The program is a mix of English for academic purposes, academic study skills for graduate studies, mainstream courses in English-speaking classrooms, intensive advising to identify and successfully apply to a U.S. graduate program, and orientation into the U.S. university system and culture. A distinctive focus of the PMBP at UM is its emphasis on the particular language and study skills necessary for success at the graduate level. Students will receive intensive instruction in speaking and presenting in professional environments, and learn through reading and analyzing current literature, and exploring case studies. Throughout the program, students will prepare for and take the TOEFL and necessary graduate program entrance exam.

Summer Session – 6 weeks (early July start date)

• "American Culture and Intercultural Issues"
• "North American Research Methods"

Fall Semester – 15 weeks

• "TOEFL Preparation Course"
• "Critical Reading, Writing, and Thinking"
• "Mainstream course #1" (in the student's respective academic discipline)
• "Mainstream course #2" (in the student's respective academic discipline)

January 'Intersession' – 3 weeks

• "Writing for Graduate School Applications"

Spring Semester – 15 weeks

• "Academic Communication and Graduate Study Skills"
• "Critical Reading, Writing and Thinking II"
• "GRE Preparation Course (6 weeks at the beginning of the Spring semester)"
• "Mainstream course #3" (in the student's respective academic discipline)
• "Optional Mainstream course #4" (in the student's respective academic discipline)

How long you participate in the PMBP depends on two primary factors – your existing level of English language proficiency, and the terms of your conditional admission to a graduate program at the University of Montana (which is not a requirement to participate in the program). Information about each of those two factors is provided below.

English Language Proficiency

Achieving a level of English language proficiency necessary to participate in a graduate program at the University of Montana or another institution in the U.S. is aprimary objective of the PMBP.  Because of this, the point at which when you begin the PMBP will depend on your existing level of English language proficiency. Recommended starting points in the year-long program sequence are provided in the chart below.

PBT = Paper Based TOEFL score
IBT = Internet Based TOEFL score

Conditional Admission to a Graduate Program at the University of Montana

If you are conditionally admitted as a PMBP student to a graduate program at the University of Montana that program will specify the terms of your conditional admittance.  Because of this, most often you will at least have to begin in 'Sequence 2' of the PMBP regardless of your level of English language proficiency. The primary reason for this is to provide you with the opportunity to take upper-division courses in your academic discipline during the Fall semester,  familiar learning in an American, English-speaking classroom, and to allow the respective graduate program to monitor your level of academic preparedness and provide additional academic support if necessary. If conditionally admitted, the PMBP coordinator will provide you and/or your sponsor with the terms of your admission.

The cost of the program depends on the sequence that you participate in.  Please note that you can participate in individual PMBP courses or sessions (e.g. the 3 week January intersession).  Cost information for individual sessions is provided in Section 2 below.

1.

2.

*U.G. credits at the upper-level undergraduate out-of-state tuition and fee rate

Participants in the PMBP are able to live on campus in a university residence life facility.  For Residence Life room and board rates please consult this website: