About The University of Montana
Cradled within a large valley in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, The University of Montana offers academic excellence in an unrivaled setting. The tree-lined, 220-acre campus is bound on one side by mile-high Mount Sentinel, on another by the Clark Fork River and on two sides by the friendly community of Missoula, Montana. Turn-of-the-century brick buildings ring the Oval, a central landmark used by students to meet and study. Nearby stand the University’s most enduring symbols: stately Main Hall with its 47-bell carillon and a seven-foot bronze statue of the school’s mascot, the grizzly bear.
Established in 1893, Montana’s first university remains its leading liberal arts institution with students choosing from more than 60 fields of study for their bachelor’s degree, over 50 fields of study for master’s degrees and a nearly a dozen fields for doctoral degrees. The university is acclaimed for its high number of Rhodes Scholars, and a strong creative writing program and journalism school count among their alumni a number of best-selling authors as well as seven Pulitzer Prize winners, an extraordinary number for any university.
Within the state of Montana, the university is a major source of research, continuing education, economic development, fine arts and entertainment, as well as a driving force in strengthening Montana’s ties with the nations and economic opportunities around the world. Faculty members engage in a wide range of research, creative activity and public service, with projects ranging from monitoring global warming for NASA to developing new ways to teach mathematics in our nation’s classrooms.
Beyond the expansive lawns and tree-lined walks of the Missoula campus lie further educational opportunities. With more than 3 million acres of nearby wilderness, UM offers a strong natural resource curriculum with opportunity for hands-on experience. The University operates the 30,000-acre Lubrecht Experimental Forest (managed by the College of Forestry and Conservation) and the oldest, active biological station in the country: Flathead Lake Biological Station, a world-renowned facility for ecological studies and freshwater research.
Neighboring the university is the city of Missoula, Montana, a friendly community of about 70,000 people. The downtown business district is only a footbridge away from campus, and students are drawn to the community’s outdoor activities, farmers markets and lively cultural offerings. Missoula is home to many writers and artists, who derive inspiration from the nearby mountains, lakes and rivers. The surrounding area offers every conceivable type of outdoor recreation.
The Missoula community and the students of UM take particular pride in their Grizzlies and the Griz have repaid this support with prominent records in NCAA Division I athletics. Not only are intercollegiate sports popular, but three out of four students get involved in the dozens of intramural sports offered through Campus Recreation.
With excellent academic programs, active campus life, beautiful environment and friendly atmosphere, The University of Montana offers an educational opportunity unlike any other.