences, astronomy, marine biology, tropical agriculture, and Asia-Pacific studies.
Famous Alumnis:
Barack Obama Sr., Bette Midler, Tammy Duckworth, Daniel Inouye, Jason Momoa (attended)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
4000
Current students***:
19000
Foreign students***:
5%
Cumulative former students***:
150000
Pros
Unparalleled location for marine and astronomical research, strong focus on Asia-Pacific cultures and environments, diverse campus community.
Cons
High cost of living in Honolulu, somewhat isolated from mainland US, state funding challenges.
Best For
Students interested in oceanography, astronomy, marine biology, or Asian/Pacific studies, often valuing a unique multicultural environment and research opportunities related to Hawaii and the Pacific.
University of Southampton (United Kingdom) is a public university with engineering, ocean and earth science, and computer science.
Bangor University, public and in Wales, concentrates on marine science, environmental science and psychology.
Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel is a public German university with marine sciences and nanoscience among its fields.
Nagasaki University, a public university in Japan, lists fisheries science, marine engineering and environmental sciences.
Universität Bremen (Germany) is public and combines marine and environmental sciences with materials science.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
How did the university start?
It opened in 1907 as the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts of the Territory of Hawaii. Early teaching focused on agriculture and the mechanical arts.
When did it reach Manoa Valley?
The college relocated to the Manoa Valley in 1912, where the campus still stands in Honolulu.
What is its role in the University of Hawaii System?
Manoa is the system's flagship campus, located in Honolulu on Oahu. The system has other campuses across the islands.
How large is the student body?
Around 20,000 students were enrolled in fall 2024.
How many degree programmes are offered?
The university lists 93 bachelor's programmes and 84 master's programmes, together with doctoral and professional programmes.
What research status does it hold?
Carnegie classifies it as an R1 doctoral university with very high research activity. It also holds land-grant status and participates in the sea-grant and space-grant programmes.
Agriculture, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Impact, Marine Ecosystems, Marine Life Impact, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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