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Undergraduate Program
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The undergraduate program is designed to provide students with a substantial, coherent, and articulated exposure to the broad domains of knowledge.
Undergraduate students at Portland State University complete requirements for general education, their academic major, electives, and the baccalaureate degree in keeping with Policy 2.1 of the NWCCU. Students fulfill the general education portion of the undergraduate curriculum through the University Studies Program, Portland State's nationally recognized general education program, or through the University Honors Program. All requirements are fully described in the University's Bulletin and program-specific publications.
University Studies Program
The University Studies Program fulfills the general education requirements for the majority of Portland State undergraduate students. The goal of the University Studies Program is to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, abilities, and attitudes that form a foundation for lifelong learning, including:
- Capacity to engage in inquiry and critical thinking.
- Ability to use various forms of communication for learning and expression.
- Awareness of the broader human experience and its environment.
- Appreciation of the responsibilities of persons to themselves, to each other, and to the community.
In addition to being exposed to content in the humanities, fine arts, natural sciences, math, and social sciences included in University Studies, students are also required to complete requirements for either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees. The degree requirements further strengthen the general education curriculum by specifying additional science, math, and social science coursework for Bachelor of Science students, and additional foreign language, fine arts, and humanities requirements for Bachelor of Arts students.
The four-year University Studies Program was inspired by the continuing debate in higher education over the nature of general education, combined with a growing concern among Portland State faculty and administration about the apparently tenuous connection of many Portland State students to the University as a learning community, and the accompanying low rates of student retention and completion. Two committees were formed (later merged into one), to explore ways to use current research on student learning to build a positive and meaningful general education program.
A four-stage program was proposed to the faculty by the University Studies Committee and was adopted after extensive debate and ratification by the Faculty Senate in November 1993. The program was implemented in phases, beginning with Freshman Inquiry in Fall 1994. As it has grown to maturity, University Studies has remained a focus of continuing healthy debate within Portland State over the nature of general education. As part of that on-going examination, an ad hoc faculty committee has been created by the faculty senate and appointed by the President to examine the University Studies program ten years after its initial implementation.
University Honors Program
The University Honors Program is charged with providing a general education curriculum to a group of 200 undergraduate students who have identified an intention to go on to graduate or professional school. The unique feature of University Honors is that students admitted to the program are released from meeting the requirements for the baccalaureate in the general university, and instead work closely with honors program faculty and specially designated advisers in their departmental majors. Honors students build individualized baccalaureate programs that meet requirements of both breadth and depth.
When the University Honors program was initiated in 1969, one foundation of the curriculum was already in place: a year-long freshman course that integrates studies in theory, method, historical analysis, and writing exercises. Although the specific content of the introductory course has changed substantially over the years, with major shifts enabled by external funding in the 1970s and again the 1990s, the current course still emphasizes a comprehensive view of knowledge, combined with writing skills.
Students who do not participate in University Honors have options to achieve departmental honors through their majors and/or to achieve recognition of their academic accomplishments by meeting the criteria for the Dean's or President's lists, or Latin honors at graduation. Information on requirements is available in the Bulletin (page 53) and on the University's website.
Majors
Portland State offers a total of 40 undergraduate majors in three colleges and two schools.
Each undergraduate major is organized around a set of core courses. Introductory courses taken during the first two years typically present a broad view of the knowledge base fundamental to the discipline. Progressively more sophisticated courses during the third and fourth years provide a more rigorous grounding in one or more subareas within the discipline. Appropriate faculty expertise and qualifications are discussed by each program as part of the on-going program review process.
Departmental profiles contain expected student learning outcomes and faculty qualifications.
In Winter 2005, Portland State received approval to offer a baccalaureate completion program to students in Shanghai, China through a combination of distance and in-person delivery. A substantive change prospectus under Policy A-2 was submitted to the Northwest Commission in January 2005 and approved in February 2005. The expansion overseas supports both the mission to provide greater access as well as to increase the number of graduates in engineering and computer sciences. Distance delivery further advances the goals of expanding delivery of Portland State educational opportunities to individuals at off-campus sites. The program undergoes continual monitoring through examinations of student performance in classes, and faculty and staff visits to Shanghai to observe classes and to meet with Chinese students and faculty. In addition, the Criminology and Criminal Justice program major is being developed in an on-line format, as well as other programs to meet the needs of more distant and time bound students.
Advising
Through coordination with the University advising initiative, and the Student Advising Implementation Team, each major is required to maintain a comprehensive plan for student advising. Students are introduced to the student advising services of the University in both Freshman Inquiry and Honors programs. The University is working to integrate advising more fully into both programs. During the past two years, two Portland State faculty have been engaged in a multi-year study of advising effectiveness and issues, culminating in 2004-2005 in useful campus wide data from students that has been shared with the faculty senate, deans and others and is now informing on-going efforts to enhance advising.
Portland State has implemented an electronic degree-audit system (DARS). The system (and any updates to it) are reviewed and approved by faculty from each major, minor, and certificate program. The system is accessible to students, faculty and advisers. This is a major way in which students and faculty advisors can insure at any time that requirements and courses needed for graduation are being met.
Admission and Transfer Credits
DARS includes a transfer-credit evaluation module. A transfer evaluation is provided to each undergraduate applicant upon admittance. The evaluation indicates what transfer credits are accepted and how they are accepted (e.g. transfer equivalents, lower or upper division elective credit, etc.). Portland State also maintains a website for prospective students that provides a transfer-credit evaluation.
The Office of Academic Affairs formulates articulation agreements with other institutions wherever transfer patterns show an appropriate fit. Currently, such agreements exist with all the community colleges in the Portland metropolitan region, which supply most of the University's transfer students. Examples of these agreements are available in hard copy.
Student requests for exceptions in transfer credits are sent to academic department chairs for approval. Students who do not meet admission standards may appeal a decision to the Faculty Special Admission Review Committee, which evaluates a student's academic preparedness as well as writing samples and academic letters of support to determine admissibility. Where appropriate, the committee may set credit-hour limits or other enrollment restrictions.
Students who have not successfully completed entry subject requirements are asked to complete these developmental courses prior to, or concurrently with, their first term at Portland State. Conditionally admitted students are also required to attend New Student Orientation and receive academic advising. The orientation includes an early introduction to DARS, to enable students to review how earned credits apply to a degree.
Admissions staff monitors academic performance of conditionally admitted students through their first 24 credit hours at Portland State. Conditionally admitted students are given written instruction on developmental or remedial requirements for admission and continued enrollment. Academic advisors provide information regarding the application of credits, and assist the students with course selection to meet their conditional admission requirements.
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