College of Education

Admissions | Graduate Teacher Education Program

The Graduate Teacher Education Program is committed to attracting, enrolling, and retaining a diverse student body that mirrors our K-12 student population. We prepare teachers who can meet the needs of all of their students, are experts in their content areas, and utilize new technologies to innovate in their classrooms.

Admissions Timeline
Application OpensSeptember 1
Priority Application Deadline*January 15
Final Application DeadlineFebruary 15
Final Application Materials Due**March 1
Information NightTBD
Mandatory OrientationTBD
Final NES Content Area Test Deadline***June 15, 2026
Program Start****June 22, 2026 (summer)
Late September (fall)

Additional Timeline Information:

*If you submit by our priority deadline, you will have the following benefits:

  • Access to our scholarship application, which is due by March 1st
  • Priority for admission to the 1-year program

**Recommendations can sometimes take longer to arrive. You can submit your application before these have arrived. This deadline is to allow a short grace period for your recommendations to arrive, if necessary.

***The NES test scores are due by June 15th. If you would like to use the test scores to demonstrate your content area knowledge in the admissions process, you will need to submit your scores with your application.

****Please note that you must have already completed ALL content area requirements prior to starting the program.

After submission, your application will be reviewed by staff and faculty. We communicate admissions decisions 1–2 weeks after your interview.

Admissions requirements

  • Hold a bachelor’s degree with a 2.75 GPA or above and meet the PSU Graduate School’s minimum admissions requirements.
  • Meet content area requirements
  • One year program requirements: 30 hours or more facilitating K-12 student learning. Experience in schools or educational settings is preferred; for example: substitute teaching, working as a paraeducator, school-based tutoring, or coaching. 
Content Area Requirements about this content

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
  • English Language Proficiency: Automatically assessed in your application materials. Learn more about your options for proving proficiency.
  • Content area requirement form: Complete this form and upload a pdf in the application.
  • Résumé outlining your work and volunteer experience with youth in an educational setting
  • Statement of Purpose: Please answer the following questions in 750–1000 words total. We recommend you provide examples when appropriate. Your answers should reflect how your background, beliefs, and experiences have prepared you for this program. The faculty will use this information to learn more about your preparation and motivation for becoming a teacher.
    • Our ideal student demonstrates commitment to learning and is reflective when working with youth. Please provide examples of your experience with youth (in academic, professional, or community experiences) that demonstrate how you meet these dispositional requirements. Please include: What was the context? What did you learn about yourself, others, or the work of teaching? How did the experience shape your thinking about becoming an educator?
    • Commitment to Learning: Demonstrating a belief that everyone can learn, along with a willingness to pursue ongoing professional growth. This includes showing initiative, motivation, and perseverance in the face of challenges.
    • Reflection: The ability to review and evaluate past actions and decisions in order to improve future practice. This includes openness to feedback and a willingness to adapt based on new learning.
  • Recommendations: 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.
  • Interview: Shortly after you submit your application, we will send you instructions for scheduling an interview with GTEP faculty from the College of Education. Interviews are 30 minutes and available February through May.

Admissions Review Process

We review your application for the following:

  • Academic Requirements: Via your transcripts, we assess whether you meet the university’s minimum admissions requirements.
  • Content Area Expertise: As a secondary teacher, your knowledge of and interest in your subject are vital to your success working with youth. We evaluate your content area knowledge via your content area requirement form. Your interest in the subject is assessed through your statement of purpose.
  • Experience with children and/or youth: Experience working directly with youth before you begin our program ensures that we feel confident about your future success as a teacher. We use your résumé to assess for this experience.
    • Please note: to be considered for the one-year program, you must already have 30 hours or more facilitating K-12 student learning. Experience in schools or educational settings is preferred (e.g., substitute teaching, work as a paraeducator, school-based tutor, coaching).
  • Your Interest: We evaluate your statement of purpose to gain a stronger sense of your interest in the profession and how your experiences have prepared you to become a teacher.
  • Two Recommendations: We highly recommend at least one of your recommenders has seen you facilitate learning.Your references will submit a questionnaire that you send them via the application portal.

Ready to apply?

  1. Review the PSU Graduate School’s minimum admissions requirements.
  2. Create an account or sign into the Portland State University Admissions Application system.
  3. Select "Start New Application"
  4. Then select "Graduate Application"
  5. For the college, select "College of Education"
  6. For the program of study, select: "Graduate Teacher Education Program GTEP - Secondary, MEd"
  7. Select the term you plan to start the program
    1. Please note that GTEP only admits for a summer start each year.
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Post-Admissions

You will be notified of your admission decision to the program via an email and formal digital letter from the Graduate School. After admission, you will be assigned a faculty advisor and staff student success advisor, both of whom will support you through your program. The college provides an online orientation module to help you take your next steps to begin your program. You will also be invited to a live orientation session to ensure that you’re fully prepared to begin.

A few additional things to keep in mind:

  1. You must submit your official transcripts to the graduate school after admission.
  2. If you’re still completing a bachelor’s degree, you must apply for your degree, and it must be awarded by the term before you begin your graduate program. (Ex: if the program begins summer, the degree must be awarded by the end of spring term).
  3. You must register for coursework in the term that you are admitted in order to validate admission to the program. If you do not, your admission status will be canceled.
  4. If you’re unable to begin in your term of admission, you may request a one-time deferral by emailing askcoe@pdx.edu. You may defer your admission one year.