PSU has dedicated pre-health advisors to help students plan their coursework, support them in gaining relevant healthcare experience, and guide them through the dental school application process.

PSU offers the Aspects of Dentistry course (1 credit) which is taught every spring term to help pre-dental students better understand the field. It is taught by OHSU School of Dentistry faculty and provides an opportunity to hear from faculty, participate in hands-on activities, and meet with current dental students.

There are a very wide range of clinical and other volunteer opportunities available in the Portland area to help students better understand the role of dentists and other healthcare providers, gain exposure to different clinical settings, and boost their application to dental programs in the future.

Beyond the pre-requisite courses needed to prepare to apply to dental school.

PSU’s Health, Science, and the Earth pathway advising team offers many different workshops and events to help you in preparing to apply for dental school in the future.

Many of Portland State’s departments and schools offer student research opportunities, including Biology, Chemistry, and the School of Public Health.

PSU has the Ignite Scholarship program, developed in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente and Portland Leadership Foundation, which emphasizes a culture of support and community for students in healthcare career pathways that can sometimes be complex and overwhelming. Students who receive the Ignite scholarship will be part of a program emphasizing leadership and mentorship (supported by a $5,000 scholarship), which includes serving as mentors for incoming pre-health students.

Incoming pre-health students seeking mentorship can apply to be matched with PSU's Ignite mentors. This is a one-year commitment (fall, winter, and spring terms) for mentors and mentees.

Student organizations on campus help students to connect with peers pursuing pre-health tracks or science fields, as well as many different multicultural, social, and community involvement focused groups. Examples of student groups include the Health Promotion Student Organization, Portland State Women in STEM, Science Outreach Society, Biology Investigation and Outreach, and the Neuroscience Club at PSU.

Social Justice and Culturally Responsive Music Teaching

We believe our students will change the face of music education by creating inclusive and diverse music programs that celebrate and energize the communities in which they work.

At PSU, we don’t just talk about social justice, we act. Our future teachers dive deep into culturally responsive music teaching practices including issues of representation, repertoire, curriculum, and classroom management. They participate in our social justice choir connecting unhoused members of the Portland community through music. Our students understand the importance of universal designs to connect all students to music in their future schools. They may focus on band, orchestra, choir, or elementary music teaching, but they are also prepared to teach courses such as music production, modern band, and mariachi.

We are proud to be a national College of Distinction for our commitment to helping students to succeed. 

At PSU, you will gain the experience and knowledge you need to make a difference in your career and community.

PSU's Music programs are fully accredited National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and holds the All-Steinway School designation.

PSU has dedicated pre-health advisors to help students plan their coursework, support them in gaining relevant healthcare experience, and guide them through the process of applying to naturopathic schools such as the National University of Naturopathic Medicine (NUNM) or Bastyr University.

There are a very wide range of clinical and other volunteer opportunities available in the Portland area to help students better understand the role of naturopaths and other healthcare providers, gain exposure to different clinical settings, and boost their application to naturopathic programs in the future.

Beyond the pre-requisite courses needed to prepare to apply to naturopathic schools, PSU offers many additional courses of interest to pre-health students, including Mind/Body Health: Disease Prevention (PHE 466), Communicable and Chronic Disease (PHE 363), Physics in Biomedicine (PHY 337), Gender, Race, Class, & Health (PHE 452), Philosophy of Medicine (PHL 318), Biomedical Ethics (PHL 446), Sociology for the Health Sciences (SOC 250), and many others.

Many of Portland State’s departments and schools offer student research opportunities, including Biology, Chemistry, and the School of Public Health.

PSU has the Ignite Scholarship program, developed in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente and Portland Leadership Foundation, which emphasizes a culture of support and community for students in healthcare career pathways that can sometimes be complex and overwhelming. Students who receive the Ignite scholarship will be part of a program emphasizing leadership and mentorship (supported by a $5,000 scholarship), which includes serving as mentors for incoming pre-health students.

Incoming pre-health students seeking mentorship can apply to be matched with PSU's Ignite mentors. This is a one-year commitment (fall, winter, and spring terms) for mentors and mentees.

Student organizations on campus help students to connect with peers pursuing pre-health tracks or science fields, as well as many different multicultural, social, and community involvement focused groups. Examples of student groups include the Health Promotion Student Organization, Portland State Women in STEM, Science Outreach Society, Biology Investigation and Outreach, and the Neuroscience Club at PSU.

• Flexible degree options. You can personalize your experience by choosing from 100% online (classes are offered fully online once per year, the online sequence begins Fall term), 100% on-campus, or a combination of online and on-campus courses. You make the choice of what format works best for you in any particular term, so you have the flexibility to change course modalities if work or family demands change along the way. 
• Exceptional professional connections. Our accounting program has relationships throughout the regional economy, so you’ll have routine contact with accountants and employers both on and off-campus. Large and small corporations actively seek to interact with our accounting majors via internships, networking events, job fairs, classroom case studies and other events.
• Practical skills development. PSU accounting majors develop the professional toolkit employers are looking for. Both in the classroom and in real-world settings such as professional internships, you’ll work with industry-standard software like Tableau and Quickbooks. 
• Outstanding faculty. Accounting courses are taught by high-quality instructors who combine advanced scholarship with direct experience in the accounting industry. They’ll share lessons you can’t find in any accounting textbook, along with professional contacts, career guidance, and mentorship.
• Holistic education. Our accounting degree emphasizes the interconnections between accounting and other business operations such as finance, marketing, and management. Infused throughout is a focus on the accountants’ responsibility to the public, and the role of accounting in ensuring functional financial markets and society. You’ll stand out in the accounting job market—and in the workforce—for your ability to think strategically, solve problems creatively, collaborate on interdisciplinary teams, and synthesize information from multiple sources. 
• Excellent hiring record. PSU accounting graduates work throughout greater Portland for corporations, accounting firms, nonprofits, and government agencies. Because of our high name recognition and strong reputation with employers, PSU’s business degree in accounting helps you stand out in the job market. 
• Graduate degree pathways into our MSF and MT programs. PSU accounting students are eligible for an accelerated pathway program into our Master of Science in Finance (MSF). Students complete 8 MSF credits in their senior year which are shared between their bachelor’s degree and MSF degree. PSU accounting students are also eligible for an accelerated pathway program into our Master of Taxation (MT). Students complete 8 MT credits in their senior year which are shared between their bachelor's degree and MT degree.

Students who minor in accounting develop a range of technical skills that are essential for success in accounting and related fields such as: financial statement analysis, accounting software proficiency, cost accounting techniques, understanding of tax laws and regulations, familiarity with auditing principles and practices, financial modeling, and understanding of internal control systems and procedures to safeguard assets. These technical skills are valuable not only for careers in accounting but also for roles in finance, and consulting, as well as for independent contractors, artists and professionals in the gig economy.

Accounting Degree Highlights

• Elite dual accreditation in accounting and business AACSB
• The flexible degree options allow you to earn your degree no matter where you're at
• More than 800 business internships and jobs posted to PSU students each year by corporations, nonprofits, government agencies, and numerous other organizations
• Accounting Mentor Program that offers career guidance from active accounting professionals
• Career development support to hone your interviewing, resume writing, job search, and business etiquette skills
• A strong foundation for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam

As a music composition major, you will gain real-world experience composing and leading performances of your own work. Prior to your first year, you will audition to become a music major. Upon acceptance into the program, your study will start with a focus on applied lessons on your instrument and foundational music classes. In your second year, you will officially begin learning how to compose music in your classes. Following a successful portfolio submission at the end of your second year, you will receive applied lessons in composition and begin to hear your music performed by peers in concerts.

We are proud to be a national College of Distinction for our commitment to helping students to succeed. At PSU, you will gain the experience and knowledge you need to make a difference in your career and community.

PSU's Music programs are fully accredited National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and holds the All-Steinway School designation.

We are proud to be a national College of Distinction for our commitment to helping students to succeed. At PSU, you will gain the experience and knowledge you need to make a difference in your career and community.

PSU's Music programs are fully accredited National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and holds the All-Steinway School designation.

As a jazz studies major, you can gain real-world experience performing in local gigs in Portland or on-campus concerts where you’ll have the chance to hone your own creative style.

We are proud to be a national College of Distinction for our commitment to helping students to succeed. At PSU, you will gain the experience and knowledge you need to make a difference in your career and community.

PSU's Music programs are fully accredited National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and holds the All-Steinway School designation.

As a music performance major, you can gain real-world experience performing both on campus and in the greater community.

Our diverse campus is located in the center of downtown Portland, right in the heart of the city’s vibrant performing arts district. Our deep community connections give you unmatched opportunities for hands-on learning as an undergraduate.

We are proud to be a national College of Distinction for our commitment to helping students to succeed. At PSU, you will gain the experience and knowledge you need to make a difference in your career and community.

PSU's Music programs are fully accredited National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and holds the All-Steinway School designation.

As a Music History major, you can gain real-world experience building your writing or multimedia portfolio by contributing to Subito, our School’s scholarly journal, or writing for PSU’s newspaper, the Vanguard. You also have the opportunity to connect with other students in the major through our Musicology Circle and in ensembles ranging from jazz to taiko drumming to gamelan.

We are proud to be a national College of Distinction for our commitment to helping students to succeed. At PSU, you will gain the experience and knowledge you need to make a difference in your career and community.

PSU's Music programs are fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The school holds the All-Steinway School designation.

As a voice major, you can gain real-world experience performing on campus. With five choirs and two opera productions each year, there is a place for every singer at PSU. Our community of students and faculty foster self-respect and relentlessly support one another in their goals, without making it feel too competitive.

We are proud to be a national College of Distinction for our commitment to helping students to succeed. At PSU, you will gain the experience and knowledge you need to make a difference in your career and community.

PSU's Music programs are fully accredited National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and holds the All-Steinway School designation.