Hawaii has 4 schools with verified geography or geographic information systems (GIS) credentials: 2 University of Hawaiʻi universities, 1 private university, and 1 community college. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has the state’s only geography graduate degrees, including a Ph.D. in Geography and Environment. UH Hilo offers a B.A. in Geography, Chaminade University offers a geospatial intelligence certificate, and Hawaiʻi Community College offers three short geospatial certificates. We found no geography or GIS credential in Hawaii that a school says can be completed fully online.
Hawaii Geography and GIS Programs at a Glance
Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates
| School | Credentials | Format | Credits | Distinguishing feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Geography and Environment Undergraduate Certificate in Geospatial Information Science B.A./M.A. in Geography and Environment (combined) | Campus (Honolulu) | B.A.: 120 (major 31) Certificate: 16 B.A./M.A.: 141 | Certificate includes drone and aerial photography and a one-credit practicum |
| University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo | B.A. in Geography (Geography or Environmental Studies track) | Campus (Hilo) | 120 (major 45 or 48) | GIS and spatial techniques area with remote sensing and advanced geostatistics |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | Certificate in Geospatial Intelligence | Not stated (Honolulu) | 15 | Housed in the data science program; ends in a capstone |
Graduate Degrees and Certificates
| School | Credentials | Format | Credits | Distinguishing feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | Master of Arts (M.A.) in Geography and Environment Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Geography and Environment | Campus (Honolulu) | M.A.: 30 minimum (thesis) Ph.D.: not stated as a credit total | Teaching and research assistantships include tuition remission and a stipend |
Credentials were verified against 2026–27 catalogs. Chaminade’s certificate courses carry both 400- and 500-level numbers, but the catalog lists the certificate only under its data science program and does not publish a separate graduate version. Minors are not listed.
Community College Degrees and Certificates
| College | Credential | Units | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaiʻi Community College | Geomatics and GIS, Certificate of Achievement (C.A.) | 25 | Not stated |
| Hawaiʻi Community College | Geospatial Remote Sensing Hawaiʻi, Certificate of Competence (C.O.) | 16 | Not stated |
| Hawaiʻi Community College | Geospatial Technologies, Certificate of Competence (C.O.) | 13 | Not stated |
All three certificates stack into Hawaiʻi Community College’s 60-credit Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Engineering Technology, which also requires GIS, remote sensing, and land surveying courses. No other UH community college lists a GIS or geography credential. Leeward Community College says it is developing GIS courses but has not announced a credential.
Related Urban Planning Programs
UH Mānoa offers a 42-credit Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP), a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning, and planning certificates. UH Hilo’s geography department runs an 18-credit undergraduate Planning Certificate with a county planning internship. GIS is not among the required courses in either school’s catalog, so these are planning credentials, not GIS credentials. See our urban planning guide.
Online Geography and GIS Programs in Hawaii
An online course is not the same as an online degree. We found no Hawaii geography or GIS credential with an official statement that the full program can be completed online. The list below covers programs that are campus-based, do not state a format, or are only related to geography.
Verified fully online options
None verified.
Online coursework, but not a verified fully online program
- UH Mānoa geography degrees and GIS certificate: campus programs in Honolulu. The geography department leads an online B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a Social Sciences of Oceans concentration, but that degree requires only two geography courses and is not a geography or GIS degree.
- Chaminade University Certificate in Geospatial Intelligence: the catalog does not state a delivery format. Chaminade charges a fee for online courses, so ask which certificate courses are offered online.
- Hawaiʻi Community College geospatial certificates: the catalog and program page do not state a delivery format, and the certificates include hands-on drone flight and land surveying courses.
- UH Hilo B.A. in Geography: a campus program in Hilo.
For programs based in other states, see online geography schools.
Hawaii School Summaries
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Mānoa’s Department of Geography and Environment offers a 120-credit B.A. in Geography and Environment. The 31-credit major has a 19-credit core: The Natural Environment with a lab, Digital Earth, World Regional Geography or Geography and Contemporary Society, Geography, Environment, and Society, Statistical Methods in Geography, and a capstone seminar. Students add 12 upper-division credits and are encouraged to focus on environmental geography, human geography, or geospatial technology. Geospatial electives include Introduction to GIS, Remote Sensing, Web Mapping, Map Design and Production, and UAV and Aerial Photography.
The 16-credit Undergraduate Certificate in Geospatial Information Science requires UAV and Aerial Photography, Introduction to GIS, and a one-credit practicum, plus 9 elective credits from courses such as Remote Sensing, 3D Mapping and Analysis, Field Mapping, Web Mapping, and GIS for Environmental Sciences. The department describes it as useful for majors in natural resources, earth and ocean sciences, and the social sciences.
The M.A. in Geography and Environment is a thesis (Plan A) program of at least 30 credits, including 12 credits in a specialization, 3 in advanced research skills, 8 thesis credits, and a 7-credit core. The Ph.D. requires 15 credits in a specialization, 6 in research methods such as GIS, remote sensing, or cartography, written and oral comprehensive exams, and a dissertation. Admission is for fall only, with a January 15 deadline, and the GRE is recommended but not required. Applicants are considered for teaching assistantships automatically, and assistantships include tuition remission and a stipend. A five-year B.A./M.A. pathway (141 credits, 9 double-counted) is open to geography majors, and a second version pairs the M.A. with an Interdisciplinary Studies B.A. in Sustainability.
Sources: B.A. catalog; certificate catalog; M.A. catalog; Ph.D. catalog; graduate admissions; graduate funding; B.A./M.A. pathway.
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
UH Hilo’s Department of Geography and Environmental Science offers a 120-credit B.A. in Geography with two tracks. The 45-credit Geography track covers a core with Interpreting Geographic Data and a senior seminar or thesis, a quantitative methods course, and two courses each in physical geography, GIS and spatial techniques, and human geography and planning, plus a 9-credit specialization. GIS and spatial options include Remote Sensing of Environment, Geographic Information Systems and Visualization, Advanced Geo-Spatial Techniques, and Advanced Geostatistics. The 48-credit Environmental Studies track adds biology, ecology, and chemistry.
The department also runs an 18-credit Planning Certificate with an internship in county planning, and UH Hilo’s 21-credit Unmanned Aircraft Systems Certificate includes GIS and remote sensing courses. UH Hilo has no geography graduate degree; its closest graduate program is an M.S. in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science.
Sources: B.A. in Geography catalog; Planning Certificate; UAS certificate; department page.
Chaminade University of Honolulu
Chaminade’s 15-credit Certificate in Geospatial Intelligence sits within its Data Science, Analytics and Visualization program. Students take Foundations of Geospatial Thinking and Cartographic Design, two courses from GeoComputation, Digital Earth Image Processing and Analysis, Remote Sensing and Machine Learning, and Spatial Analysis, Statistics and Modeling, and a capstone in geospatial intelligence. It is not one of the five certificates listed as options inside the data science B.S., so check with the program on how it is added to a degree. In a 2024 news story, Chaminade described its GIS certificates as part of a partnership with the National Science Foundation and a Hawaii defense-industry workforce initiative.
Sources: certificate catalog; data science B.S. requirements; university news.
Hawaiʻi Community College
Hawaiʻi Community College’s Engineering Technology program offers three geospatial certificates. The 25-credit Geomatics and GIS Certificate of Achievement includes computer-aided drafting, Introduction to GIS, Unmanned Aerial Systems Flight, Spatial Data Management and Analysis, Rural and Urban Remote Sensing, and two land surveying courses. The 16-credit Geospatial Remote Sensing Hawaiʻi certificate covers GIS, drone flight, spatial data management, and remote sensing. The 13-credit Geospatial Technologies certificate pairs GIS with drafting and two land surveying courses. All courses require a C or better.
Students can continue into the 60-credit A.A.S. in Engineering Technology, which adds architectural drafting and design. The program page lists graduates working for the County of Hawaiʻi, including as a GIS analyst.
Sources: Engineering Technology program; 2026–27 catalog; 2025–26 advising sheet.
Schools not included
- University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu: no geography or GIS degree or certificate in its program listings.
- Hawaiʻi Pacific University: offers environmental science, environmental studies, marine, and data science programs, but no geography or GIS credential.
- Brigham Young University–Hawaii: none of its 32 bachelor’s programs is in geography or GIS.
- UH community colleges without a GIS credential: Honolulu, Kapiʻolani, Kauaʻi, Leeward, and Windward Community Colleges and UH Maui College. Maui offers GIS courses within its agriculture program, Windward has a remote sensing and GIS lab, and Leeward is developing GIS courses, but none awards a GIS-named credential.
- Related programs at UH Mānoa: natural resources, earth sciences, global environmental science, and urban planning degrees are outside the scope of this page.
Tuition Comparison
Estimated tuition is our arithmetic from each published rate and the stated basis. Each figure is labeled “per year” or “total.” None includes fees, housing, books, or other costs.
Undergraduate tuition
| School and credential | Published rate | Calculation basis | Estimated tuition | Required fees (not included) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa B.A. in Geography and Environment | $5,880 per semester (resident, 12 or more credits) $16,896 per semester (nonresident) | Two semesters | $11,760 resident per year $33,792 nonresident per year | $457 per semester for full-time undergraduates |
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Geospatial Information Science Certificate | $490 per credit (resident) $1,408 per credit (nonresident) | 16 credits, part-time | $7,840 resident total $22,528 nonresident total | $452 per semester. Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree pay the graduate rate. |
| University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo B.A. in Geography | $3,816 per semester (resident, 12 or more credits) $10,296 per semester (nonresident) | Two semesters | $7,632 resident per year $20,592 nonresident per year | $354.50 per semester; $200 one-time fee for new students |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu Certificate in Geospatial Intelligence | $16,320 per semester (full-time, 12–19 credits) $1,088 per credit (part-time), any residency | 15 credits, part-time | $16,320 total Full-time students: $32,640 per year | Course fees vary; $93 per online course |
| Hawaiʻi Community College Geomatics and GIS C.A. | $131 per credit (resident) $345 per credit (nonresident) | 25 credits | $3,275 resident total $8,625 nonresident total | Up to $30 per semester |
| Hawaiʻi Community College Geospatial Remote Sensing Hawaiʻi C.O. | $131 per credit (resident) $345 per credit (nonresident) | 16 credits | $2,096 resident total $5,520 nonresident total | Up to $30 per semester |
| Hawaiʻi Community College Geospatial Technologies C.O. | $131 per credit (resident) $345 per credit (nonresident) | 13 credits | $1,703 resident total $4,485 nonresident total | Up to $30 per semester |
| Hawaiʻi Community College A.A.S. in Engineering Technology | $131 per credit (resident) $345 per credit (nonresident) | 60 credits | $7,860 resident total $20,700 nonresident total | Up to $30 per semester |
All rates are for 2026–27.
Graduate tuition
| School and credential | Published rate | Calculation basis | Estimated tuition | Required fees (not included) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa M.A. and Ph.D. in Geography and Environment | $7,800 per semester (resident, 12 or more credits) $16,824 per semester (nonresident) $650 per credit (resident, part-time) | Two semesters | $15,600 resident per year $33,648 nonresident per year | $467 per semester. Assistantships include tuition remission. |
All rates are for 2026–27.
Why some rates do not compare directly
- UH Mānoa and UH Hilo charge a flat semester rate at 12 or more credits. Part-time students pay per credit.
- UH Mānoa also publishes a rate at 150% of resident tuition ($8,820 per full-time undergraduate semester) for qualifying students; see the university’s residency rules.
- UH Mānoa charges graduate tuition to students who already hold a bachelor’s degree, so a degree holder taking the GIS certificate would pay $650 per credit ($10,400 for 16 credits).
- UH community colleges charge per credit with no full-time cap. Hawaiʻi Community College also has a $196.50 per credit rate for students from eligible Pacific Island institutions.
- Chaminade has one rate for all students regardless of residency.
How to Choose a Geography or GIS Program in Hawaii
Broad geography or technical GIS
UH Mānoa and UH Hilo offer broad geography degrees that cover physical, human, and spatial topics, with GIS and remote sensing as electives or a required area. For technical skills alone, Mānoa’s GIS certificate, Chaminade’s geospatial intelligence certificate, and Hawaiʻi Community College’s geomatics certificates are shorter options. Read more about GIScience degrees and geospatial technology.
Certificate, bachelor’s, or graduate degree
Certificates range from 13 credits at Hawaiʻi Community College to 16 at UH Mānoa. Both UH Mānoa and UH Hilo offer bachelor’s degrees, but only UH Mānoa offers a geography master’s or Ph.D. in Hawaii. Its five-year B.A./M.A. pathway lets students start graduate courses at the undergraduate rate. Compare bachelor’s and master’s programs nationally.
Online or campus
Every geography and GIS credential on this page is campus-based or has no stated format. Students who need a fully online program should compare online geography schools based in other states.
Research and funding
UH Mānoa’s M.A. requires a thesis, and its teaching and research assistantships include tuition remission and a stipend. The department also lists small field research and travel awards. At the undergraduate level, UH Hilo offers a senior thesis option, and Mānoa’s GIS certificate ends in a practicum.
Hawaii has no neighboring states, so students comparing options can browse all state guides or online programs.
Sources and Review Date
Reviewed October 14, 2026. Program details come from each school’s 2026–27 catalog or program pages unless noted above. Tuition comes from each school’s 2026–27 tuition schedule.
- University of Hawaiʻi system: tuition schedule, Executive Policy 6.201
- UH Mānoa: regular tuition, fees, and expenses
- UH Hilo: tuition schedule, fees schedule
- Chaminade: tuition charges, other charges
- Hawaiʻi Community College: tuition and fees
Program-level source links appear at the end of each school summary. Programs, rates, and requirements change, so confirm them with each school before applying.