Accreditation

Portland State University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. 

Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.

Accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.

Inquiries regarding an institution's accredited status by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact:

Northwest Commission on College and Universities
8060 165th Avenue N.E., Suite 100
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 558-4224
www.nwccu.org

In the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences; the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). The Department of Chemistry is accredited by the American Chemical Society (ACS).

In the College of the Arts; the School of Music & Theater’s bachelor’s and master’s programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). Theater programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theater (NAST). The Master of Architecture degree in the School of Architecture is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).

In the College of Urban and Public Affairs; the Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB). The Master of Public Administration and the Executive Master of Public Administration are accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). The Master of Public Administration – Health Administration is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).

In the College of Education; the P-12 educator preparation programs underwent both state and national accreditation review in 2023 through Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) and Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), and are accredited for seven years with a follow-up visit scheduled for 2030. The counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The Helen Gordon Child Development Center is accredited by the National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

In the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, the undergraduate engineering and computer science degrees are accredited as follows: Bachelor of Science (Civil Engineering) - accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Civil and Similarly Named Engineering Program Criteria. Bachelor of Science (Environmental Engineering) - accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET,  https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Environmental Engineering and Similarly Named Engineering Program Criteria. Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) - accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET,  https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Computer Science and Similarly Named Computing Program Criteria. Bachelor of Science (Electrical Engineering) - accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Program Criteria. Bachelor of Science (Computer Engineering) - accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET,  https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Program Criteria. Bachelor of Science (Mechanical Engineering) - accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET,  https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Mechanical and Similarly Named Engineering Program Criteria.

In the School of Business; the undergraduate and graduate business programs as well as the accounting program are accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).

In the School of Public Health; the undergraduate programs in Applied Health and Fitness, and Public Health Studies, the Master of Public Health degrees, the Master of Science in Biostatistics, and the Ph.D. programs in Community Health, Epidemiology, Health Systems and Policy are all accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The Health Management & Policy MPH is also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).

In the School of Social Work; both the bachelor’s and the master’s programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The Child, Youth, & Family Studies certificate program is accredited by the National Council on Family Relations (NCRF).