Portland State University

To meet the education needs of GIs home from World War II battlefields, Portland State University found its first home in Vanport, a city along the Columbia River built to house wartime shipyard workers. The Vanport Extension Center opened its doors the summer of 1946 to 220 students, offering the first two years of college study. Portland State University is now an urban research university encompassing 50 city blocks, nine schools that offers more than 226 degree programs.

PSU?s bachelor?s programs are designed to combine hands-on learning with rigorous classroom work, but the university doesn?t stop there. Its heralded University Studies program values the big picture with its well-rounded individuals with strong communication and critical thinking skills and a clear sense of their role in society and humanity. Research from graduate programs regularly breaks new ground, earning attention nationwide and drawing highly qualified students to more than 70 master?s programs, more than 30 graduate certificate programs, and 18 doctoral programs.

Portland is anything but a sleepy college town. Attending Portland State drops students in the middle of a powerhouse of a city with a dazzling array of food carts, coffee shops, indie bookstores, and charming neighborhoods which are all accessible by foot, bike or streetcar. Students can find and explore their passion whether be it bouldering in the back country, crewing a dragon boat, or developing leadership skills through its 10 cultural resource centers. They can join one of university?s 150 student clubs and cheer on one of 15 NCAA Division I teams.

The University is in the heart of one of America?s most dynamic cities. The city is its campus, giving students unmatched access to career connections, a vibrant cultural scene and hands-on learning experiences with hundreds of community partners.