Winter term classes begin January 6 at Portland State, and there are some exciting transportation courses available this term. Not a current PSU student? You can still take a course: Anyone interested can register for classes through the non-degree application process, as a post-baccalaureate student, or for free if you're a senior citizen. Taking a course can be a good way to see if one of our graduate degree programs is right for you. 

Check out the listings below to see what's on offer at PSU.

New Program: Urban Studies and Planning Bachelor + Master (B+M) 

The Toulan School at Portland State University has recently added a new enrollment option called the Urban Studies and Planning Bachelor + Master (B+M) Program. The B+M allows junior- and senior-level students enrolled in the undergraduate Community Urban Studies and Planning (CUSP) program to earn up to twenty hours of college credit that count toward both their CUSP degree and Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) degree. For students who want to pursue a career in urban planning, a master’s degree is usually necessary. The B+M provides a cost-effective option that ensures enrollment in a master’s program while still completing an undergrad degree. Learn more about this new program.

Urban Studies and Planning (USP) Winter Transportation Courses

USP 544 Urban Transportation Planning

USP 570 Transportation and Land Use

An analysis of transportation and land use interactions in urban areas. The impact of highway and transit changes on travel behavior, locational decisions, and urban form are examined.

Civil and Environmental Engineering (CE) Winter Transportation Courses

Non-degree or non-PSU students should contact the Civil Engineering Academic Program Manager at ceedept@pdx.edu in order to register for a CE course, as the system requires an approval to process the registration.

CE 324 Elements of Structural Analysis

Loads on structures as dictated in various codes and specification; load flow through a structural system and tributary areas; methods of analysis of statistically determinate planar trusses, beams, and frames; concepts of stability and indeterminacy; axial, shear, and bending moment; calculations of displacements and rotations by virtual work, Castigliano's theorem for trusses, beams and frames; computer analysis of structures using an existing commercial program. 

CE 351 Introduction to Transportation Engineering

A study of engineering problems associated with the planning and design of urban and intercity transportation with emphasis on systems approach to problem definition and solution. Vehicle operational characteristics and traffic control devices for land, air, and water, data collection methods and development of transportation models for the establishment of design criteria for transportation structures. 

CE 421/521 Theoretical and Computational Soil Mechanics

Presents a theoretical framework for soil properties and soil behavior. Topics include Cauchy stress tensors, Hooke’s elastic theory, plasticity theory, Mohr-Coulomb soil model, and modified Cam clay elasto-plastic soil model. Part of the course uses computer simulations of geotechnical laboratory tests with FLAC software to apply geomechanical theory. Also offered for undergraduate-level credit as CE 421 and may be taken only once for credit. 

CE 450/550 Transportation Safety Analysis

Incorporating safety in highway engineering and transportation planning that includes highway design, operation, and maintenance, as well as human factors, statistical analysis, traffic control and public policy. Design concepts of intersections, interchanges, signals, signs and pavement markings; analyzing data sets for recommendations and prioritization; principles of driver and vehicle characteristics in relation to the roadway.

CE 510/610 Transportation Data Science

An introduction to transportation engineering data types, manipulation, analysis, and modeling techniques. Knowledge of statistics required and knowledge of Python programming recommended (or keenness to learn a new programming language). Restricted to graduate students. Undergraduates must contact the instructor for permission to register. 

CE 510/610 Sensing and Monitoring of Structures: Applications

In this course, students learn about various non-destructive testing (NDT) methods used to examine concrete, steel, and timber structures. Methods include: Visual inspection, rebound hammer, infrared thermography, impulse response testing, ultrasonic testing, ground penetrating radar, half-cell potential, and electrical resistivity. Additionally, structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques based on strain, motion, and ultrasonic waves for tracking conditions changes over time are introduced. Each method is studied by discussing its physics principle, instrumentation, data processing and visualization, and applications and limitations, followed by hands-on laboratory sessions.

Friday Transportation Seminars

Fridays, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Offered as a class for credit in the Fall, the Friday Transportation Seminar series at PSU is not a for-credit class in Winter or Spring terms. However, seminars will be scheduled periodically during the Winter and Spring terms, and students are always encouraged to attend. The seminars are open to the public, and can be watched online from anywhere. You can find upcoming seminars on the TREC website.

Graduate Certificate in Transportation

The two disciplines, planning and engineering, also collaborate to offer a Graduate Certificate in Transportation for established professionals looking for a deeper understanding of transportation disciplines. Increasingly, transportation professionals need multi-disciplinary knowledge and skills to anticipate social, environmental, and technological trends and incorporate them into intelligently-integrated transportation systems. The Graduate Certificate in Transportation will offer you advanced education at the intersection of urban planning and civil engineering for those seeking to build upon their knowledge and credentials.

Photo courtesy of Portland State University

Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research. To get updates about what's happening at TREC, sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us at the links below.

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