Portland State University

About

Portland State University is more than Portland’s public research university. It’s a place to test ideas and projects that show the world how different is done. Our innovative approach combines education with creative problem-solving and collaboration across campus for maximum impact. With more than 200 degree programs to choose from, PSU is Oregon’s most diverse, innovative and affordable research university.

Portland State University has been emboldening students and challenging the status quo in Portland for 75 years. From our founding to serve veterans home from World War II, we have been committed to meeting the needs of individual students and society as a whole.

We first opened in 1946 as the Vanport Extension Center for 220 students in Vanport, a city built to house wartime shipyard workers. After surviving a devastating flood in 1948, we moved three times before finding our permanent home in 1952 in the heart of downtown Portland, Oregon.

Since then, we have grown into Oregon’s most diverse urban public research university with 26,000 students and more than 200 degree programs.

Our Mission
We serve and sustain a vibrant urban region through our creativity, collective knowledge and expertise.
We are dedicated to collaborative learning, innovative research, sustainability and community engagement.
We educate a diverse community of lifelong learners.
Our research and teaching have global impact.

Our Values
We promote access, inclusion and equity as pillars of excellence.
We commit to curiosity, collaboration, stewardship and sustainability.
We strive for excellence and innovation that solves problems.
We believe everyone should be treated with integrity and respect.

Our Position
An anchor institution, providing the region with a highly educated population, substantial economic impact, and distinctive contributions to its culture.
Contributing unique scholarship and research that support quality of life through problem-solving.
Delivering on our access mission, contributing to a highly educated and diverse community.