Upper Division Program Admissions Requirements

Selective Admission - BSCE and BSENVE

To ensure the highest quality of our Upper Division Programs, the CEE Department has a selective admission process. This may limit the number of applicants accepted to our programs even if they meet the minimum requirements. The selective admission process follows these guidelines:

1. The number of applicants to the program will be limited for fall, winter and spring admission. The admission limit is based on available CEE resources to deliver high-quality undergraduate experience.
2. A committee of CEE faculty and staff make admission decisions after reviewing each applicant’s admission materials.
3. Factors that are taken into account in ranking students are:

• Individual course grades and GPA for required lower-division courses.
• Schools attended.
• Other course grades and overall GPA.
• Other factors including engineering job experience, participation in PSU engineering organizations, and other extra-curricular activities.

Admission Process - BSCE and BSENVE

Students may declare civil or environmental engineering as their major at any time after enrolling at Portland State University. However, students must be admitted formally to the BSCE or BSENVE program before they will be allowed to enroll in restricted, upper-division courses offered by the program. Applications for the BSCE and BSENVE programs are online at www.pdx.edu/cee/UGapply. In addition to the Departmental online application form, students transferring from other institutions must also apply for admission to PSU and submit one copy of their transcripts to the PSU Office of Admissions .

 

Application Deadlines - BSCE and BSENVE

Fall term - April 15
*Winter term - September 15
*Spring term - December 15
*Due to course flow and prerequisites, admittance to the BSCE or BSENVE program is recommended for the fall term only. However, mid-year admission is occasionally possible and will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Continuation Criteria - BSCE and BSENVE

After admission to the Upper Division Program, students will be expected to make satisfactory progress toward their declared degree (BSCE or BSENVE).

Satisfactory progress is defined as:

1. The term GPA in all courses taken at PSU must be 2.0 or higher.
2. The student must complete 12 credits toward the degree in an academic year.

Students failing to meet (1) or (2) of the progress criteria will be placed on probation.

Students will be suspended from the degree program if:

1. The student is placed on probation for two consecutive terms or for a total of three terms.
2. The student has not enrolled in an engineering course for three consecutive terms.

Students who are suspended will not be allowed to take courses in Civil Engineering for one term following suspension. Students who wish to be readmitted to the program need to schedule and attend an advising session with the Department Chair. If readmitted, the suspended student will be given clear continuation criteria that may exceed the pre-suspension satisfactory progress (continuation criteria) listed above. Failure to meet the revised continuation criteria following the first suspension will result in permanent suspension from the academic program.

Appeals

Students may appeal department admission decisions or department continuation criteria decisions by submitting a petition to the Department Chair. The Chair's decision can be appealed to the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department’s Appeal’s Committee. The committee will review the appeal and communicate a written decision to the Department Chair and student. The Department Appeal's Committee decision can be appealed to the Associate Dean of MCECS (info@cecs.pdx.edu).

 

Pass/No Pass Grading Policy - BSCE and BSENVE

All courses specifically required by the University or by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering must be taken for a letter grade unless a required course is only offered with a pass/no pass option.