Accredited colleges and universities
The Office of the Registrar, in consultation with academic units evaluates credits from accredited colleges and universities. Portland State University accepts college-level credits earned in academic degree programs at colleges and universities accredited by regional accrediting associations and as recommended in Transfer Credit Practices of Designated Educational Institutions. All courses are evaluated to be either equivalent or parallel to PSU courses. Equivalent means that the catalog course description is substantially equal to that in the Portland State University Bulletin. Parallel means that the course is in a discipline which is offered by Portland State, even though PSU does not offer the specific course.
Unaccredited institutions and foreign colleges and universities
Departmental representatives, working through the Office of the Registrar, are authorized to evaluate credits transferred from unaccredited institutions or foreign colleges and universities after a student has been admitted to PSU. For specific course equivalency, students may be asked to provide catalog descriptions and/or documents certifying course content. Work from unaccredited schools is evaluated in accordance with the institutions and policies listed in Transfer Credit Practices, published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. Credit given for a particular course will not exceed credit given for the equivalent or corresponding PSU course.
Co-admission programs
Portland State University has established co-admission programs with Chemeketa Community College, Clackamas Community College, Clark College, Clatsop Community College, Mt. Hood Community College, and Portland Community College. Each co-admission program allows students to concurrently enroll at both PSU and the community college campus. For more information go to www.pdx.edu/transferstudent/co-admission. Applicants should contact Clackamas Community College at 503-594-6100, Clark College at 360-992-2058, Clatsop Community College at 503-338-2411, Mt. Hood Community College at 503-491-6422, Portland Community College–Sylvania at 971-722-4519, Chemeketa Community College at 503-589-7652, or the PSU Office of Admissions at 503-725-3511 for more information.
Associate degree transfer
Students who upon admission have completed an Associate of Arts-Oregon Transfer (AAOT) or an Associate of Science Oregon Transfer-Business (ASOT-B) degree at an accredited Oregon community college or another PSU-approved associate degree, have met all lower-division general education requirements. The student must still fulfill any outstanding upper-division general education requirements. The transfer Associates may not satisfy all requirements for admission to professional schools. Please check with each school for specific admission requirements.
Vocational and technical credits
Portland State University grants up to 12 credits for courses which are deemed vocational-technical. These credits are transferred to PSU as general elective credits.
Oregon Transfer Module (OTM)
Consistent with statewide transfer policy, students may earn an OTM at Portland State. Transfer students who present an earned OTM from another Oregon institution will be granted a minimum of 45 quarter credit hours toward their general education graduation requirements.
Correspondence credit
A maximum of 60 correspondence credits is acceptable in transfer from regionally accredited schools recognized as institutions of higher education.
Community and junior colleges
The number of lower-division credits to be accepted in transfer from regionally accredited community and junior colleges is limited to 124.
National Student Exchange Program
Portland State is a member of the National Student Exchange Program, which enables sophomores, juniors, and seniors to attend one of 174 institutions in other areas of the nation for up to one academic year. Students pay in-state tuition at host school or current PSU tuition. Call 503-725-3511 or go online to www.pdx.edu/admissions/national-student-exchange for information.
College courses completed before high school graduation
College courses taken before a high school diploma is received are accepted in transfer provided the student receives grades of D- or above in the courses and the grades are posted on a college transcript.
Health science professions
Students who have completed preprofessional programs at PSU may transfer up to 48 credits of their professional health science work from schools accredited by a regional association and/or as indicated in Transfer Credit Practices. The health science students may not receive a bachelor’s degree from PSU and from the professional school when both degrees are based essentially on the same credits completed by the student. The residence credit requirement is satisfied by completing 45 of the last 60 credits at PSU, after admission to PSU and prior to formal enrollment in the qualifying professional program. The student must be within 48 credits of receiving a bachelor’s degree from PSU at the time of matriculation into the professional program.