Best Psychology Programs in Hawaii for 2027

The University of Hawaii at Manoa's BA in psychology can be taken in a hybrid online format, with only nine of the 36 to 37 psychology credits required face to face. The BA asks for one course from four of five foundation areas, one Advanced Topics course and 12 elective credits. The research-oriented BS needs 43 credits, with Introduction to Biology and lab, Behavioral Neuroscience or Sensation and Perception, three foundation areas, two Advanced Topics courses and six credits of directed reading or research that includes a Research Project Summary. The hybrid route may not suit students aiming at research-focused PhD programs, which often expect research experience.

Pre-Major Courses

Survey of Psychology, Survey of Research Methods, and Statistical Techniques or Statistical Analysis for Social Sciences.

BA Credits

36 to 37 psychology credits, 15 upper division, with a psychology GPA of at least 2.0.

BS Credits

43 psychology credits, 21 upper division, with a psychology GPA of at least 2.5.

BS Research

Six credits of Directed Reading or Research (PSY 499) and a Research Project Summary.

Hybrid Online BA

Majority of psychology requirements online, with nine face-to-face PSY credits.

Program Sources: BA Degree - Psychology - University of Hawaii at ManoaBS Degree - Psychology - University of Hawaii at ManoaHybrid Online BA - Psychology - University of Hawaii at Manoa

Applied Social Statistics has to be finished by the fourth semester of the major in the Psychology BS at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, ahead of Quantitative Research Methods and a Senior Seminar. The degree also requires General Psychology and a one-credit Navigating Psychology course. You then take at least one course from each of five categories: behavioral and cognition, biological foundations of behavior, developmental and cultural, personality and psychopathology, and social. Fifteen elective credits can include Mentored Research, Qualitative Research Methods, Psychotherapy or an internship, and the degree is built around 43 major credits plus two minors or certificates.

Required Courses

General Psychology, Navigating Psychology, Applied Social Statistics, Quantitative Research Methods and Senior Seminar.

Category Courses

At least one from each of five categories, such as Behavioral Neuroscience, Cultural Psychology, Abnormal Psychology and Social Psychology.

Electives

15 credits, with at most 3 internship credits and 6 Mentored Research credits counting.

Degree Structure

43 major credits, two minors or certificates and 120 credits to graduate.

Program Sources: Psychology (BS) - BYU-Hawaii Catalog

The University of Hawaii at Hilo's Psychology BA splits its upper-division choices into two blocks: Developmental Psychology, Psychology of Personality, Social Psychology or Psychopathology in the first, and Learning and Motivation, Sensation and Perception, Cognitive Psychology or Introduction to Biopsychology in the second. The 41-semester-hour major starts with Survey of Psychology, Statistical Techniques and Research Methods, and it also needs 18 semester hours of upper-division psychology, at least nine of them at the 400 level. Courses count only with a minimum grade of C-, and a 2.0 major GPA is required.

Core

Survey of Psychology, Statistical Techniques (4 credits) and Research Methods (4 credits).

Block 1

Six semester hours from Developmental Psychology, Psychology of Personality, Social Psychology and Psychopathology.

Block 2

Six semester hours from Learning and Motivation, Sensation and Perception, Cognitive Psychology and Introduction to Biopsychology.

Upper-Division Work

At least 18 semester hours, including at least 9 at the 400 level.

Program Sources: Undergraduate Psychology Major - University of Hawaii at Hilo

Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu is offered on campus or fully online, and the BS requires Counseling Psychology, Cross-Cultural Psychology, Organizational Psychology and Health and Stress Psychology alongside Psychopathology and Evolutionary Psychology. The research sequence is Research Methods in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Statistics, and the program closes with Career Development in the Behavioral Sciences and a Senior Seminar. A 4+2 pathway lets admitted undergraduates earn graduate credits toward the Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, which then takes two years instead of two and a half.

Required Courses

Life Span Development, Psychology of Personality, Social Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Psychopathology, Organizational Psychology, Cross-Cultural Psychology, Health and Stress Psychology and Evolutionary Psychology.

Research Sequence

Behavioral Sciences Statistics and Research Methods in Psychology.

Electives

Three upper-division psychology electives.

Delivery

On campus or fully online.

Graduate Pathway

4+2 pathway to the MS in Counseling Psychology.

Program Sources: Psychology - Chaminade University of HonoluluPsychology (B.S.) Requirements - Chaminade University Catalog

Fieldwork and research are built into the Psychology BA at Hawaii Pacific University, and the 39 credits of upper-division requirements include Learning and Cognitive Process, Biopsychology, Cross-Cultural Psychology, Social Psychology and Lifespan Developmental Psychology. You also choose Tests and Measurements or Advanced Statistics, Abnormal Psychology or Personality, and a finishing course from History and Systems, Psychology Research Seminar or Counseling Practicum, then add four more upper-division psychology courses. The lower division brings Introduction to Psychology, Research Methods in Psychology and Statistics in Psychology, plus up to two semesters of a language. The major runs 50 to 58 credits.

Lower-Division Courses

Introduction to Psychology, Statistics in Psychology and Research Methods in Psychology.

Upper-Division Core

Technical Communication, Learning and Cognitive Process, Biopsychology, Cross-Cultural Psychology, Social Psychology and Lifespan Developmental Psychology.

Finishing Choices

One of History and Systems in Psychology, Psychology Research Seminar or Counseling Practicum.

Language Requirement

Two semesters of one language, or proven second-semester proficiency.

Major Size

50 to 58 credits.

Program Sources: Psychology (BA) - Hawai'i Pacific University Catalog

Students in the University of Hawaii at Manoa psychology PhD complete coursework and write a master's thesis along the way, because there is no terminal MA. You choose one of three program areas: Psychological Clinical Science, Cognition, Neuroscience, and Social, or Community, Cultural, and Developmental, each built on mentorship by a primary faculty advisor. The PhD typically takes two to four years past the MA, adds a foundation course from another area and an extra statistics or psychometrics course, and requires an exam before the dissertation and then the dissertation with a five-member committee. Clinical students complete an internship.

Program Areas

Psychological Clinical Science, Cognition, Neuroscience, and Social, and Community, Cultural, and Developmental.

Degree Path

PhD with an MA thesis earned along the way.

Milestones

Exam before candidacy, dissertation proposal with oral defense and doctoral dissertation.

Dissertation Committee

At least five members, including three core psychology faculty and one graduate faculty member from another department.

STEM Designation

Graduate programs are STEM designated, allowing international students to apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension.

Program Sources: Graduate Program - Psychology - University of Hawaii at ManoaGraduate Program Areas - Psychology - University of Hawaii at Manoa