The University of Hawai'i System
The University of Hawai'i system has three baccalaureate campuses and six community college campuses. The baccalaureate campuses are: 1) UH Manoa located at the base of Manoa valley that
extends into the humid mountains, 2) UH West O'ahu in Pearl City (near Pearl Harbor), and 3) UH Hilo on the "Big Island" of Hawai'i. The Manoa campus is
a research university with about 18,000 students.
About one-third of the students are in graduate
school. Waikiki is a 15-minute bus ride from the
campus.
About
Anthropology at UH
Many anthropology students select UH because of
its focus on Asia and the Pacific. The university
offers an impressive variety of languages, library
collections and courses on that region of the
world, particularly in comparison to many mainland
universities. But the real selling point of
learning Anthropology here is the culture of
Hawai'i, which has an amazing diversity of ethnic
groups, 50 according to one account. Caucasians
("haoles") are a minority in this society which has
Filipinos, Japanese, Hawaiians, Chinese, Koreans,
Puerto Ricans, and Samoans among its population.
Here you are likely to be surrounded by students
and residents from the region you are studying. You
are not just studying a culture, you are living in
it. Also each summer students go to Pacific
islands, Southeast Asia, China and Japan to do
archaeology digs, take intensive language courses,
do fieldwork, and go to conferences. That kind of
activity it catching. Students also appreciate the
collegial and yet independent "culture" of the
Anthropology Department. Students are not pitted
against each other for grants, professors' favors,
or just to graduate. And there is freedom to devise
your own field of study whether the subject is
monks in Burma or ceramic analysis in Fiji. There
are about 75 graduate students, including 30 doing
MA degrees and 45 doing PhDs. The graduates are
divided fairly equally by sex with a few more males
in the MA program and more females in the PhD
program. The first MA degree was given in 1930 on
Dental Morphology and the Pathology of Prehistoric
Guam. The first PhD degree was given in 1967 on The
Structure of Tongan Dance.
Important
People
Department Chair Geoffrey White and
Graduate Chair Nina Etkin are key people for grad students as they
grapple with requirements and planning their
college careers. Marti Kerton, the Student Services
Specialist, and Elaine Nakahashi, the Department
Secretary, are competent and essential department
employees who will guide you through the nuts and
bolts of the program. Ms. Kerton is your main
resource when it comes to understanding university
rules and establishing your advisory committee.
Ms. Nakahashi handles the front office where
the copy machine, telephone, and electric typewriter are found.
Setting Up An
Office
Student Offices and Grad Lounge -- The
Anthropology Department is located on the third
floor of Saunders Hall (formerly named Porteus Halll and Social Sciences Building), and is
next to the administrative building called the
Queen Lili'uokalani Center for Student Services. Our department is blessed
to have both offices for grad students and a Special Events Room (lounge) for anthropology students and faculty. Student
offices hold about five students each and are
equipped with desks and filing cabinets. Classified
students are given desks if they expect to use the
offices at least 25% of the time. The lounge has a
microwave, refrigerator, student mail boxes and
couches. A mini-recycling center is located in the
lounge and grads take turns recycling.
E-Mail -- New students set up e-mail accounts in
Keller Hall soon after arriving. On e-mail,
students receive important notices about visiting
lecturers, scholarships, news developments in Asia
and the Pacific, and department matters. Some
professors have used e-mail for take-home tests and
as a way for students to give each other feedback
on class assignments. The Anthropology Department
has three lists serves -- one for faculty, staff, graduate
students and anthropologists outside the department; one for grad students and one for undergraduate students. The
grad list has enabled students to debate among
themselves on relevant issues such as proposed
changes in degree requirements.
Computer Labs -- The UH ITS Office has four computer labs on campus for student, faculty and staff use. In our department, we have a
room with a computer and printer for
Anthropology grads only. Grad students, who have
access to this room at all times, pay a small
amount for the paper and toner. Our College maintains five computer labs for any student taking a social sciences course. You are required to sign up for an account. There are two PC computer labs in Saunders Hall. The lab on the third floor has about 20
computers, a slide and print scanner. It is open
six days a week at various hours. There is a
comparable PC computer lab on the sixth floor. There are also three mac labs in Crawford Hall.
Copying and Office Equipment -- The
Anthropology Department provides some office
equipment for grads -- electric typewriter, a
telephone, slide projectors, tape recorders and a
photocopier (five cents per copy).
Anthropology Reading Room -- The
Department has its own library of anthropology
books, which is managed by students on a volunteer
basis. Copies of dissertations and thesis papers
are kept here.
Jobs and
Waivers
Graduate Assistant Positions -- In
Anthropology, there are nine Teaching Assistant
positions. The advertisement is posted on our website so be sure to check the deadlines. The Department normally sends a reminder in February and September for applications but you should be mindful of these deadlines. You can keep
the job for two years for MA students and three
years for PhD students. TAs usually
work half-time jobs of 20 hours a week helping with
two classes, e.g. grading papers, getting movies,
advising students, and possibly teaching a class or
two. Pay for a half-time TA starts at $1198.50 a month with health
benefits and a tuition waiver. Because it is pretty
hard to live on that in Hawaii, students often
supplement it with loans. Usually only second year
students are considered for these jobs, which are
competitive often with six students applying for
one post.
Other Jobs at UH -- Many students have
found jobs at UH outside the Department. The Student Employment Office has job listings for both
on-campus and off-campus positions. The pay varies
with Research Assistants getting a bit more than
TAs. Some jobs in other departments come
with tuition waivers while others do not. Students
have landed excellent jobs editing department
newsletters, working for UH Press (the university
publisher), and doing computer work. Jobs outside
the university can be attractive such as one for a
tour guide for whale watching tours. The main
employer in the state is the tourism industry, now
that sugar and pineapple production have been
greatly reduced. Many people living in Hawai'i work
two jobs to keep afloat, while students often
survive on loans, scholarships and part-time jobs.
Archaeology grad students often get part-time
employment in contract archaeology to make ends
meet.
Tuition Waivers -- The department has
about 9 waivers at last count, which are also very
competitive. Students apply for these usually in March. Waivers and other scholarship deadlines come
during the most hectic time of the school year and
sometimes students miss these crucial dates.
Residency for Tuition Purposes
Students who qualify on the first day of school
as state residents, having lived here one year, pay
less than half the tuition. Many students find
these requirement confusing because it has to do
with your "intent" to change your residency to
Hawaii, to work here and pay taxes. Right now UH is
suffering from major budget cutbacks, so residency
has become more difficult to prove. And knowing
whether you qualify is not simple, so read on.
Qualification starts with the day you arrive in
Hawaii. You must document that you intended to make
Hawaii your home. Supporting documents include:
application to register to vote, application for a
business license, rental or lease agreement,
opening a bank account, filing of resident personal
income tax, driver's license, and Hawaii ID
(optional). Having a job in Hawaii (outside the
university!) and paying taxes are extremely
important. A tax clearance certificate is required.
Persons who come to Hawaii to work in their own
businesses can obtain a Business License (general
excise tax license) for $20 at the State Department
of Taxation, 830 Punchbowl (near Queen St.). The
number is 587-4242 (often busy) and office hours
are M-F, 7:45-4:30.
UH recommends that you keep a file of these
documents which are submitted once you have been
here a full 12 months. For more information on
rules, see the UH Catalog. Also the Residency Officer is located in
the ground floor of Queen Lili'uokalani Center for Student Services and has
both the condensed regulations and the complete
"rules and regulations."
Unclassified
Graduates
UH allows students to enter as Post-BA
Unclassified Graduates on shorter notice and with
less paperwork than regular Classified Graduates.
For "non-traditional" students who are returning to
school after several years or students who majored
in something else, this is an excellent way to
become acquainted with the Anthropology Department
and prove your ability. Unclassified grads are not
part of the Department but can take Anthropology
classes, meet professors and then apply by the
once-a-year deadline. If accepted, most credits can
go toward your MA degree with permission from the
Department and Graduate Division.
The First Week
of Classes
How much should you take? -- What is your
personal stress level? Some students prefer nine
credits (three classes); others can handle 12
credits (four classes) or more. A full-time
graduate student takes eight credits or more. The
600/700 level seminar classes require you to read a
book a week and write a paper, so students try to
balance these with less demanding courses.
Generally, it is wise to go easy on credit hours
your first semester until you get a feel for what
you can handle.
What should you take? -- Anthropology
classes that are 300 and above count for your
graduate degree. If you have been out of
Anthropology for many years or have a degree in
another field, you probably should not take 600/700
classes the first semester because it takes some
time to learn the jargon and concepts. Also some
classes should precede others, although this might
not be clear from the titles. For instance, "Sex
and Gender" is a 300 level class that should be
taken before "Women and Culture" which is a 600
class. "History of Anthropology" (490) is an
excellent background class in the discipline's
founding "parents" and theories. It is good to take
this before "Ethnology" (601), a core course on
theory. Ask other grads about which classes they
recommend taking together. Students are required to
take two "core" courses which are considered quite
demanding. These are usually taken later in the
student's college career and not in the same
semester if possible.
Visiting other classes -- There is lots
of movement the first week of class. Students
"surf" the offerings before deciding what they will
keep or drop. It is highly recommended that
students visit all the classes that are of interest
to them. Students get to meet the professors, see
the syllabus and get a feel for the class. This
helps grads make decisions on what to take later
on. Also, if a grad needs to drop a class that
first week, he or she will have alternatives in
mind, which makes adding and dropping much easier.
One student lamented taking a 600-level theory
class the first semester but did not realize the
error until three weeks into the semester when it
was too late to switch to another course. While
most of your classes will be in the Anthropology
Department, it is valuable to visit classes in
related fields and get to know the wider faculty.
You will need outside members on your MA and PhD
committees and this is a good time to meet
them.
Dropping credits -- If you go from 12 to
nine credits (from four to three classes), you will
lose 20 percent of the cost for that one class. You
get an 80% refund which drops to a 40% refund in a
short time. For non-residents, that is a loss of
more than $240 if you drop only one class on the
first day of school! This is particularly a problem
for new students who have trouble judging how many
classes they can handle and tend to start with a
heavy load. Grads should pay close attention to the
"refund" section of the gray Schedule of Classes
and consider starting with fewer courses and adding
more during the first week of school to avoid this
penalty. 12 credits and above are the same
price.
Getting a "W" on your record -- If you
drop a class about a week after the beginning of
the term, you will get a W (withdraw) on your
record forever. One W will not hurt, but a string
might prompt questions from future universities and
employers. So pay close attention to this deadline.
Appeals are possible if the class only meets once a
week.
Auditing -- Formally audited classes cost
the same as regular classes and appear on your
transcript. If you informally audit a class, you
get the teacher's permission to attend classes but
generally you do not write papers or take tests. If
you have a tuition waiver, you can formally audit
without additional cost.
Incompletes -- If you really cannot
finish the requirements for a class, you can take
an incomplete ("I"). Taking an incomplete has good
and bad points. Often students have good intentions
to do the paper soon after the end of the semester,
but it gets pushed to the next semester when they
are very busy. But taking an incomplete can be an
alternative to turning in low quality work and
hurting your Grade Point Average. It's not always
possible, but grad students shoot for a 4.0
GPA.
MA Degree
Picking Thesis (Plan A) or 3 Papers (Plan
B) -- You can either write a thesis (80-100
pages) or three papers (about 30 pages each). Your
advisor and resource books (some are listed below)
will give you some guidance on this major decision.
The general wisdom is that a thesis takes longer to
finish, but it is more of a statement about your
research interests and ability. Those planning to
do a "terminal" (ending there) MA degree, consider
the thesis to be a document they can show to future
employers. But the vast majority of students do
three papers. Often these are written in classes or
during a 699 Directed Reading/Research course, in
which students meet individually with a professor
for variable credit. One of the three papers must
be a research proposal so most students write it
during the Research Methods class. Also, several
students, particularly archaeology majors, get
these papers published. (One of the books below
recommends that students publish at least one paper
before finishing the PhD.)
If you are an MA student, you are assigned a
temporary advisor when you arrive. You should
select your own three-member committee and organize
a meeting by the end of your first year. You will
meet with your committee members again (you arrange
it) when you "defend" your three papers or thesis
at the end of your MA program. (See the "Degree
Program" section of this webpage for more
details.)
How Does It Work? -- For most grads, all
course work (30 credits) is completed during the MA
process. (Students with Anthropology MAs from other
schools have different requirements for course work
during their PhD program.) It often takes about
two-and-a-half to three years to finish the MA, but
students must plan carefully to fulfill
requirements because the desired classes are not
given every semester. Also it takes additional time
to take classes to complete "deficiencies." The
deficiencies are introductory classes (100-200
level) in the four subfields -- archaeology,
physical anthropology, linguistics and cultural
anthropology. Students with BAs or MAs in other
fields will probably have to complete some of these
deficiencies. You can "test out" of introduction to
linguistics and cultural anthropology through "unit
mastery" classes that require you to take several
tests until you pass them all. To save time, some
students take deficiency classes at community
colleges her or on the mainland.
Cultural students who plan to do fieldwork in a
foreign country will need to take language. Many
students decide to put it off until their second
year or later to get through the MA degree faster.
Language classes and deficiency credits do not
count toward your degree. In addition to
Anthropology classes, students usually take
valuable classes in other disciplines such as
History, Ethnic Studies, Geography, Education,
Sociology, Religion and Asian Studies. Many
students will audit these classes to get the
information without the extra workload.
PhD Degree
When the student applies for the PhD, the MA
committee gives a recommendation for approval or
not. The faculty members, who had the student in
classes, give written assessments of the student's
course work to determine acceptance into the PhD
program. The PhD student then concentrates on
writing a research proposal, studying for
comprehensive exams and applying for grants in
preparation for field work. The student compiles
five bibliography lists on five topics "broadly
relevant" to the students' research interest, but
not too narrowly focused. The student selects five
committee members to match the topics. Three of
these members must come from the Anthropology
Department. In the comprehensive exams, the student
takes five written tests on these topics lasting
three hours each over the course of two weeks. Then
the student orally defends the answers before the
committee. After this, the other students often
throw a celebration party with refreshments and
leis.
If the student has successfull applied for grants, he or she
goes into the field in the country of choice, and does research
for a year or more. The student returns (or hides out somewhere)
to write the dissertation, which often takes another year. Once
the dissertation is completed, it is then discussed in a public
talk in the Department (optional) and defended before the five-member
committee. In the best of all possible worlds, it would take
about three years to get the PhD. But of course, students run
into road blocks like not getting grants, having to work to
earn a living, and having to pick a new research site because
of political turmoil at the old one. The average time it takes
to finish a MA and PhD in Anthropology in the U.S. is about
eight years. But UH students have found some clever ways to
reduce that time such as maxing credit cards to pay for fieldwork,
rather than waiting for grants.
Pieces of Paper
Worth Saving
The Anthropology MA Checklist --
This is a form that you will revise over and over
as you fulfill the 30 credits needed for the MA. It
contains blanks for all the requirements. When you
meet with your committee, this form is a helpful
summary of your progress and plans. You must take
two courses each in the subjects of Area, Method
and Theory, and you are required to take two core
classes. Some of these classes can be taken in
other departments with permission. You also must
take 18 credits in 600 level classes or above.
List of Courses Categorized by Area, Method and Theory -- This list
categorizes Anthropology classes by Area, Method
and Theory. It includes classes that are 300 and
above, which count as graduate classes.
Anthropology Graduate Program -- This
five-page document includes the requirements for
the MA and PhD programs and is a valuable reference
sheet.
Anthropology Course Descriptions -- The department produces colorful booklets
each semester listing the classes offered. These
are valuable when you want to refer back to a class
you took previously. The descriptions are also posted online.
Anthropology Graduate Students List --
The department makes a list of all graduates
containing addresses, telephone numbers and
e-mail.
Anthropology Professors and TA List -- This list contains professor's, lecturer's and TA's office hours,
telephone numbers and e-mail address.
University of Hawai'i at Manoa Catalog -- This is basically the rule book of
the university, which is used as a reference text
for making decisions. It contains information on
residency rules, department requirements, campus
organizations and also lists all the classes the
department has given in the past. Students can
request that a class listed here be given
again.
UH Faculty and Staff Directory -- If
you see a pile of these, snatch one up. They
contain telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of everyone employed in the university system.
Otherwise, you can use a campus phone and dial "O"
for the information operator, contact the main
switchboard at 956-8111 or do an online search.
University
Services
Campus Center -- This all-purpose
building houses the social life of UH, comparable
to a student union at other universities. Here
students can obtain an UH ID card, buy a bus pass, movie passes, tickets for sports, music and film
events. The large
ballroom here has been the venue for notable
speakers such as Angela Davis. Food Services include Subway, Jamba Juice, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Yummies, and Corner Market Cafe. A student lounge
for naps and video games in a noisy recreation
room. There's also a Farmer's Market on the first floor which sells fresh produce every Friday. The Bookstore is also located here.
Bookstore -- Aside from the usual
textbooks, the Bookstore stocks cards, art and
stationery supplies, books on Hawai'i culture,
clothes with school emblems, computers and a pretty
impressive new collection of computer "how to"
books. All purchases are tax free. Most students
order non-textbooks through the web. The Bookstore
will also order books for you without extra charge,
if you want to avoid mailing charges and aren't in
a hurry. The Bookstore sells the New York Times
daily. Used textbooks are pretty pricey,
but it's a sellers market because the only other
place to find used textbooks is at the Rainbow
Bookstore, about 10 minutes walk away, where the
selection is slim. Unfortunately, there is no
organized system of purchasing used books from
other students. Most PhD students order used books
for comps on the web.
Libraries -- Hamilton Library has the
main collection and features the Hawaiian and
Pacific Collection (5th floor), the Asian
Collection (4th floor), microfilm, and the largest
number of copying machines on campus (7 cents a
page if you have a copy card or 10 cents a page without a copy card). Sinclair, the other library, has journals
before 1970, music books, reserve books, and Wong
Audiovisual Center. Sinclair also houses the
largest student computer lab with about 70 Mac and
PC computers, called the CLIC lab. Despite recent
cutbacks in subscription journals, the Hamilton
library collection, particularly on Pacific and
Asia, is pretty impressive. And there are a variety
of ways you can get books. Graduate students can
check out books for the semester, put a recall on
books already checked out, and get books through
inter-library loan at no charge. Hamilton Library
has a number of computerized journal indexes such
as Expanded Academic Index, Uncover and ERIC.
Wong Audiovisual Center -- Located in
Sinclair Library, this center is well stocked with
old and new videos. They have a particularly good
library of Southeast Asian documentaries. Also
students can check out recent films and CDs for
four days without charge.
Food -- UH has three places to chow down
-- the fancy new Paradise Palms Cafe with artificial
palm trees, the Campus Center Cafe, and Manoa Gardens which features beer in addition to karaoke
and bands on selected Friday nights. BA-Le Sandwich Shop serves Vietanmese food which includes plate lunchs, salads, soups and desserts. There are also kiosks and carts around campus which sells food and drinks. Dormitory students must buy food plans from Marriott and the price is
steep. Off campus, about a 10 minute walk away,
there is a cluster of shops serving Thai,
Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Greek and Indian
food, plus banks, bars, a supermarket, health food
store, and several lei outlets.
School of Pacific and Asian Studies (SPAS) -- SPAS
administers a variety of programs for students
studying Asia and the Pacific. There are individual
centers for Chinese Studies, Japanese Studies,
Korean Studies, Pacific Islands Studies, Philippine
Studies, South Asian Studies & Southeast Asian
Studies plus a Buddhist studies program. Language
labs offer help in many Asian and Pacific
languages. Also bulletin boards inform students of
a wealth of lectures, performances, study abroad
programs, scholarships and even some jobs.
Southeast Asian Studies has a weekly brown bag
lunch lecture series. Hawaiian Studies, which has
expanded greatly in the past few years particularly
in language offerings, is located in a new center
on nearby Dole Street.
East-West Center -- Established in 1960
to foster cultural exchange, this non-profit center
gives scholarships to 100 students from the U.S.,
Asia and Pacific to study at UH. A number of
Anthropology graduates have received these
scholarships which fund much of their education.
One requirement, however, is that students live in
dormitories and no pets are allowed. The Center is
located on the edge of the UH campus. Although the
Center's budget was greatly reduced in the past few
years, it offers valuable resources such as
visiting scholars, a quality art gallery, graduate
student conferences, a small bookstore with its own
publications, and a peaceful Japanese garden with
pond.
Graduate Student Organization (GSO) --
All classified graduates are members of this
chartered student organization. Among other
services, GSO provides one-time travel funds for
graduate students who are invited to give papers at
conferences. The funds awarded are a maximum of
$750, depending on the distance traveled.
Career Services -- The advertisement for
this center asks, "Can Your Resume Survive a
Screening?" In addition to editing resumes and
applications to universities, this office also
helps students improve their "first impression" at
job interviews by providing practice sessions that
can be videotaped. Along the same lines, the
Anthropology Department has a class in Professional
Development which gives students practical
experience in searching for grants, preparing a
conference presentation, and writing a curriculum
vitae.
Learning Assistance Center -- This center
gives workshops on time management, writing
research papers and taking exams. This is
particularly useful for "non-traditional" students
who have been away from academics for a while. The English Department provides writing workshops to
assist individuals on a one to one basis with their writing through
half-hour writing workshops.
Women's Center -- This center has
lunch-time speakers, a small but good women's
library and a comfortable lounge for taking a break
away from school life.
Kokua Program (Disability Access
Services) -- Several students have remarked on
this supportive program which provides note-taking,
academic advice, test accommodations, and other
services for persons with disabilities.
Counseling and Student Development --
Individual therapeutic counseling is provided at
this office in addition to a wide variety of group
sessions. The center offers groups for
relationships, stress and relaxation,
non-traditional students, first generation college
students, adult children of dysfunctional and
alcoholic families, persons recovering from sexual
abuse, academic motivation, creativity, and
separate groups for men and women on gender
issues.
Books
It is always good to get some perspective on
your graduate career, especially when you are
immersed in the daily grind. Here are some books
that have helped other students take the long view.
Other books deal with writing dissertations,
applying for grants and fieldwork. Sage
Publications (2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA
91320, order@sagepub.com) has some excellent books
on qualitative research methods, academic theory,
and grant writing.
Getting What You Came For by Robert
Peters. (This is a favorite of many grad
students.)
The Professional Stranger by Michael
Agar.
Designing Qualitative Research by
Catherine Marshall and Gretchen Rossman. (Thousands
of copies of this have sold.)
Proposals that Work: A Guide for Planning
Dissertations and Grant Proposals by Lawrence
Locke, Waneen Wyrick Spirduso, and Stephen
Silverman.
How to Prepare a Research Proposal:
Guidelines for Funding and Dissertations in the
Social and Behavioral Sciences by David
Krathwohl.
Stalking Employment in the Nation's Capital:
A Guide for Anthropologists, produced by The
Washington Association of Professional
Anthropologists. (This book provides insight into
the rather new field of applied and development
Anthropology.)
Postmodernism and the Social Sciences by
Robert Hollinger.
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