Center for Pacific Islands Studies

The University of Hawai'i is a state-supported ten-campus system of higher education serving the needs of Hawai'i, the nation, and the world community. Since its founding in 1907, the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM) has emphasized studies related to the distinctive geographical and cultural setting of Hawai‘i. It has developed extensive research and instructional resources in Pacific and Asian studies and enjoys an international reputation for excellence in these areas.

Founded in 1950 as the Pacific Islands Studies Program, the Center for Pacific Islands Studies is the only federally funded National Resource Center that focuses on the islands of Micronesia, Polynesia, and Melanesia and the only program in the United States to offer graduate and undergraduate degrees in Pacific Islands studies. It offers a unique opportunity for comprehensive engagement with the region and its place in the global arena through its

• student programs


• Web-based resources


• publishing


• community outreach initiatives


• extensive collaborative networks overseas

With a core and affiliate faculty of almost forty members, and access to the University of Hawai'i Library's Pacific Collection, one of the finest collections of Pacific research materials in the world, the Pacific Islands studies program is developing an exciting new Bachelor of Arts degree in Pacific Islands studies. The center currently offers interdisciplinary programs of study leading to the MA in Pacific Islands studies and the Certificate in Pacific Islands Studies. Pending the introduction of our new BA program, undergraduate students interested in a "major equivalent" in Pacific Islands studies can develop an integrated course of study through the UHM Interdisciplinary Studies Program with advice from faculty in the Center for Pacific Islands Studies.

The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa offers a wide range of courses related to the Pacific Islands, including instruction in six Polynesian and Micronesian languages:

• Chamorro


• Hawaiian


• Māori


• Samoan


• Tahitian


• Tongan

Subject to funding, the center offers a limited number of Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships for full-time graduate students enrolled in a program combining area studies and foreign language training in Māori, Samoan, or Tahitian.

The center has developed an extensive educational outreach program through its occasional seminars, international conferences, film festivals, visiting artist and writer programs, and a growing list of online resources. Its award-winning publishing program includes a biannual journal, a monograph series, an occasional paper series, and a quarterly newsletter.