Living in Montana means having the chance to experience the vast, surrounding natural wilderness Big Sky Country-style. Anyone studying at one of the many colleges in Montana can also expect to be doing this with a backdrop that features anything from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains, and this could turn out to be inspiring, to say the least.
In many ways, the spread-out region of Montana is ideal for students who are at their best when surrounded by wide open spaces rather than dense, cramped, and somewhat stressful concrete scenarios that many inner-cities offer.
In fact, even those living or studying in the populated town and city regions of Montana like Helena, Billings, and Bozeman are never that far removed from the impressive landscapes and endless opportunities for outdoor pursuits.
The majority of Montana’s economical drive is related to agriculture, as well as other rural-type activities like ranching, lumber, and still some mining. The tourism sector is also huge and ever-expanding, so these avenues are reflected in the courses offered by many of the state’s universities and colleges.
The colleges in Montana come in many shapes and forms, from huge Universities to community colleges, and this includes public institutions, private non-profit colleges, and seven tribal colleges.
Both graduate and undergraduate students interested in studying in Montana have plenty of options from the various colleges, which follow the Montana University System (MUS). So let’s take a closer look at a small section of some of the colleges in Montana.
Ten Montana Colleges
- Carroll College
- Rocky Mountain College
- Flathead Valley Community College
- Missoula College (University of Montana)
- Bitterroot College
- Gallatin College MSU
- City College Billings MSU
- Dawson Community College
- Stone Child College
- Salish Kootenai College
1. Carroll College, Helena
Carroll College is in the Montana capital of Helena and is a private, Catholic institution. This Liberal Arts College was founded way back in 1909 by a local Bishop called John Carroll, although the place existed initially as a male-only college with the purpose of preparation for the Catholic priesthood.
It was renamed after Bishop Carroll in 1932 when it incorporated a broader spectrum of learning activities.
These days Carroll College is a top-ranking coeducational institution in Montana. It has been awarded accolades at regional and national levels for its programs in biology, civil engineering, nursing, and mathematics.
The college has been named as the best regional college by the U.S. News & World Report and continues to stay high up in the various listings and rankings related to colleges in Montana.
2. Rocky Mountain College, Billings
Rocky Mountain College is another private institution, this time in Billings, along the Yellowstone River. This is a residential Montana Liberal Arts College located on 60 acres of land that seems like a mini national park, although the surrounding neighborhood leans a little more towards the suburban.
Rocky Mountain College was first founded in 1878 when it went by the name of the Montana Collegiate Institute. Like many modern-day educational institutions in the region, this one had its roots in the Christian religion, and today is still affiliated with three different churches: the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United Church of Christ.
This college is highly regarded regionally and ranks well for its overall excellence and levels of achievement. The core tenets behind the drive of the college are related to Academic Excellence, Transformational Learning, and Shared Responsibility.
3. Flathead County Community College, Kalispell
This institute is one of Montana’s community colleges and is located in a highly scenic spot in the Rocky Mountain region of Kalispell. Any students heading towards this picturesque northwest area of Montana, 30 minutes from Glacier National Park, will be pleased to find that it is the home of Flathead Valley Community College.
The college is a public institution college, established in 1967, and is one of three higher education institutions in Montana offering 2-year programs that don’t come under the MUS.
It offers associate degrees and provides high-quality academic programs based around Liberal Arts and Sciences, with an open admissions policy.
4. Missoula College (University of Montana), Missoula
This college in Missoula is a 2-year sub-section of the University of Montana, the public institution founded in 1893. The college accommodates students interested in completing 2 and 3-year career and technical-based programs, as well as undertaking four-semester associate programs.
The focus of the study programs is largely based around technical and occupational areas like Business, Culinary, Healthcare, and I.T., and the campus is located at the base of five valleys in Missoula, with a mountain backdrop just rife with trails and ski terrain.
Students could be forgiven for forgetting that they are in the midst of their studies and have actually found themselves on some extended vacation with scenarios like this surrounding them.
5. Bitterroot College, Hamilton
The Bitterroot College University of Montana is a public community college located in Hamilton and is another one of seven two-year institutions in the state that operate within the University of Montana System.
The college is located right in the middle of the Bitterroot Valley, and one of its functions is to provide a link to higher education for many of the surrounding rural areas.
The college provides further education and workforce training skills and offers awards