The Portland metro area features a number of postsecondary institutions the largest of which is Portland State University. The university with its unique urban campus situated on the South Park Blocks enrolls more than 28000 students. And offers exceptional higher education opportunities. U.S News & World Report has named PSU one of the nation’s top “up-and-coming” universities three years in a row recognizing the school for its service learning and senior capstone programs along with the positive changes it has made related to academics student life facilities and faculty.
Portland State is also well known for its research in a number of areas—particularly urban studies and community health. In fact researchers at PSU made national headlines this year when they discovered a potential cure for malaria that could be provided in a single pill form. The study published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry found that a particular compound cured malaria in animal models using just a single dose. This is just one of the numerous studies conducted at the campus each year with some of them producing results that have had significant impacts on a various professional fields.
PSU also recently broke ground on its new College of Business hub which will replace the old building located in the center of the campus. The Karl Miller Center slated for completion in 2017 will be a 143000 square-foot facility with a focus on collaborative learning spaces including a five-story glass atrium in the middle of it all. The new construction project is a reflection of the high levels of growth the university has experienced in recent years.
Also in the city proper is the University of Portland a private institution located in north Portland that was founded in 1901. The school has just over 3600 undergraduate students (and about 500 graduate students) and sits on a beautiful 150-acre campus near the historic St. Johns neighborhood.
Portland Community College is another respected postsecondary option in the region with four campuses located in Portland Rock Creek and Tigard. It currently has more than 32000 students and has become a great option for those looking to either earn an associate’s degree in more than 100 different programs or get off to a strong start before transferring to a four-year college or university. Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham is another popular two-year school offering both associate’s degrees and credits that are easily transferrable to other institutions.
The University of Oregon and Oregon State University are located in Eugene and Corvallis respectively—both about an hour and half drive from downtown Portland (without traffic). UO offers a number of courses at its satellite office in downtown Portland including master’s degree programs in journalism sports product management strategic communication architecture and business administration. OSU’s Portland Center also downtown features College of Business classrooms an alumni center public relations office and an open source lab.
You can see a list of Portland-area Higher Education Choices here.
