The Heart & Soul of UM
The mission of the College of Humanities and Sciences is to pursue academic excellence by providing unique educational experiences through integration of the liberal arts, graduate study, and professional training with international and interdisciplinary emphases.
As the intellectual core of the University of Montana, we fulfill the central purpose for which the University was chartered in 1893 by providing a liberal education and integrated knowledge of the humanities and the sciences. In doing so, we promote:
- the transformative power of education, in which knowledge and understanding is created through active learning, research and creative scholarship;
- intellectual and human diversity, so that respect for different points of view is encouraged and students, faculty, and staff realize their full potential;
- global perspective and engagement;
- a safe and respectful learning and workplace environment; and
- a sustainable future for our local, state, and global communities.
Points of Distinction
- The Creative Writing /Master of Fine Arts program is one of the oldest and most prestigious in the country.
- The UM Native American Center is the first center of its kind in the nation, built expressly to house the H&S Native American Studies Department, American Indian Student Services offices, and related campus programming.
- H&S is global: students study in more than 22 different countries through study abroad and exchange agreements.
- Model United Nations involves university and high school students in an engaging international relations simulation and sends college teams to national competitions.
Meeting the Mission
- 23 departments and program in the humanities, natural and physical sciences, and social and behavioral sciences that strive to offer high quality educational experiences and a curriculum to engage H&S majors, as well as students from the professional schools and colleges seeking foundation training and electives.
- For students, H&S courses build foundational knowledge and skills, breadth across disciplines and habits of inquiry and problem solving that inform their studies, careers, and personal lives in positive ways.
- H&S encourages and supports teaching and research that integrate across the traditional disciplines in collaborative and interdisciplinary ways, both within the college and across the University.
- H&S faculty strives to be effective teachers and mentors as well as scholars and researchers generating new knowledge in their own fields. Research and scholarship inform teaching and training students at all levels.