PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
FOREST GROVE, OREGON
The University
Pacific University is a private, fully accredited four-year liberal arts university that encompasses an undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences and six graduate programs: five in the health professions and one in teacher education. Founded in 1849 by Congregational pioneers, Pacific is still a frontier institution, proud of its tradition in liberal arts and sciences and innovative in its programs for the rapidly changing health-care professions.
Pacific's 2,200 students come from all over the United States and twenty-eight countries, creating a diverse and dynamic student body. Students are taught by the University's 147 full-time faculty members, each of whom is chosen for his or her distinctive devotion to teaching and an emphasis on individual mentoring.
The College of Arts and Sciences is noted for its exceptionally personalized approach to education that is grounded in a philosophy of service. It is recognized for outstanding programs in the natural sciences, education, business, psychology, world languages, and the humanities.
Pacific's select group of graduate health profession programs includes the Pacific Northwest's only college of optometry as well as schools of physical therapy, occupational therapy, clinical and counseling psychology, and physician's assistant studies. In addition, a school of education offers undergraduate and master's-level programs leading to teacher licensure.
The lively and vigorous campus springs from the college's residential nature. Freshmen and sophomores under 21 are required to live in one of the University's coed residence facilities. Students who choose to live off-campus may live in the University-owned housing units or other nearby apartment complexes. On campus, the University Center is a hub of activity that houses the campus bookstore, the dining commons, a new lounge, student government offices, Macintosh and PC lab facilities, the campus radio station, and the newspaper office. The Pacific Undergraduate Community Council (PUCC) provides funding to more than fifty student interest groups ranging from the Outback program to the Hawaiian Club to the Politics and Law Forum. The Pacific Outback program provides a multitude of outdoor activities for interested students, such as kayaking, hiking, cross-country and downhill skiing trips, camping, and outings to Portland-area events.
In athletics, Pacific is a member of the Northwest Conference and the NCAA Division III. Men's intercollegiate sports are baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track, and wrestling. Women compete in basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball, and wrestling. Pacific athletes train and compete in the Pacific Athletic Center, which includes a gymnasium; a multipurpose field house; racquetball, handball, and squash courts; saunas; a dance studio; a weight and fitness room; and a complete sports medicine training facility.
Location
Situated in the northwest corner of Oregon between metropolitan Portland and the Pacific Ocean, the University is located in Forest Grove (population 18,000). The 60-acre, oak-covered campus is surrounded by green countryside and the foothills of the Coast Range Mountains, beyond which is the 300-mile stretch of Oregon coast. Opportunities abound in Oregon for hiking, skiing, camping, fishing, beach combing, and bicycling. The climate is temperate throughout the year with winter rainfall tapering off to a pleasant spring and sunny summer.
Majors and Degrees
Major programs leading to the B.A. or B.S. degree are offered through the College of Arts and Sciences in anthropology/sociology, applied science, art, bioinformatics, biology, business administration (with an emphasis in accounting, finance, management, or marketing), chemistry (with an emphasis in biological chemistry, chemical physics, or environmental chemistry), Chinese studies, computer science, coordinated studies in humanities, creative writing, economics, education and learning, environmental biology, exercise science (with an emphasis in sports medicine or human performance), French studies, German studies, history, international studies, Japanese studies, literature, mathematics, media arts (with an emphasis in film production, film studies, integrated media, journalism, or video production), modern languages (with an emphasis in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish), music (with an emphasis in education or performance), philosophy (with a bioethics emphasis), physics, political science, psychology, social work, sociology, Spanish, and theater. The B.M. degree is offered in music. Secondary education certification is available in art, biology, English, French, German, health education (combined endorsement only), integrated science, Japanese, mathematics, music, reading (combined endorsement only), social studies (secondary education students only), and Spanish.
Pacific offers five programs in the health professions that require undergraduate study. These include optometry (O.D.), professional psychology (M.A., M.S., and Psy.D.), physical therapy (M.S. and D.P.T.), occupational therapy (M.O.T.), and a physician's assistant studies program (M.S.). Programs in teacher education include the fifth-year M.A.T., M.A.T. Flex, M.Ed., and the M.Ed. in Visual Function and Learning (in conjunction with the optometry program). Physical therapy students must complete three years of undergraduate prerequisite work before being admitted into the program. Optometry students spend three years in undergraduate prerequisite work before being admitted into the four-year doctoral graduate program. Occupational therapy students spend three years in undergraduate prerequisite work and 2 years in the master's program. The physician's assistant studies master's program is a twenty-seven-month consecutive program.
Pacific offers 3-2 programs in computer science, electrical engineering, and environmental science through a cooperative program with the nearby Oregon Graduate Institute. At the completion of the program, the student receives both a bachelor's degree from Pacific and a master's degree in their specialty from Oregon Graduate Institute.
Academic Programs
Pacific provides an excellent education in the liberal arts and sciences. The undergraduate core curriculum emphasizes writing, reasoning, and communication skills with attention given to cross-cultural education and work in the natural sciences and the fine arts. All freshmen participate in a semester-long first-year seminar program designed to introduce students to college-level writing and research expectations. Pacific has a long tradition of ethical concern that is reflected in its undergraduate courses and its many opportunities for service both on-campus and within the broader community. As a small university, Pacific maintains small classes that ensure close contact among students and faculty members.
Special programs in the College of Arts and Sciences include the Senior Capstone thesis research project, the Peace and Conflict Studies Program, and a minor in feminist studies.
Basic requirements for the B.A. or B.S. degree are 124 semester hours of credit, completion of a major, and completion of the core requirements in the College of Arts and Sciences. The year is divided into two semesters with a three-week winter term between the two semesters. Students typically take 15 credit hours during each semester and three credit hours during the winter term.
Pacific grants credit for both subject and general CLEP examinations. Each department or school at Pacific University determines whether or not a specific examination may substitute for a specific course. Students who score 4 or better on the Advanced Placement examinations of the College Board are given advanced placement and credit toward graduation. Pacific recognizes the International Baccalaureate program as providing college-level work. Six semester credits are awarded for each higher examination passed at a score of 5 or higher.
Off-Campus Programs
Pacific offers study-abroad programs with thirty-three schools in fifteen countries, including Austria, China, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Thailand, and Wales. Foreign language and international studies majors are required to spend at least one semester studying abroad and may use financial aid toward their foreign study. Pacific also emphasizes internships, which are regularly arranged for students in business, communications, political science, psychology, sociology, and other fields. The internships, which may be arranged for periods lasting from fourteen weeks to an entire academic year, offer the opportunity to become thoroughly acquainted with professional work and often lead to employment upon graduation.
Academic Facilities
The 60-acre campus, a picturesque setting with green lawns and tall shade trees, has eighteen major buildings. Historic Marsh Hall, which was originally constructed in 1893 and completely refurbished in 1977, holds classrooms, offices of faculty members, and administration facilities. Old College Hall, built in 1850, was the first permanent structure of Pacific University. This building contains museum galleries, historic exhibits, and the campus chapel. The Douglas C. Strain Science Center and the Taylor-Meade Performing Arts Center were additions to campus in 1993. Students live in one of three residence halls or in the Vandervelden apartments. All on-campus rooms are connected to the campus computer network linked to the Internet. The Harvey W. Scott Library has 133,329 bound volumes, documents, periodicals, microfilm, microfiche, and musical recordings and scores. Pacific is part of OCLC (Online Computer Library Center), which allows students access to libraries all over the nation. Also available are a foreign language laboratory, a study-skills center, a rare books room, and various audiovisual services.
Costs
Tuition and fees for the 200304 school year were $20,104. Room and board were approximately $6456 for a double room and a nineteen-meal-per-week plan. Books and supplies are estimated at approximately $700.
Financial Aid
Financial assistance at Pacific is awarded on the basis of demonstrated need, academic merit, and talent. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used in evaluating need. Prospective students are encouraged to apply for financial assistance by submitting the FAFSA to the federal processor as soon after January1 as possible. Pacific provides financial assistance through grants, scholarships, loans, and part-time employment. Further information is available via e-mail at financialaid@pacificu.edu.
Faculty
Pacific's outstanding faculty members provide the foundation for the University's academic program. A student-faculty ratio of 13:1 allows for personal attention by the professors. Pacific's faculty is made up of 147 dedicated educators, of whom 96 percent hold terminal degrees in their field. As professionals, they uphold the University's standard of academic excellence. Pacific does not use graduate or teaching assistants in any course.
Student Government
Participatory government at Pacific enables students to help shape the campus community in which they live and work. Students are encouraged to voice their opinions and to pursue new ideas that not only further personal growth but also the overall growth and development of the University. The official student government body manages activity funds, reviews and supports student issues, and coordinates student participation within the system.
Admission Requirements
Pacific University is selective in considering new students. Primary consideration is given to a candidate's academic preparation and potential for successful study at the college level, as assessed by evaluating the student's transcripts of college-preparatory work, counselor and teacher recommendations, personal essay, SAT I or ACT scores, and other student-submitted information, such as teacher recommendations. Transfer students must submit high school records and test scores if they have completed less than 30 semester hours, plus official transcripts from any institution previously attended.
Application and Information
Students may apply early and may be notified early through the modified rolling admissions plan. The regular priority deadline for admission is February15.
For additional information, interested students should contact:
