Portland State University (PSU) is a public research university in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1946 as a 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. The university is categorized as an R2: Doctoral University – Higher Research Activity in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.