Accreditation
Portland State University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.
Inquiries regarding an institution's accredited status by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact:
Northwest Commission on College and Universities
8060 165th Avenue N.E., Suite 100
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 558-4224
www.nwccu.org
Various schools and departments within the University also are accredited by special agencies. The undergraduate and graduate programs and the accounting program of the School of Business Administration are accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. The Graduate School of Education teacher education programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and by the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. The counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.
The School of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science undergraduate programs in civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012 - telephone: (410) 347-7700. The computer science program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). The Department of Chemistry is accredited by the American Chemical Society.
In the College of Urban and Public Affairs, the Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board; the Master of Public Administration degree is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.
The School of Public Health application was accepted by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) for its accreditation. Currently, our accreditation is at the level of a program. The Bachelor of Arts in Health Studies, the Bachelor of Science in Health Studies and all the Master of Public Health degrees are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.
The Master of Public Administration – Health Administration and the Master of Public Health – Health Management & Policy are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
In the College of the Arts the School of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. Theater programs in the School of Theater & Film are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theater. The Master of Architecture degree in the School of Architecture is a National Architectural Accrediting Board candidate program.