Portland State University Reviews

"I am in PSU's MSW distance program. I feel the program is particularly beneficial for me as I did not have to move to Portland, and was able to keep my current employment. The downside of the distance program is having alternating classes one day per week for eight hours. Overall, I am pleased with the academic content and expertise of the professors. The work load is fairly heavy but it is expected in a graduate program."

"Pros: Highly acclaimed school with many partnerships in the surrounding communities. It is known as the top MSW program in the west. It is close to home. It offers an opportunity for dual Masters options. Cons: Cost"

"I enjoy the area and the campus but it's not a good area to inspire safety. There are a lot of shady characters around and there are random acts of violence at night every once in a while. Love the faculty here and I have enjoyed my classes and the professors. It's also been fairly easy to make friends and stay active outside of school."

"Portland State has a great network for completing a graduate program as well as continuing education/ career support. However, getting information on how to set up student insurance, pay, etc. was not available. More directions could have been needed."

"The professors in my department are great, and the campus is up to date and has all the services a student might need. I love the library and have spent a lot of time there. The city is, of course, interesting, and it makes it easy to have a good time while still going to school. The cost of living is fairly low, and transportation is pretty good. The con would be that people are a little TOO laid back about their education, and the term system (as opposed to a semester one) is irritating at best."

"This is a great, challenging program with excellent and supportive faculty who are more than willing to give students all kinds of opportunities to gain skills and advance their careers. Every single professor that I've met has an extensive resume and is completely engaged with the surrounding community, providing leadership and other assistance to local, state, and federal organizations and programs. They love what they do, and it shows in the quality of instruction, interest in student achievement, and level of engagement with research and bettering the community. The only cons are really external to the program itself - PSU has had several on-campus attacks of young women recently and there is not a strong safety presence on campus (I've never seen any safety officers in parking garages or other secluded places). When I do see officers, they seem to be traveling in "packs", which means that their presence is not spread out over campus. Additionally, it is difficult for Ph.D. level students (and others) to find financial aid. While I have been very fortunate to receive scholarships and a graduate assistantship, there is no guarantee for funding in subsequent years, all the departments are hurting for money, and I know several students who are having to make tough choices to afford their education."

"This program is great. I love the courses and type of field experience available to the graduate students. However, this program offers very little financial support, making student life difficult."

"It is an intensive, one-year program, so of course the work load is heavy. I guess the work load is a pro, or a con, depending on perspective. The most significant con is cost, and lack of educational grants and scholarships; I am an out-of state student. The rest of the program is great--the staff are helpful, the location in downtown Portland is great, and the school does its best to help students secure post-graduation employment."

"Portland State's teaching program has all of the best qualities of an urban school combined with a small-scale program. The faculty members truly care about each student and each cohort. They do everything they can to ensure that everyone receives a high quality education."

"Pros: Great faculty Great location for study and work after graduation Great education Cons: Cost for out-of-state students"

"I am a GTA in the German Department at Portland State University. This program has given me the opportunity to work with the wonderful and supportive Faculty and Staff in the World Languages and Literatures Department at Portland State University. The German graduate program is a unique program that supports individual learning and teaching experience for future employment opportunities. The professors each have unique input in my graduate education and are available to assist in the writing process of my thesis. I have valued this opportunity and have heard similar feedback from other German graduate students."

"Portland State is a fantastic school -- affordable, diverse and motivated to change the school!"

"The pros of this program are the supportive and knowledgeable professors. The cons are that some professors accept less that high quality writing from their students, which sets a lower standard for them to achieve by."

"Good school, but downtown environment is not as safe as it could be."

"Safety score is only because it is a metropolitan college and recently female safety has been an issue, but the college is working on improving the situation. PSU is located in downtown Portland Oregon exactly dead center between skiing in the mountains or enjoying the beach it has great public transportation so having to live on campus is not necessary. Teachers in my MSW program are excellent."

"The counseling program at Portland State has changed my view of the importance of a school counselor. I have learned more than I even imagined even though its hard work and keeps me very busy. We need qualified counselors in our school districts to be effective and supportive to our kids in the surrounding communities. Our kids are in trouble and sometimes our counselors are the only ones with the opportunity to give a helping hand"

"Great professors and great learning environment!"

"There are several difficulties currently with this program. First, although they have an applied track there is currently no established program for completing this track. This means current students are left to figure things out on their own, working harder than necessary to help develop this program. This also means students in the applied track have limited support from the staff (many who are not comfortable with applied work), and limited access to career support. Finally, these students are not given the same opportunities as others (like those in archaeology and environmental anthropology) - there are no research or funding opportunities provided and students are left to fend for themselves."

"Extremely supportive teachers create an atmosphere of respect for all students. Focus on self-reflection and critical thinking."

"Overall, I have had a good experience at PSU, but I wish that nonprofit management was able to branch out into its own program."