Portland State University Reviews

"Going to PSU was the right choice for me because it fit in with my schedule. My professors were knowledgeable and up to date on the current education curriculum and were always available."

"After completing an undergraduate degree at a giant state school I had reservations about repeating that experience. However, Portland State University feels small and personal. This may be due to the design of the Master's Program. My classes were small and the professors were very approachable. They were willing to work with students on deadlines and expectations on a one to one basis. I also gained real world experience working in the field I was studying while in school."

"PSU is a great college. has great faculty at dept of computer science. It has opportunities but you have to do your bit to succeed in this college. It has opportunities to network so use them, attend the numerous conferences and sessions organized and don't just try to finish assignments"

"The best advice I received was from a student counselor, who answered all my questions about my upcoming senior year. I think PSU has a great environment where other students want to see their peers succeed. Who better to give you all the information on professors than students who are taking classes from those same professors. I also felt that once I got over the fear of asking professors for help, professors in my department really cared. Students are sometimes embarrassed or afraid to ask for advice but Professors always seemed so eager to help! Professors know how to help and can also get you in touch with other professors who may better fit your academic needs. One professor that I asked for advice was able to, not only sit down and go over classes that I would need, but also helped me research graduate programs. Another professor advised me to join a research lab and then offered me a place in his colleagues research lab! I have had amazing opportunities at Portland State University and recommend anyone interested in getting the most out of their education to enroll there."

"The program is not as advertised. The bureaucracy is fierce. There is no Federal Aid available unless you are minority with children. I am a 60 minority and been passed over 2x even though my 76 year old mother and I are at 12% median income. Forget about getting help with anything outside of suicide counseling. Any meaningful help is denied. Internships are required, but not vetted. They say they are, but really they are not, so you have to find your own, my advisor told me perhaps more than one internship to meet the credit and content requirement. The program was sold to students as being innovative, perhaps on paper. Cost of living is very high here, it is cheaper to go to Berkley instate and that is a far better school than PSU with a 14% graduation rate(maybe the hard-to-satisfy internship requirement)."

"Portland State is a school with reasonable tuition rates and passable academics. The teachers are quite hit or miss. But, the location of the school can't be beat."

"I think Portland State University is with no doubt one of the best colleges in the Pacific Northwest, I had a wonderful and fulfilling experience with my professors, they have a great sense of leadership which I have a great deal of respect for."

"Very liberal arts driven, but has very much forgotten about many of its most important departments. Politically active and dominated by political correctness."

"One of the biggest "pros" about this program is that it was created for working adults. As such, most of the classes are on weekday evenings, and maintaining a regular work schedule is possible while in school. The biggest "con" of the program is its expense. Portland is not a cheap place to live, the program is three years long, and as an out-of-state student I'm paying a premium price for this education. That being said, I feel confident in the professors and administrators who are behind this program, and if counseling is definitely what you want to do, you should go for it!"

"The graduate program at Portland State University for Speech-Language Pathology offers a wide range of clinical opportunities. The program is an investment. It is an especially great program for those who may want to work with children and is unique in that it offers students the opportunity to participate in a bilingual concentration. This prepares students to experience working with both linguistically diverse populations and those that are typically underserved. The programs prepares students well for many settings and professors are knowledgable with various areas of expertise. Like all graduate programs, this program is very demanding and most students are unable to work between classes and clinic placements. However, the overall experience is very valuable and worthwhile despite the expense."

"My program accepted a lot of working adults who already have experience in the field, and they enrich classroom projects and discussions. My professors have been great so far, and the evening class schedule caters to working adults. Unfortunately, Portland is a very expensive place to live, and as an out of state student I am paying a hefty price for tuition. I do wish there were more scholarship options available."

"The geology program at Portland State is very demanding. This school has a strong emphasis in programming and modeling, which I haven't seen before at my undergraduate. Programs such as Matlab, R, and ArcGIS are used extensively. Field work is also a large interest in the department. The professors are tough, but fair, and are usually available to assist students who need extra help. The biggest negative is that it is in Portland, which is kind of expensive, and only getting more so. Other than that, I can say that I am quite pleased with the program and the school as a whole."

"Portland State University provides the opportunity to receive an education while being involved in the urban core of the city. Though this campus doesn't offer the typical college experience, it is a great place for those wanting to incorporate being a student with a dynamic, urban lifestyle. Many students work or otherwise involved in the community, making this a unique place to learn and share experiences."

"PSU's strengths are diversity and community engagement. Not academically rigorous, though there are a few spectacular professors"

"Great intercity school; was able to take in-class sessions since I do not prefer online only; allowed me to juggle a job."

"I thought it was a very unique and interesting program, however, I feel as thought they let almost anyone into the program. There were many students there who did not care about the value of their education, they just cared about getting a degree. Also, many of the students English was not strong enough to be in an all English speaking program."

"My time at Portland State University was very positive. As a non-traditional student, I found the diversity of the student body to be both vibrant and welcoming. I enjoyed and learned a great deal from almost every one of my instructors. The University Studies program is innovative and makes the general education requirements more cohesive."

"There are a lot of opportunities and resources here. Professors make great efforts to ensure students have the tools for success. The only real issue I had was the driving and parking situation (I'm not used to the city), but I was able to take advantage of several online courses."

"The program is a joint degree program with PSU and OHSU which is phenomenal. It adds the real world applications to the MPH degree and studying in an interprofessional climate is an excellent way to network and learn about the needs of other professionals in the field. The MPH degree often is a 30,000 foot view of the health care system so to work with nurses and doctors enables you to have a ground floor understanding of policies and how they actually impact the health care system and quality of care. Furthermore, PSU is innovative and forward thinking which inspired me to think beyond the limits of our current system."

"Portland State University was a wonderful choice for me. The campus is right in the middle of downtown Portland, so it feels urban, but it also has the wonderful Park Blocks surrounding it as well, which gives it more of a traditional college campus feel. I received a great education, both for my major, and outside my major. I very much enjoyed my time at PSU, and really believe my experience there made me a better individual."