Portland State University, located in downtown Portland, Oregon, was established in 1946 as the Vanport Extension Center. It is a four-year degree granting institution dedicated to promoting high-quality education throughout the world. The main centers and colleges of the university include: School of Business Administration, Graduate School of Education, Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, School of Fine and Performing Arts, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Graduate School of Social Work, and the College of Urban and Public Affairs. The Oregon university has more than 15,000 students, the majority of which are from the United States. It also has a community of international students, mainly from Asia, Africa, and Europe. The university is accredited nationally by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. It has a regional accreditation from the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges (NWASC). The university’s mission is to raise the intellectual, social, cultural, and economic qualities of urban life. The university provides research, teaching and out reach programs for stabilizing its mission. The university conducts research and community service that supports a perfect educational environment and mirrors issues important to the region. It serves the community through the development of its educational institutions and is committed to rendering programs tractable to the dynamics of employment and market requirements. As an internationally recognized institution, the university offers a wide range of programs, which are relevant for the development of contemporary society. Its interdisciplinary general education curriculum include: undergraduate degree programs, professional and graduate programs. Academic programs focus on the study of regional, national, and international communities. The highest degree offered by the university is a doctorate.