University of Montana (UM) is a public research university based in Missoula, Montana. The University of Montana is a public research university in Missoula whose academic identity is strongly connected to the Rocky Mountain West, public lands, conservation, forestry, wildlife, journalism, health, business, the humanities, and professional education. The institution traces its development to 1893, and its present academic identity reflects a long pattern of growth rather than a single modern expansion. The university was established by the Montana Legislature in 1893 and opened in the 1890s. Early campus development included donated land at the base of Mount Sentinel, the creation of the Oval, expansion of the university’s mountain acreage, and the establishment of forestry education that became a nationally visible part of the institution. Academically, UM supports a broad mix of undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, certificate, and interdisciplinary study. Representative undergraduate choices include Business Administration BS, Communication Studies BA, Computer Science BS, Environmental Science and Sustainability BS, Forestry BS, Journalism BA. Graduate study includes options such as Business Administration MBA, Public Administration MPA, Journalism MA, Environmental Studies MS, Forestry MS, while doctoral education extends into fields including Biochemistry and Biophysics PhD, Integrative Microbiology and Biomedical Sciences PhD, Neuroscience PhD, Psychology PhD. Research and scholarship draw on Montana’s landscapes and communities, including forest and conservation science, wildlife biology, ecology, environmental studies, public health, neuroscience, pharmacy, Indigenous and rural issues, journalism, humanities, and social sciences. The Missoula setting places students near Mount Sentinel, rivers, forests, public lands, arts, media, healthcare, public agencies, and outdoor recreation. That environment supports field research, internships, service, creative work, and experiential education. For current cost planning, For 2026–27, published undergraduate tuition and mandatory-fee estimates are approximately $9,750 for Montana residents and $34,894 for nonresidents before housing, meals, books, insurance, and other expenses; eligible Western Undergraduate Exchange students can receive a reduced rate. These published amounts are planning figures and can change with residency, program, credit load, housing, insurance, or board action at University of Montana, where representative academic pathways at the university include Business Administration BS and Communication Studies BA. The university’s current undergraduate application process includes Apply Montana for Montana residents and the Common Application route for many out-of-state applicants. Graduate admission requirements are established by the Graduate School and the individual academic program. Career preparation connects students with conservation, natural resources, healthcare, media, public service, education, business, technology, tourism, and nonprofit organizations in Montana and the wider West. Taken together, University of Montana is best understood as an institution whose academic portfolio, research mission, student support, and regional setting are closely connected. UM also uses certificates, accelerated pathways, online options, and other nontraditional formats to extend selected academic areas beyond the standard four-year or graduate sequence. The university’s location in Missoula gives students access to the civic, research, cultural, health, business, and public-sector networks that shape its surrounding region.