2020 Best Online Colleges in Oregon

Established in 1868, Oregon State University (OSU) is a public research university located in the city of Corvallis. With a student enrollment of more than 28,000, it is the state’s largest university. OSU offers over 100 online and hybrid programs, including both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Degree programs are available in the fields of agriculture, anthropology, botany, fisheries and wildlife studies, German, psychology, rangeland science, religious studies, public health, and teaching. Additionally, online graduate and undergraduate certificates, minors, and more than 1,300 online/hybrid classes are available. OSU uses the Canvas online management system to deliver online coursework. Online student resources include personalized coaching, access to OSU libraries, online tutoring, IT assistance, career development center, learning center, learning communities, and more.
 

A public polytechnic university with its residential campus in Klamath Falls, Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) provides degrees in engineering, health technologies, management, communication, psychology, and applied sciences. A robust distance-learning program includes four online master’s degrees, 14 online bachelor’s degrees, two online associate degrees, and four online certificate programs. Popular fields of study include psychology, healthcare management, information technology, and clinical sleep health. Online students who already have college credits can complete their bachelor’s degree in such subjects as dental hygiene, echocardiography, respiratory care, and vascular technology. OIT uses the Canvas online management system to deliver online coursework. Support services for distance learners includes academic advising, the university bookstore, peer consulting, and an online writing lab.
 

Pacific University (PU), located in the city of Forest Grove, was founded in 1849 and is a private liberal arts university. The institution is divided academically into five colleges: College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business, College of Education, College of Health Professionals, and College of Optometry. A bachelor of health science is offered as a fully online degree completion program; coursework is accessed online with synchronous, weekly, interactive sessions with instructors and students as part of each course. PU also offers an online gerontology certificate program, as well as several online post-baccalaureate courses to help students who have a bachelor’s degree prepare for graduate programs.
 

Founded in 1887 as the University of Oregon Medical Department, Oregon Health & Science University is a public university with its main campus, including two hospitals, located in Portland. An online Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree completion program is offered for RNs who already have their Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing. Both full- and part-time study options are available. Theory courses are completed online, and clinical hour requirements can be fulfilled in the student’s locality. Those interested in teaching or leadership roles in the field of nursing can study health systems and organizational leadership or nursing education. The online master’s programs have a fall term start.
 

Founded as a school for Quakers in 1885, George Fox University is a Christian university with its main campus in the city of Newberg. Six online bachelor’s degrees are offered at George Fox in management and organizational leadership, project management, healthcare administration, and social & behavioral studies. Courses specific to each degree are available online, and the core curriculum (general education) classes needed to complete each degree can be taken in person or online. However, students admitted to an online cohort must attend a two-day Cohort Launch at the main campus in Portland at the beginning of the program. The remainder of the programs can be completed fully online. Students are grouped together in learning communities on a 16-month schedule.
 

Founded in 1946 as a post-secondary educational institution for World War II veterans, Portland State University is a public research university composed of seven constituent colleges that cover business, education, social work, urban and public affairs, arts, engineering and computer science, and liberal arts and sciences. Over 30 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs are offered online along with certificate, endorsement, and licensure programs. Popular degree fields include arts and letters, philosophy, urban and public affairs, early intervention special education, social work, and taxation. Distance learners have access to such support services as academic advising, online tutoring, online class support, library services, and disability services. Online courses run concurrent with the normal beginning and ending dates of the respective term.
 

Established in 1905 as a university-preparatory school, Concordia University is a private, nonprofit, Lutheran, liberal arts university located in Portland. The institution offers several fully online programs through its three different schools: College of Education, School of Management, and College of Health and Human Services. Master’s and bachelor’s degrees are offered online, as are certificate programs and five doctoral degrees in education. Popular programs include early childhood education, homeland security and emergency management, and healthcare management. Online class sizes range from six to 18 students, and there are as many as six start times throughout the year. Learning is asynchronous, and course material is available 24/7. Courses include audio and video lectures and presentations, discussion boards, document downloads, online chats, and streaming discussions.
 

Founded in 1935, Northwest Christian University (NCU), located in Eugene, is a private, Christian, liberal arts college affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. More than 30 online degree programs are offered, and the eight-week format along with six start dates per year make online learning at NCU an ideal choice for busy students balancing family, work, and other obligations. No standardized testing is required for admission, and up to 75% of prior bachelor’s degree work can be transferred. Student support includes personal academic advising, online library resources, online tutoring, IT assistance, and personalized guidance from NCU’s career development team. Programs are offered in the fields of accounting, business administration, psychology, nursing, and teacher education. All courses are taught from a Christian perspective.
 

Located in La Grande, Eastern Oregon University is a public university and one of seven state-funded, four-year universities of higher education. More than 40 majors, minors, certificates, and graduate degrees are offered online. Two online Bachelor of Applied Science degrees are offered: business administration and emergency medical services administration. Online graduate programs are available in business administration, teaching, and education. Popular subjects for online study include early childhood education, English, history, and politics and economics. An integrative studies degree is also available, which allows students to work with an advisor to create their own customized study plan, combining two minors of their choice into a major. Distance learners have access to academic advisors, scholarships, financial aid, and benefits for active military and veterans.
 

A private Christian college in Salem, Corban University offers undergraduate programs in biblical studies, liberal arts, and professional studies, and graduate programs in business, ministry, education, and counseling. Sixteen degrees are offered entirely online: business (with three concentrations—accounting, marketing, leadership and management) and psychology, focusing on family studies. There is also an interdisciplinary degree offered online, which allows students to tailor their program to their specific career goals. Online courses include interaction with professors and fellow students, feedback, and discussions in an online environment. Intensive eight-week courses enable students to complete their degree in a minimal amount of time. The 13:1 student-faculty ratio allows for more individual attention from faculty. Students are given an academic advisor who provides assistance throughout the duration of the program.
 

Multnomah University is a private, non-denominational, Christian university in Portland with a secondary teaching site in Reno, Nevada. Ten online degree programs are offered at MU: three bachelor’s and seven master's. Distance learners can study such subjects as psychology, TESOL, management and leadership, biblical studies, theological studies, and Christian leadership. The university uses the Canvas online learning management system to deliver coursework; a convenient mobile app is available for both iOS and Android, making tablet-to-phone-to-desktop transitioning easy and seamless. If students enrolled in the Master of Divinity program have already graduated from a Bible college or Christian liberal arts university, they can waive the program’s foundational biblical and theological coursework if they wish.