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The University of Montana had a big impact on both my life and career. In terms of my life, its an amazing campus that is basically built on the bottom of a mountain, and so there are plenty of things to do in the summer (biking, paddleboarding, fishing) and winter (cross-country/downhill skiing, ice fishing, etc) as its a very outdoorsy place. In terms of my career, the business school was great, and I met some amazing professors, one of which I work with now at my advertising job. The no class... Read More on Fridays for business students was great too, and helped give me adequate time Fri - Sun to do homework and comprehend what I was learning. All in all, I would recommend this school, especially for people who are out of state and looking to experience Montana for the first time in beautiful Missoula.

I came to the University of Montana as a non-traditional student at 31, and honestly, it was one of the better decisions I've made. UM does a solid job of making older students feel welcome rather than out of place, and the campus atmosphere in Missoula is hard to beat with a beautiful setting, mountains looming up directly around you, and with a surprisingly vibrant student life for a mid-sized school.

I thought that the campus amenities were a genuine highlight. The food court options were better... Read More than I expected and those burgers from the cafeteria were fantastic! Simple pleasures, but they matter during the long semesters.
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Academically, I feel that the CS program that I graduated from is strong enough to open real doors. I landed an internship in my final year that turned into a career, now exceeding six-figure territory six years later. That outcome speaks for itself. The faculty were approachable and seemed genuinely invested in students' success from my experiences.

That said, the program has its friction points. The required curriculum can be a bit 'abstract' in how they may apply to your degree. For instance, CS students are funneled through essentially the same advanced math sequence as math majors. As it turns out, most of it has very limited application to the day-to-day realities of software development. It's a known issue which noticeably increased the dropout rate among CS students who may otherwise make excellent developers. But, to their credit, the CS department was actively pushing to reform the requirements to be more CS-appropriate.

On the administrative side, the registration process had its clunky moments, and I did have to deal with a paycheck error one time while tutoring. Nothing that derailed anything, just the usual bureaucratic friction of a state university.

Politically, UM sits in a complicated spot. In recent years, the university has navigated a gender discrimination lawsuit that ended in a $350,000 settlement in 2024, with UM agreeing to improve anti-discrimination practices and provide training to all employees and students (though no wrongdoing was admitted). More recently, I heard about the administration's decision to cut its literature master's program. That seems to have greatly shaken faculty trust and raised concerns about UM drifting from its liberal arts identity, which I find a huge shame.

From the perspective of a non-traditional CS student, UM can absolutely deliver a career-launching education.

Overall I had a mostly average experience at UM, with some highlights and some disappointments in the system. Some of the highlights were that there were several exceptional teachers, I was able to get financial help when I needed it, and the campus/nearby environment is beautiful and enjoyable. I personally liked the cafeteria food a lot, and my experiences in the dorms were generally positive. I made great friends and had once-in-a-lifetime educational experiences. I don't have any major complaints,... Read More but I can't give it a higher rating either, since I had a few poor experiences as well. The ones that come to mind first are as follows: One, when I was a freshman, I got assigned to a random advisor who retired before the school year started. I took a year or two for me to get an actual advisor again. Two, there were two teachers in the music department of extremely high caliber, and the disrespect and nonchalance they were treated with while considering other job offers, negotiating for better pay, and ultimately making plans to continue their careers elsewhere was disturbing. They were a big loss to the music program. Three, this is probably an issue with many universities, but budget cuts were stressful every year, wondering if we'd lose our entire department.

I have been attending an online MPH program through the University of Montana ever the past couple of years. The cost has been challenging and I’ve been participating while maintaining a full time job and managing a house with three children under 5. The courses have been very interesting and all my professors have extensive experience their respective fields. I’ve really enjoyed getting to go through the program with other students who are passionate about public health and bring a variety of experience.... Read More

UM was a complete mixed experience. While I was there I was top of my class. I got straight A's and worked very hard at taking every single opportunity that came my way. I was dedicated and enjoyed learning. However, the school itself was completely removed from my education (and education in general). They prioritize football over everything. Football players are treated like gods while the researchers who actually give UM the research status it enjoys are treated like a annoyances. Also, the organization... Read More at UM is horrible. I would have FAFSA loans/grants/scholarships totally approved in August and would not receive any of that funding until late November. I would constantly be trying to get in touch with the office of student success as well as the financial aid office to get my money. I don't know how many times the nice folks that work in both places explained that they are severely understaffed and often lack the training to know how to get me the money that was mine. I tried to contact the president's office with this concern after my SIXTH semester experiencing that, but they laughed at me and told me that I would not be able to meet with him. He just announced that he is running for office in Montana, so my suspicions that he was using UM as a stepping stone to running for office were ultimately true: he did not care about the school whatsoever, so long as it furthered his career.
That said, I did have some amazing professors that did their best to support me, and because I was in a small program, I was able to develop positive academic relationships with those professors.

I loved the University of Montana. It felt big when I needed it to and small when I felt overwhelmed. The faculty was dedicated, passionate, and present, something I didn't realize was rare until I got to a much, much bigger university where all the faculty offices are always closed and dark because the professors are rarely there. I still communicate with my professors from UM, and usually try to have coffee or lunch with them when I go back to visit. UM's academic strengths are in Forestry, Journalism,... Read More Social Work, and Biology, but even as an English major I knew that I was getting a top tier education. The quality of this education was doubly evident in the success I had when applying to PhD programs at other institutions. The size of the campus and prevalence of social groups and clubs allows for a deep sense of community and friendships to be built across disciplines and academic departments, As a Native American student, the weekly soup dinners and other events put on by the American Indian Center on campus were hugely important and allowed me to connect with Native students from all over the US and Canada. Notably, the University of Montana has a tuition waiver for any student who is an enrolled member of a federally recognized Montana tribe. To top it off, the campus is gorgeous and I have heard that the dorms are comfortable and fun. It is easy to get out of town and up into the mountains by car or bike, and outdoor recreation is a year-round thing. It is affordable to live and recreate in the area, which helps keep you sane when school is just too much!

The University of Montana is a great place to go to school. I loved my time in Missoula and wouldn't trade it for the world. I am originally from the Pacific North West and wanted to stay close enough to home but still be far enough away to get the college experience. The only ting I would have changed was the cost of attendance. Other then that I had a great college experience at UM. Dorms are nice. Can't beat a Griz game early in the fall either!! The athletic training education program faculty... Read More are top notch. You won't get a better education anywhere.

I transferred to the University of Montana my junior year of college; I was incredibly nervous for I had never lived outside of California before, let alone in a place that snowed! I had toured many other universities before deciding on Montana, but my decision to choose Montana was one of the best decisions of my life. The Anthropology Department at this University is unique in the way that I absolutely adored my professors and was eager to come to class every day. My advisor in the department was... Read More encouraging and went above and beyond in order to make sure my class schedule wasn't overwhelming but challenging and made sure I had internship opportunities whenever they became available, even in her ancient DNA lab. My time in Montana gave me incredible and lifelong friends with experiences I would not have dreamed of. I became more involved in on campus clubs, I held leadership positions that will surely benefit my future careers and I learned to become an independent individual. This University has molded me into the kind of person I never knew I could become. I am incredibly grateful for my time at the University of Montana.

The University of Montana's College of Forestry and Conservation is one of the top colleges for natural resource and conservation programs in the country. While working on my bachelor's degree and now looking back at the education that I received in my degree program, I'm extremely grateful for the quality of the course work, the enthusiasm of the professors, and the mentorship that I received from the faculty members that I interacted with. The classes that I took for my degree program were engaging... Read More and challenging. We frequently had the opportunity to go on field trips to areas surrounding Missoula for outdoor labs in soils and forest ecology and to visit field research site. Our program exposed us to work in our field and a network of professionals that we were able to collaborate with as a part of our senior practicum. For my practicum, I was able to work with a local ecological restoration non-profit and design a monitoring program to evaluate the success of one of their stream revegetation projects. I had an academic advisor who helped me select course work that helped me to secure a job in my field after I graduated and also prepared me for graduate school. In addition to my experience with the College of Forestry and Conservation, I also enjoyed the atmosphere of the University of Montana campus. The campus is small, easy to navigate and a nice place to hang around. From campus, you can get to hiking trails, parks, and downtown Missoula, all within a 10-minute walk.

Psychology wasn't my first choice of education but as I continued to take extra classes at the University of Montana I slowly changed my major. The Psychology program at the University of Montana is one of the best programs they have on campus. Their professors are passionate about what they teach, and are willing to work with you and assist you if you are ever feeling overwhelmed or just need a little extra push. Aside from General Psychology they also offer an amazing research option allowing you... Read More wonderful opportunities to study what really interests you. The research professors I was lucky enough to encounter were down to earth and interested in their field. The only thing I really wish I would have changed about my college experience would be staying on campus my Freshman year. I feel like I really missed out on my opportunities to make new friends and increase my social skills.

The University of Montana will constantly surprise you. I bet you didn't know that the leading researchers in carnivore ecology, sexual selection theory, avian aerodynamics, and the physiology of bird flight all hail from U of M. Faculty here at UM are some of the world's leading researchers in their fields. In Montana, of all places!!! In spite of that, it is still Montana, so it comes with its own suite of issues. If you're gay, lesbian or trans, you can expect to be mistreated here. If you're... Read More female, a POC, or non-Christian, you shouldn't be surprised when you get assaulted. So unless you're a white male, I would choose a different university.

The University of Montana's doctoral program for profession of physical therapy is one that holds its soon to be professionals to a high standard. Not only is it located among some of the best fishing and hunting in the region, but the community in which it resides is equally as engaging. Students praise the knowledge and dedication of their professors. Each one is either a practicing clinician or researcher under which students are able to work for and be mentored by. Another great feature of this... Read More program is each year the students undergo a clinical experience where they work with a current physical therapist applying and enhancing that years acquired skills. Most of all the national board exams pass rate is over 95%, further supporting that this program is successful.

I feel as if the University of Montana played a crucial role in helping me cultivate the skills to be in a position to succeed in the Counseling Master's program I am currently enrolled in. A vast majority of the teachers both in my major concentrations (Psychology and History) and outside, were of the highest quality. Taking longer to complete my degree than the typical student, I had the opportunity to sample courses in a wide range of subjects and found mostly all of them to be worth my time.... Read More Located in absolutely stunning Missoula, Montana, the campus itself is beautiful. But having said that, Montana is not the most diverse state. To be fair there is one noteworthy exception in that regard as the University of Montana has a notable Native American presence and the University has put forth an investment to respect that fact with valuable and worthwhile investments in their Native American Studies Department including The Payne Family Native American Center which having opened in 2010 is one of the newer/nicer buildings. To its credit, The University does try to foster sense of inclusion and respect of diversity. A pre-requisite to earning my History degree was having at least one Native American History course which I appreciated. While enrollment is down, in no small part due to controversy such as Jon Krakauer's enlightening book based on events in Missoula, prospective students looking for majestic scenery and high caliber educational experience owe it to themselves to it least consider The University of Montana.