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The University of Portland (UP) is a private Roman Catholic university located in the metropolitan city of Portland, Oregon. Affiliated with the Congregation of the Holy Cross, UP is also a sister-school of the University of Notre Dame. UP has been ranked in the Top 10 of U.S. News & World Report’s annual list of the best colleges for over twenty consecutive years and has been named the Top Oregon School and one of the best values in private colleges and universities. Established in 1901, UP is situated on a 150-acre campus which features nearly 40 building and structures, several of which are new or recently renovated, including the Beauchamp Recreation & Wellness Center, Clark Library, and state-of-the-art engineering hall, Shiley Hall.
Academic Programs
UP’s commitment to its mission of “teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership,” is proven through its graduates. The university offers a wide variety of both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its six schools of study: the College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. School of Business Administration; School of Education; Donald P. Shiley School of Engineering; School of Nursing; and UP’s Graduate School. UP’s study programs are offered through over twenty academic departments and the school’s most popular undergraduate majors are in Nursing, Biology, Marketing & Management, Finance, Elementary Education, Organizational Communication, Psychology, and Spanish.Through UP’s study abroad summer programs, students are able to earn six credits in only five weeks in a variety of global locations including France, London, Salzburg, Spain, Japan, Costa Rica, and more. Accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, UP follows a semester system academic calendar and is keeps class sizes small, which allows professors to devote more individual attention to students.
Student Life
University of Portland’s enrollment figure reaches over 4,000, including over 3,600 undergraduate students. Housing options are available to students in the form of traditional residence halls (including the recently built Fields and Schoenfeldt Halls), apartment-style halls reserved for upper-class students, or one of the several university-owned off-campus houses. Resident students enjoy a deep connection with fellow classmates and help make up the university’s vibrant campus life. Students who choose to live on campus are also that much closer to university events, including plays, movies, sporting events, speakers, and concerts.A variety of student-led organizations and interest-based groups also exist on campus, allowing students to connect with others who share same passions, interests, or beliefs. UP athletics is a member of the West Coast Conference and is an NCAA Division I-AAA school. UP’s athletic department offers nearly 20 intercollegiate sports teams, which play under the colors of purple and white with the school mascot of “Wally Pilot”.