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Psychology Schools in Hawaii

The following guide to psychology schools in Hawaii provides you with essential information about the undergraduate and graduate psychology programs available in the state. The universities and colleges in Hawaii offer a range of psychology programs with concentrations in such areas as general psychology and clinical psychology. An alternative, flexible option to an on-campus program is to pursue a psychology degree that is offered partially or fully online.

Quick Facts

  • There are 5 not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs in Hawaii.1
  • No schools offer an associate’s degree in psychology.1
  • 5 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in psychology.1
  • 4 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in psychology.1
  • No schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values for 2019.2
  • No schools ranked in the Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Psychology Majors for 2018.3
  • No schools ranked in PsychologyDegree411’s Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs.4
  • No schools ranked in Times Higher Education’s Best Universities for Psychology 2019.5

*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs.

Continue reading below to learn more about the popular psychology programs offered at several of Hawaii’s universities.

Schools in Hawaii with Psychology Programs

Traditional Undergraduate Programs

Hawaii Pacific University

Hawaii Pacific University affords students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology. The four-year program requires students to complete both general education and psychology coursework to fulfill degree requirements, including courses in such topics as cross-cultural psychology, lifespan development psychology, abnormal psychology, and history and systems in psychology. Seniors are encouraged to complete a practicum in a clinical setting to gain real-world experience prior to graduation and graduate study. Psychology majors may want to join such on-campus organizations as the Psychology Club and the Psychology Honor Society, Psi Chi.

Brigham Young University – Hawaii

Brigham Young University – Hawaii (BYU-Hawaii) offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology and minors in Psychology and Organizational Behavior. The BS in Psychology degree comprises eight common core courses totaling 25 credits and five elective courses in Psychology totaling 15 credits, for a total of 40 credits. Core required courses include General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and Applied Social Statistics. Elective options include classes like Consumer Behavior, Measurement and Evaluation, Behavioral Psychology, Educational Psychology, Animal Behavior, and Intercultural Conflict Dynamics. The bachelor’s program will introduce students to psychology concepts such as terminology, research methods, and theories. Graduates of the program will be prepared for entry-level social science settings or to continue their education at the graduate level.

Traditional Graduate Programs

University of Hawaii at Manoa

The University of Hawaii at Manoa awards the Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology to students who successfully complete the 30 credit graduate program. The program generally takes between four and five semesters to complete and graduate students are expected to move on to the university’s doctoral program in psychology. Course requirements include research methodology and statistics, experimental psychology, social psychology, personality psychology, and clinical psychology. All graduate students, who will be paired with a faculty member, must research and write a thesis statement then orally defend the thesis. At the culmination of the master’s program, students are expected to petition the psychology department for entrance into the doctoral program.

Chaminade University of Honolulu

Chaminade University of Honolulu offers a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology (MSCP) program. Concentrations are offered in School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, and Marriage and Family Counseling. All concentrations are comprised of 60 credit hours. Chaminade’s program prepares students for jobs in schools or the community, assisting children, youth, and adults by emphasizing three common core areas: school counseling, mental health counseling, and marriage and family counseling. Courses include School Counseling and Exceptional Children, Abnormal Psychology, Life Span Development, Cross-Cultural Counseling, Psychological Tests and Measurements, Statistics, Research, and Evaluation, and Counseling Theories. The last three terms of the program are spent in a clinical practicum, preparing students in a real-world counseling setting.

Online Psychology Programs

University of Hawaii at Manoa

The University of Hawaii at Manoa offers an online bachelor’s degree completion program in psychology. Students must have completed the first two years of study towards a bachelor’s degree from a college in the University of Hawaii system to be considered for admission. The program focuses on the practical applications of current mental health theory across four clusters: Human Development, Social Psychology, Experimental Psychology, and Clinical and Applied Psychology. Courses required to earn the major include Physiological Psychology; Child Psychopathology; Psychology of Healing; and Learning, Motivation, and Behavior Modification. A culminating experience in the form of a senior seminar guides students through researching and writing a review paper. Completion of the degree program leads to the award of the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

University of Hawaii at Hilo

The University of Hawaii at Hilo’s online Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology offers students the opportunity to earn an online master’s in psychology with a specialization in clinical mental health counseling through video conferencing. The degree requires 60 credit hours to earn and is designed to be completed in two years. The curriculum follows the scientist-practitioner model and offers opportunities for master’s students to participate in research, which is particularly helpful for those who plan to pursue doctoral study after graduation. Required courses include Applied Multivariate Statistics; Psychological Assessment; and Psychopathology over Lifespan. Graduates are eligible to become licensed mental health counselors in the state of Hawaii and in jurisdictions with similar requirements. The program is accredited by the Master’s in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council.

EPPP Pass Rate and Accreditation Information for Psychology Programs in Hawaii

The table below is designed to help you compare not-for-profit psychology schools in Hawaii on a variety of factors. Clicking on the arrows in the top row allows you to sort the table. In addition to factors such as focus areas offered and tuition costs, accreditation is an important consideration when researching psychology programs. Depending on the type of program and the ultimate career path you are considering, accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Education Programs (CACREP), or the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) can make it easier to become licensed in your desired area of practice. For more information on these accreditations, see our overview of accreditation for psychology programs. You should also ensure that the program you are considering will meet the licensure requirements in the state where you wish to practice. The Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP), a licensing exam administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), is required in most US states in order to qualify for psychologist licensure. The EPPP results shown below are provided are for the exam period from February 1, 2015 to March 21, 2017.6 Only results from APA-accredited or ASPPB-designated doctoral programs with at least four test-takers during the exam period are included.6

SchoolBA/BSGrad Prog.Online Prog.Nat’l Accred.*Grad Rate**EPPP Pass Rate6# Taking6College Factual Under-
grad Rank7
US News Grad Rank8Net Price
Brigham Young University-HawaiiYesNoNo63%$12,817
Chaminade University of HonoluluYesYesBachelor’s59%$22,913
Hawaii Pacific UniversityYesYesNo47%$27,688
University of Hawaii at HiloYesYesMaster’s41%$15,343
University of Hawaii at ManoaYesYesBachelor’sAPA, CACREP59%100%10112^$15,712

Schools marked with a caret (^) in US News Best Graduate Psychology Programs ranked in a tie with other programs in their respective positions.
*See our guide to psychology program accreditation for more information on these accrediting bodies.
**The graduation rate is for first-time, full-time undergraduate degree- or certificate-seeking students who began studies in Fall 2012 and is calculated based on the percentage of students earning their degree or certificate within 150% of the normal time for program completion.1

Schools with Psychology Degree Programs in Hawaii

Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and it is unlikely that you will have similar results. Please review the “Data, Student Reviews and Other Information” section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.

University of Hawaii
2565 McCarthy Mall
Honolulu, HI
(808) 956-4680
https://www.hawaii.edu/

Student Review: “My experience at the University of Hawaii was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will always cherish. Although many classes were difficult and I lost a lot of sleep attempting to finish numerous assignments, there was no shortage of resources available to help the students in any way possible. Many times throughout my college career I was invited and encouraged to participate in conducting and examining psychological studies in order to assist my professors and peers with their research and theses. My professors were very understanding and always worked closely with me and made time to ensure that my learning was advanced to the highest level possible and that I gained the most experience I could. If anything could change, I would say the availability of classes was limited but definitely was comprehensive enough that I feel I got a world class education while living in paradise.” -Student at University of Hawaii
stars-4

University of Hilo
200 W Kawili St
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 932-7446
https://hilo.hawaii.edu/

Student Review: “I loved the psychology program at my school. The teachers were extremely supportive from beginning to end. Once I failed a test because I was extremely stressed, and without saying a word, my teacher noticed and approached me. We talked for about an hour about what the problem was and how to fix it. I remember he said at the end for me to decide for myself what to do because this is a huge step for me in psychology. He suggested that, before I start solving everyone else’s attitudes, I need to study my own. This single piece of advice has helped me tremendously throughout my career and I highly suggest this amazing school that has provided me with so much support!” – Student at University of Hilo
stars-5

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Table
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 382 Colleges, 2018 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2017.
4. PsychologyDegree411 Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs: https://www.psychologydegree411.com/degrees/online/
5. Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019 – Psychology: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2019/subject-ranking/psychology
6. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, Psychology Licensing Exam Scores by Doctoral Program: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.asppb.net/resource/resmgr/eppp_/2017_Doctoral_Report.pdf
7. College Factual, Best Colleges Offering Degrees in Psychology (Nationwide): https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/psychology/rankings/top-ranked/#
8. US News & World Report Best Graduate Psychology Programs: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings