Portland State University (
PSU) is a public,
nonprofit, coeducational
research university located in the southwest University District of
downtown Portland,
Oregon, United States. Originally founded in 1946 as post-secondary educational institution for
World War II veterans, it evolved into a four-year college over the following two decades, and was granted university status in 1969. It is the only public urban university in the state of Oregon that is located in a major metropolitan city, and is governed by a board of
trustees.