Navigating the Academic Calendar at Hawai'i Pacific University

Hawai'i Pacific University (HPU), a private institution founded in 1965, operates on a semester-based academic calendar. Understanding this calendar is crucial for students to stay informed about registration dates, deadlines, and important university events. This article provides a comprehensive overview of HPU's academic calendar, covering key aspects such as tuition, fees, financial aid, and specific program schedules.

General Information About HPU

Hawaii Pacific University is ranked No. #86 in Regional Universities West. The university has a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,533 (fall 2024), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 135 acres. The student-faculty ratio at Hawaii Pacific University is 15:1. Hawaii Pacific University has a test-optional admissions policy. The school's tuition and fees are $36,534. The average net price for federal loan recipients is $29,540. The four-year graduation rate is 26%. Six years after graduation, the median salary for graduates is $48,773.

Accessing the Academic Calendar

Hawai'i Pacific University's official dates and deadlines that apply to all students are located in the Academic Calendar. To view the Academic Calendar, visit hpu.edu/academiccalendar. The academic calendar generally extends from September to June, usually equated to 2 semesters or trimesters, 3 quarters, or the period covered by a 4-1-4 calendar system.

Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid

Understanding the costs associated with attending HPU and the available financial aid options is an essential part of academic planning.

Tuition and Fees

Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring tuition, fees, housing, and meal plan charges are available to view in myHPU portal under “Business & Payments”. Payment plan enrollment is open. Learn more about eBill statements and how to view your charges here.

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Financial Aid

Estimated Financial Aid amounts for scholarships, loans, grants, etc (when all requirements have been met) begin posting as pending credits to student accounts, reducing student financial liability. Estimated Financial Aid amounts disburse (post) to student accounts as payments. Business Office begins reviewing student accounts for refundable Financial Aid credits. Financial Aid refunds begin to be processed. Students enrolled in eRefund will receive valid Financial Aid refunds to their bank accounts within 3-5 business days. Refund checks cannot be held for pickup.

Key Financial Deadlines

Shark Bundle Opt-Out Deadline: Students have a specific deadline to opt-out of the Shark Bundle.
Tuition Payment Deadlines: Tuition Payment Deadline for the Fall 2025 2nd 8-week session (Part of Term 8B). This applies to students who are enrolled strictly in 8a and/or 8b sessions with no 16-week enrollment. Tuition Payment Deadline for the Spring 2nd 8-week session (Part of Term 8B). This applies to students who are enrolled strictly in 8a and/or 8b sessions with no 16-week enrollment.
Tuition Insurance: Last day to enroll in Tuition Insurance for this semester.

Payment Plans

First day to enroll in a 2-month payment plan.
First day to enroll in a 3-month payment plan.
Last day to enroll in a 3-month payment plan.
Payment plans are not available for Winter terms.

Tuition Adjustments and Refunds

A tuition adjustment means that a tuition charge is reversed (or credited) to the student’s account, resulting in a smaller overall amount owed to the University. Students are liable for all course fees. Refunds will be issued automatically if the account balance overall is negative.

Important Dates and Deadlines

The HPU academic calendar includes critical dates and deadlines that students must adhere to.

Last day to Drop: Last day to Drop (16-Week Session and 1 st 8-Week Session) with 100% tuition credit for dropped courses (0% Student Financial Responsibility).
University Holidays: University Holiday (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. University Staff Holiday Break begins. Last Day of University Staff Holiday Break.
Spring Break: Spring Break begins.
Last day of instruction: Last day of instruction for 8A term. Last day of instruction for 8M term.

Physician Assistant (PA) Program Calendar Specifics

The Hawai'i Pacific University Physician Assistant (PA) Program is a rigorous, full-time 24-month program of study culminating in the Master of Medical Science (MMS) degree. The didactic phase of study is hybrid, with a combination of remote and in-person learning. The clinical phase of the program is 11 months long and exposes students to medical care across the lifespan, including infants, children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly.

Program Structure

The didactic phase of study is hybrid, with a combination of remote and in-person learning. Remote instruction includes daily synchronous and asynchronous engagement with experienced faculty with a wide range of scientific and clinical expertise. In-person sessions involve periodic travel to Hawai‘i for 1-2 week-long immersions on HPU’s downtown Honolulu campus to allow hands-on acquisition of physical examination and clinical skills, as well as for assessment of competency in preparation for clinical rotations.

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During the clinical phase of study, students complete intensive, hands-on supervised clinical practice experiences across seven required disciplines (emergency medicine, surgical medicine, internal medicine, behavioral medicine, family medicine, women’s health, pediatric medicine) as well as in an elective clinical rotation specialty. The HPU PA program has clinical affiliations with a variety of clinical sites in Hawaiʻi, California, and throughout the US.

Accreditation Status

The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Hawaiʻi Pacific University Master of Medical Science-Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Hawaiʻi Pacific University. Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

Clinical Rotations (SCPEs)

The clinical phase of the HPU MMS-PA Program includes eight clinical rotations or Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs). Students will rotate through eight 5-week SCPEs across seven required disciplines and have the opportunity for one elective rotation. Rotations in the required curriculum may be scheduled at some distance from campus and the students' current residence. This is necessary to provide a range of diverse learning experiences and ensure availability and quality of clinical rotation sites. Students are responsible for providing their own housing and transportation to and from the clinical sites and campus. Prospective and enrolled students of the HPU PA Program are NOT required to provide or solicit clinical sites or preceptors. Students should not be involved with site or preceptor recruitment activities. If a student has a personal or professional connection to a potential clinical site or a preference for a potential clinical site, they should provide this information to the Director of Clinical Education.

Required SCPE Disciplines:

Surgical Medicine: This supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with an opportunity to actively engage in applying the knowledge and skills gained during the didactic phase of their education to evaluate and treat pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative patients in a surgical setting.
Internal Medicine: This supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with an opportunity to actively engage in applying the knowledge and skills gained during the didactic phase of their education to evaluate and treat patients in a hospital-based, inpatient setting.
Behavioral Medicine: This supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with an opportunity to actively engage in applying the knowledge and skills gained during the didactic phase of their education to evaluate and treat patients in behavioral and mental health settings.
Family Medicine: This supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with an opportunity to actively engage in applying the knowledge and skills gained during the didactic phase of their education to evaluate and treat patients while emphasizing patient-centered care.
Women’s Health: This supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with an opportunity to actively engage in applying the knowledge and skills gained during the didactic phase of their education to evaluate and treat patients in women’s health including common gynecologic conditions, family planning and prenatal care.
Pediatric Medicine: This supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) provides students with an opportunity to actively engage in applying the knowledge and skills gained during the didactic phase of their education to evaluate and treat patients in pediatric medicine. Pediatric medicine experiences include well visits that allow students to hone interpersonal skills with birth through adolescent-aged patients and their families or caregivers.
Emergency Medicine
Elective Rotation: Provides PA students in the clinical phase of the PA program experiential learning in one of the core discipline rotations or an elective specialty. This rotation will be coordinated with the program to ensure it meets program goals and continues to cultivate the knowledge and skills to achieve program learning outcomes. Students will work under the supervision of a Program-determined licensed healthcare professional and/or their designee(s).

Important PA Program Dates

Immersion Weeks: Immersion weeks assume up to 6 days of activities/week (Sunday through Saturday); detailed immersion schedules will be published and available on Blackboard. * Immersion weeks take place Sunday 12PM HST through Saturday 12PM HST.
Clinical Rotations Begin: Clinical rotations begin. Specific clinical rotation schedule to be released during clinical year.
HPU Spring Break Week: PA Program will NOT break at this time.

The Role of Physician Assistants

PAs are a vital part of the healthcare delivery system in the United States. who treat 10.4 million patients per week. One PA treats over 70 patients each week, often providing healthcare where a patient would normally not be able to get timely access to care. PAs are found in every medical specialty and practice setting. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of PAs is projected to grow 28% from 2021 to 2031. Upon graduating from a nationally accredited PA school (PA programs are accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant), PAs must obtain national board certification and state licensure.

Additional Resources

Staff Liaison: Each institution is assigned a staff liaison who is their primary point of contact for accreditation activities.
Student Achievement URL: WSCUC Standards require that institutions regularly generate, evaluate, and make public data about student achievement, including measures of retention, and graduation, and evidence of student learning.

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