Department of Computer Science

ABOUT US The Department of Computer Science at Portland State University offers students and faculty a community to learn, discover, innovate, and share a curriculum based on the application and theoretical foundations of Computer Science. The department provides many resources for our students with 26 regular faculty members who specialize in a variety of research areas and a dedicated staff to advise our multiple programs of study. We offer undergraduate (BS) and graduate (MS, Ph.D.) degrees, a minor, a computer security certificate, and a collaborative degree in Biomedical Informatics with OHSU. We have over 800 undergraduate CS majors and almost 200 graduate students, including more than 30 Ph.D. students. Partnering with various local tech companies, the Department has developed a cooperative education program (PCEP) that provides both an educational and professional experience that is unique to only our students. We also participate in the industry-sponsored MECOP internship program. In addition, many students find their own internships among the many high-tech companies in our area, sometimes called the “Silicon Forest”. With many opportunities for our students, we encourage internships as a great complement to formal learning. MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Computer Science Department is to work effectively and collegially to create, apply, and impact knowledge in computing, software, and information technologies through accessible education programs, relevant and collaborative research, and service to the profession and local, national, and global communities. We are proud that nontraditional students are an integral part of our tradition, welcoming more transfer students and career changers than any other college in Oregon. Maseeh College is also a champion for access to engineering and computer science education: almost half of our student body is non-white, and 45% of them are the first generation to attend college. The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) recently awarded Maseeh Bronze Level Recognition in their Diversity Recognition Program.