Pacific University

What is the history of Pacific University?

Pacific University is a private university in Forest Grove, Oregon, with roots in Tualatin Academy, founded in 1849. Its history helps explain why an institution that began with a liberal-arts focus now also offers graduate and professional education.

The academy developed into Pacific University in the 19th century. A major later change came when the university incorporated optometry education, establishing a professional field that remains central to its academic identity. Today, prospective students should distinguish the traditional undergraduate experience in Forest Grove from professional programs based at other Pacific locations.

What are the faculties and departments at Pacific University?

Pacific University organizes its academic programs across the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business, College of Education, College of Health Professions, and College of Optometry. It awards bachelor's degrees as well as graduate and professional credentials; the requirements and campus location depend on the program.

Undergraduates can explore fields such as biology, psychology, business, education, computer science, the humanities, and performing arts. Pacific's professional offerings include optometry and several health-related disciplines. Applicants interested in a health career should check whether their intended pathway is an undergraduate major, a separately admitted graduate program, or a professional degree with prerequisite coursework.

What is the location of Pacific University?

Pacific University's main undergraduate campus is in Forest Grove, west of Portland. Its setting is a small-city campus rather than a downtown Portland campus, which matters for students comparing walkability, commuting, internships, and housing.

The university also operates educational facilities in Hillsboro and other Oregon locations for particular programs. Students should confirm where their classes and clinical placements will occur before choosing housing. Portland International Airport serves the wider region, but travel from Forest Grove generally requires a car, a ride, or a combination of local transit connections.

What is the mission and vision of Pacific University?

Pacific University describes its purpose in terms of learning across the liberal arts and professional fields, with an emphasis on thinking, caring, creating, and pursuing justice in a global community. Those are the university's stated priorities, not measures of any individual student's experience.

Its combination of undergraduate study and health-professions education gives that mission a practical dimension: students may encounter both broad academic coursework and preparation for regulated professions. Pacific has historical ties to Congregational education, but applicants should assess its present-day programs and policies rather than assume a religious requirement from that history.