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Why UMW

The University of Montana Western is truly unique.

Montana Western is the only public college in the country to offer Experience One, an innovative program in which students take one class at a time.

We also believe a quality education can be affordable.

Our students and national experts agree. In a 2008 Noel-Levitz National Survey of Student Engagement, our students ranked UMW above the national average in all areas of academics. Two recent U.S. News & World Report rankings placed Montana Western among the best in the nation and second among “colleges that offer small classes on a budget.”

And all of this amid some of the best mountain scenery and recreation the West has to offer.

Concentration & Focus

Montana Western students take one class at a time.

They get undivided attention from faculty while truly understanding what they learn through focused, intensive learning. Class sizes are kept small, which fosters a more meaningful academic experience. The results are better relationships between professors and students and greater retention of both academic and real-world lessons.

Through focus and hands-on experience, students take an engaged, active role in their education.

Quality Faculty

Montana Western professors don’t lecture for hours; they facilitate experiments, collaborations, presentations and research.

Classes at Montana Western are taught by our quality faculty, not by graduate students. Our professors work extensively in their fields and are always striving to help students succeed in a rapidly changing work environment.

Our professors give students their undivided attention, fostering fulfilling academic relationships and giving students the knowledge and inspiration to succeed.

Outstanding Value

A college education is not cheap, but a quality education does not have to be unaffordable.

Students at UMW get the quality of a private education at a public college price. We are also the only public university in the country offering block scheduling. This intensive and rewarding program is the best educational value in the state.

More personal attention from professors. More real-world learning. Less money.

Any way you slice it, Montana Western fits the bill.

Research Opportunities

There is only so much a student can learn in a classroom or lecture hall, which is why Montana Western is dedicated to providing students with formal research and internship opportunities as undergraduates. You will learn by doing what professionals do on a daily basis.

Because X1 provides large blocks of time for classes and independent work, research opportunities include both individual work on undergraduate theses as well as in-depth class projects.

A commitment to formal research opportunities at the undergraduate level sets Montana Western apart.
 

Incredible Location

Location, location, location…

Yellowstone, Glacier and Teton national parks a stone’s throw away; premier hiking, biking, climbing and fly-fishing a stone’s throw away; world-class skiing; unparalleled hunting opportunities and native wildlife populations unrivaled in the lower 48 states.

As part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Beaverhead County (Montana’s largest) is a natural playground surrounded on three sides by the Continental Divide, from 11,000 feet in the Pioneer mountains to 4,770 feet on the Big Hole River.

This is not your typical neighborhood.

Real-World Learning

With X1’s emphasis on learning by doing, each student encounters what professionals experience in the real world. Montana Western’s unique experiential learning system and our commitment to working in the field and community allow students and professors to truly explore and understand a topic, issue or project.

Combined with Montana Western’s low student-to-faculty ratio, X1 provides students and faculty with authentic educational experiences most universities only boast about. Bottom line: our students have a leg up in entering the workforce or graduate school.

Individual Attention

You are not just another student ID number at Montana Western.

We believe the quality of education often decreases as class sizes increase, which is why our smaller size is our strength. The professors at Montana Western only teach one class at a time, which means they are more available for assistance. This novel concept means you, the student, are the priority.

Our faculty and staff will know your name and care about your individual educational experience.

Access to Technology

Students must become proficient with the newest technologies of the day. Montana Western is committed to providing our students access to these technologies and to teaching them the skills needed to exploit the tools of their trade.

The nerve center of our campus is the Swysgood Tech Center (STC), which contains four computer labs and nearly 100 new PC and Mac systems. All labs in the STC include a projector, internet access, sound system, video equipment and Smart Board technology.

Our biology infrastructure boasts state-of-the-art field and lab equipment funded by almost $2 million in grant money.

 
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS

PHONE: 406-683-7331
TOLL FREE: 877-683-7331
FAX: 406-683-7493
EMAIL: [email protected]