• Industry Connections: Engage with case studies, research opportunities and projects that connect you directly with leading companies in building science and sustainability.
• Cutting-edge skillset: Develop expertise in state-of-the-art energy modeling tools, indoor air quality analysis and advanced building system design.
• Sustainability driven approach: Gain perspectives to lead building projects that are both energy efficient and health promoting, preparing you to meet critical climate and wellness goals.
• Faculty with real expertise: Learn from faculty who blend industry experience with pioneering research in building science and indoor environmental quality.
• Applied learning experiences: Go beyond the classroom with hands-on projects and opportunities to engage with Portland's thriving green building industry.

What professionals are saying about the program:

"We look for engineering graduate students that have a head start in the building sciences, HVAC, renewable power systems, sustainable building designs, energy modeling and comfort modeling. A solid understanding of building systems, energy use and indoor environmental quality (light, sound and air) is essential to our success. PAE has many PSU students among our ranks. The quality of building science programs is growing and our hope is PSU will be able to keep up with the growing demand of the building industry." 

Nick Collins, Principal with PAE

PSU is the research university in the Portland metro area. Part of what has earned us this reputation is our scholar-practitioner instructors. Added Elementary Endorsement courses are taught by experienced teachers who have scholarly expertise and advanced degrees in their fields. That means that you will learn practical tools and strategies based on sound research and theory.

As much as it is known for its research, PSU is known for its strong standing in the community. Our reputation as a high-quality teacher preparation program has helped us build an extensive network of partnerships with schools and school districts in the Portland metro area. PSU teacher candidates are sought after by principals both for student teaching field placements and for hiring.

PSU holds a strong commitment to equity and social justice. We seek to interrupt oppression and injustice and see quality, culturally sustaining education as an important avenue toward a just society. We strive to embody these principles in our practices and continually seek to improve our efforts to work for equity. Your program at PSU will encourage you to frame your career in terms of working for justice and opportunity for all people.

The PSU School Counseling Certificate Program prepares professional school counselors to work effectively and collaboratively in complex systems to promote equity and growth for all students, families, and communities. At PSU, we understand the role of the school counselor as an agent of change, growth, and resilience within the educational system. School counselors are equipped to support students in their academic, personal and social, and career and college goals and eliminate barriers to success. Our program emphasizes trauma-informed practice, equity and social justice practice, developmentally responsive prevention and intervention in schools, and developing strong integration between theory, research, and practice.

Our students learn through hands-on experience in school environments during their year-long, dual internship placement at two schools. We have two formats available to students in the program:

• In person: This option is designed for students who do not yet have experience in schools. Classes meet once per week on campus in the evenings. The in-person coursework allows for robust discussion and a deep understanding of the role of a school counselor.
• Online customized: For students who are already working in a school, we offer an online option. Online students will have asynchronous coursework designed to meet the needs of their job and school. Additionally, they will engage in a weekly online seminar with fellow students. This weekly seminar will occur after school hours via zoom.

Students are prepared to provide individual and small-group counseling, facilitate core counseling curriculum delivery in classrooms, respond to individual and school-wide crises, collaborate with other school leaders and mental health professionals to support student success, practice and promote equity, advocate for constructive program and school-wide change.

School counseling candidates complete a Participatory Action Research project at one of their internship sites allowing them to put a comprehensive school counseling program into action in the field prior to graduation. They also complete a Professional Practice Portfolio (eportfolio) demonstrating their accomplishments, professional competence, and expertise developed across their program of study.

The program offers variable credit hours, as some classes may be waived by a student if they can demonstrate that they have previously learned the material required for licensure. This waiver process is completed after admission to the program and will be supported by the student’s faculty advisor. Licensure can be recommended following completion of the final course and a Professional Practice Portfolio.

In today’s mobile society, teachers often move to Oregon and want to continue their career as teachers. If you have been a teacher outside of the United States, ITEP provides a shortened and individualized program to earn teaching credentials to work in Oregon public schools by acknowledging your professional teacher education and experience. In addition, you will have the opportunity to earn a master’s of education degree (MEd). Take at least 17 credits of graduate-level coursework based on the latest educational research and standards. Then, complete a 6 credit practicum with an experienced teacher as your mentor to become familiar with US classrooms. You will typically begin the program in summer term and complete the practicum in fall and winter so you can be ready to apply for the Oregon teaching license by spring break in March. However, this schedule may vary depending on your background and course availability.

Because of state licensure requirements, you will be able to earn a license to teach at the same level and in the same subject as your original teaching license/degree. Your foreign credential will be reviewed to determine eligibility and potential program outcomes. If your plan of study allows, you will be integrated into a regular teacher education cohort for additional support.

You also have the option to earn a master’s of education within seven years of program start. The 17 credits required for licensure will count as core classes. To complete the 45 required credits for the master’s, select courses that fit your needs and interests. These courses can be taken within PSU’s department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, or from the greater PSU community. Coursework offered through the master’s of curriculum and instruction are of great relevance and importance because these courses are designed for inservice teachers and explore more advanced areas in education.

The Graduate Teacher Education Program at Portland State’s College of Education, known for its strong focus on equity and social justice, prepares culturally responsive teachers to teach all students. ITEP graduates bring a multicultural and often multilingual perspective towards teaching. They are often hired to teach in dual-language programs.

In April 2016, Oregon joined 32 other states in instituting the award of a State Seal of Biliteracy to high school students who are proficient in at least two languages by the time they graduate. More than half of Oregon’s school districts now aim to have their graduates obtain this honor on their diploma. Dual-language programs are at the forefront of this movement to promote bilingualism and biliteracy, so the demand for dual-language programs increases annually. As the leading public university in Oregon’s largest urban center, PSU supplies many of the state’s bilingual teachers. PSU’s deeply welcoming and inclusive environment provides space for BTP’s diverse students. Both at PSU and in BTP, education is a powerful scaffolding. It helps graduates be resilient in changing job markets and make a difference where you work.

The BTP Elementary program has been nationally recognized and awarded. Our cohort model brings together bilingual students to build on each other’s cultural and linguistic strengths. You will learn together about culturally responsive pedagogy and practices and advocating for equity and social justice in education. BTP graduates are highly prepared to teach in dual-language settings and classrooms where there are multilingual students representing many languages.

BTP is a state leader in providing a teacher preparation program specifically designed for bilingual-bicultural students. The curriculum is centered around an equity lens that views language and culture as assets and that draws from the research and best practices for working with bilingual and emerging bilingual students and families. BTP graduates are highly prepared to teach in dual-language settings as well as in classrooms where there are multiple bilingual students representing many languages.