Pacific University

Pacific University Offers Outstanding Liberal Arts Programs and Professional Opportunities

Pacific University is a private, fully accredited university with more than 65 undergraduate fields of study, as well as graduate and professional programs in the health professions, optometry, education, business, writing and social work. Pacific serves more than 3,800 students from all over the United States and abroad to its campuses in Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Eugene and Woodburn, Ore. 

Students come to Pacific for a wide variety of programs, but they share a common Pacific University experience: small classes, a nurturing environment, and personal attention. Students learn from the university's full-time faculty members, who are devoted to teaching and to forming close mentoring relationships with their students. Recent graduates at the undergraduate and graduate level say that access to the high-quality faculty is a hallmark of the university.

Pacific University is known for its excellent liberal arts foundation, as well as the superior preparation its students receive to go on to careers and advanced study. In particular, the university is heralded for its graduate programs in health professions, as well as its undergraduate preparation for healthcare fields and medical school.

Pacific emphasizes the education benefits of research projects, internships, study abroad experiences, and service learning. As the first chartered university west of the Mississippi, Pacific University has a long history of excellence. Curriculum at every level emphasizes real-world experience, service learning, and preparation to contribute to a global community.

Pacific University's Prime Location: Close to the City and the Great Outdoors

Pacific University was founded in Forest Grove, Ore., and that's where most undergraduate students live and attend classes. The historic college town, population 25,000, is on the west side of the Portland Metro Area, about 25 miles from downtown Portland and just an hour from the Oregon Coast or from Mt. Hood.

Students living on campus reside in one of seven residence halls, including a brand new 200-bed building for freshmen and sophomores and an on-campus apartment complex for juniors and seniors. The residential nature of the campus creates a vibrant living environment, where students develop close, lifelong friendships.

There are more than 60 student interest groups on campus, including student media, academic societies, religious and political organizations, and service clubs. One of the largest student organizations, Na Haumana O Hawai`i, unites Pacific's significant population of students from Hawai`i and presents on an authentic lu`au each year. Pacific University also has an active Greek system.

Pacific is a member of the NCAA Division III Northwest Conference and offers varsity teams and junior varsity teams for men and women. Students also can take part in several intramural sports teams. The campus athletic center houses a gymnasium, fitness center, indoor field house featuring FieldTurf, handball/racquetball courts, wrestling room, and sports medicine training facility. The Lincoln Park Athletic Complex features the 1,100-covered-seat Hanson Stadium with a nine-lane, 400-meter track and the synthentic turf Ledbetter Field for football, soccer and lacrosse, as well as separate stadiums for baseball and softball. 

Pacific also offers an outdoor recreation program for students, including training, equipment, and organized trips for snowboarding and skiing, rock climbing, camping, kayaking and much more.

In addition to its Forest Grove Campus, Pacific University operates campuses in Hillsboro, Eugene and Woodburn. Hillsboro is home to many health professions programs, as well as graduate programs in the College of Business. The Eugene Campus offers undergraduate and graduate teacher preparation programs, as well as a master of social work. Woodburn, Pacific's newest campus, offers undergraduate and graduate education programs in cooperation with local schools in that diverse and fast-growing community.

The university also has offices in Portland and in Honolulu, Hawai`i, as well as a variety of health clinics throughout the greater Portland area.