Admissions | Postsecondary Adult and Continuing Education

Admission Requirements
  • Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
  • Have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or the equivalent (on the U.S. 4.0 scale).
  • Applicants who have earned 9 or more letter-graded graduate credits must have a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 or the equivalent; this graduate GPA supersedes the undergraduate GPA.
Admissions Timeline
Program StartFallWinterSpringSummer
*Priority Application Deadline:----January 15--
Final Application DeadlineAugust 15November 15February 15May 15

*If you submit by our priority deadline, you will have access to our scholarship application, which is due by February 1st.

Required application materials

Below is the list of the materials and information you will need to provide as part of your online application. We recommend preparing these materials in advance of submitting your application.

  • Unofficial Transcripts: from your bachelor’s degree-granting institution and from any institution at which you have earned graduate-level credit
  • Official Transcripts: After you are admitted, you must submit official transcripts to the Graduate School
  • English Language Proficiency: Automatically assessed in your application materials. Learn more about your options for proving proficiency.
  • Résumé.
  • Personal statement
  • References: Submit contact information for at least two references via the application. Portland State University will contact your references and provide them with instructions for submitting recommendation forms.

Admissions instructions

  1. Create an account or sign into the Portland State University Admissions Application system.
  2. Select "Start New Application"
  3. Then select "Graduate Application"
  4. For the college, select "College of Education"
  5. For the program of study, select "Educational Leadership and Policy: PACE specialization, Masters"
  6. Select the term you plan to start the program

To validate your admission you must take a course during the term in which you have requested to be admitted. Should you not take a course in that term, your application will be cancelled and you will need to reapply to the next cohort.

Questions about the application process?

If you have questions about the application process, contact askcoe@pdx.edu.
Learn about available scholarships and financial aid.