Portland State University

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a large city.

Overview

Portland State University, also referred to as PSU, is a public, coeducational, state research university located in downtown Portland, Oregon.

The university was initially established as the Vanport Extension Center in 1946. Following the Vanport flood in 1948, the center was moved to downtown Portland and reopened in 1952.

In 1955, the school was renamed Portland State College. It finally received its present moniker in 1969.

PSU is part of the Oregon State System Portland State University. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges & Universities.

Portland State University consists of several schools and colleges, including:

• School of Business Administration
• Graduate School of Education
• Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science
• School of Fine and Performing Arts
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• School of Social Work
• College of Urban and Public Affairs
• School of Extended Studies

A Princeton Review book, Colleges with a Conscience, listed Portland State for its excellent service-learning programs blending academics with community work. For the seventh year in a row, PSU ranked among the nation's best colleges in five categories that lead to student success, according to U.S. News & World Report in America's Best Colleges 2009.

There are more than 100 activities and organizations for students on the 50-acre campus. The University has a small but active Greek system. The fraternities and sororities include Alpha Chi Omega, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Sigma Sigma, Tau Kappa Epsilon, and Phi Gamma Nu.

PSU competes in 16 NCAA Division 1 intercollegiate varsity sports. Its teams are called the Vikings.

Among the notable alumni of PSU are Jean M. Auel, author; Mark Dacascos, actor, martial artist; Carolyn Davidson, creator of the Nike swoosh; Clint Didier, former NFL tight end and Super Bowl XVII Champion; David James Duncan, novelist, essayist; Katie Harman, 2002 Miss America; Adam Hayward, linebacker for Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Terence Knox, actor; Jeff Lahti, retired Major League Baseball pitcher, 1982 World Series Champion; Joseph LeBaron, U.S. Ambassador to Qatar; Neil Lomax - National Football League quarterback, for St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals; Jack Ohman - editorial cartoonist for The Oregonian; Bill Plympton - animator; Barbara Roberts, 34th Governor of Oregon; Betty Roberts, first woman to serve on the Oregon Supreme Court and Oregon Court of Appeals; Lawrence Leighton Smith, conductor, pianist; and Esperanza Spalding - jazz musician. Courtney Love, actress and rock musician, attended but not graduate.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Many students concentrating in education and teaching, liberal arts, and family and social work.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• Large number of students.
• Numerous part-time students.
• High faculty salary.
• High percentage of students are from out-of-state.
• Affordable tuition & fees.

School characteristics:

• The school is public.
• Academic calender: Quarter.
• Carnegie classification: Doctoral/Research Universities, Intensive.

Features of note:

• The school offers a faculty tenure system.
• There are one or more libraries on-campus.
• Campus housing is available.
• Students have meal (board) plans.
• Students may study abroad.
• Distance learning is available.
• Part-time classes are available.
• ROTC.
• Athlete financial aid is awarded.

Tuition and Financial Aid (2009-2010)

Financial Aid

Portland State participates in US Title IV financial assistance programs.

In 2009-2010, 65% of students received financial aid of some sort.

(Please refer to BrainTrack's financial aid articles section for background information.)

Similar Schools

Based on proprietary BrainTrack computer comparisons against all other US colleges, these schools appear to be most similar to Portland State University:

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Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 26,382 in 2009-2010 (20,483 full-time equivalent).

About 47% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 53% of the class.

Undergrads are 69% of enrolled students and graduate students are 31%.

Students under 25 years old represent 49% of the student body. About 10% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Among freshmen students, 89% are full-time and 11% are part-time.

Admissions Summary (2009-2010)

SAT Test Scores:

Room and Board

Portland State provides on-campus housing for 2,021 of its 20,483 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010).

Students may purchase a meal plan which includes 21 meals weekly.

Athletics

School sports include football, basketball, baseball, and track. The school is in the Big Sky Conference for major sports.

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 86 male students received the aid (men were 59% of those receiving aid) and 60 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 41% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

Portland State offers graduate (post-Bachelor) studies. The highest degree offered is the Doctorate (Research/Scholarship).

Graduate offerings include continuing professional education.The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Doctorate, Professional Dominant.

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

(2 awarded)

ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING (83 awarded)

• Architecture (BArch, BA/BS, MArch, MA/MS, PhD)
• City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
• Environmental Design/Architecture

ART STUDIES (1 awarded)

• Art/Art Studies

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (936 awarded)

• Accounting
• Business Administration and Management
• Business Administration, Management and Operations
• Business, Management, Marketing & Related Support Services
• Finance and Financial Management Services
• Finance
• Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration
• International Business/Trade/Commerce
• Logistics and Materials Management
• Management Information Systems
• Marketing/Marketing Management
• Special Products Marketing Operations

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (114 awarded)

• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• Computer Software Engineering
• Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
• Computer and Information Systems Security

CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (47 awarded)

• Environmental Science
• Environmental Studies
• Natural Resources Management and Policy

DESIGN (38 awarded)

• Graphic Design

DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS (30 awarded)

• Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
• Visual and Performing Arts

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (1,130 awarded)

• Adult and Continuing Education Administration
• Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Early Childhood Education and Teaching
• Education
• Education/Teaching of Individuals with Mental Retardation
• Educational Leadership and Administration
• Educational/Instructional Media Design
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• English/Language Arts Teacher Education
• Higher Education/Higher Education Administration
• Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
• Mathematics Teacher Education
• Secondary Education and Teaching
• Special Education and Teaching
• Student Counseling and Personnel Services
• Teaching English as Second/Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor

ENGINEERING (279 awarded)

• Civil Engineering
• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
• Engineering
• Engineering/Industrial Management
• Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
• Materials Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Systems Engineering

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (400 awarded)

• Community Organization and Advocacy
• Foodservice Systems Administration/Management
• Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
• Public Administration
• Social Work

FINE ARTS (56 awarded)

• Art History, Criticism and Conservation
• Fine/Studio Arts
• Sculpture

LIBERAL ARTS (1,376 awarded)

• African-American/Black Studies
• Anthropology
• Canadian Studies
• Cartography
• Chinese Language and Literature
• Creative Writing
• Economics
• English Language and Literature
• Foreign Languages and Literatures
• French Language and Literature
• Geography
• German Language and Literature
• Hispanic-American,Puerto Rican & Mexican-American/Chicano Studies
• History
• International Relations and Affairs
• Japanese Language and Literature
• Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
• Linguistics
• Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
• Near and Middle Eastern Studies
• Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
• Political Science and Government
• Russian Language and Literature
• Social Sciences
• Sociology
• Spanish Language and Literature
• Urban Studies/Affairs
• Women's Studies

MATHEMATICS (78 awarded)

• Mathematics
• Statistics
• Systems Science and Theory

MEDIA (138 awarded)

• Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION (118 awarded)

• Community Health and Preventive Medicine
• Health/Health Care Administration/Management
• Public Health Education and Promotion

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY (51 awarded)

• Audiology/Audiologist and Hearing Sciences

MEDICINE (58 awarded)

• Gerontology
• Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences
• Public Health

MUSIC (39 awarded)

• Conducting
• Music Performance
• Music Theory and Composition
• Music
• Voice and Opera

PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART (9 awarded)

• Film/Cinema Studies

REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT (22 awarded)

• Real Estate

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY (24 awarded)

• Philosophy

SCIENCE (319 awarded)

• Biochemistry
• Biological and Physical Sciences
• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
• Geology/Earth Science
• Hydrology and Water Resources Science
• Physics

SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (144 awarded)

• Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
• Criminal Justice/Safety Studies

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (234 awarded)

• Community Psychology
• Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling
• Psychology