Graduate Program
Our graduate program attracts and trains the best of the next generation of wildlife biologists. We prepare our Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ for leadership in governmentagencies, academia, and private conservation organizations by applying the highest standards in science, communication, and collaboration. The strength of the program is reflected in our Ñý¼§Ö±²¥’ amazing records of scientific scholarship, outreach, and application, and built on direct and supportive interactions among Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ and faculty.
Wildlife biology is a natural for the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥. Due to Montana's relatively low human population density and relatively undisturbed landscapes, Montana is one of the best places to see and study wildlife. The wildlife program at UM has national exposure and recognized expertise, from the pioneering research of John Craighead on grizzly bears, to the presidencies of three of our faculty members of The Wildlife Society (three of our faculty members have been Aldo Leopold Award winners), to the recent editorship of a group of our faculty of a national journal. Current faculty and graduate Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ carry on this tradition.
Missoula has become a center of conservation interest in the inter-mountain west. Located in Missoula are the Region 1 Office of the ; the Supervisor's Office for the ; the Forest Service's , , and ; local offices of the USDI ; the Montana Department of ; and a Regional Office of the . Private conservation organizations also have found a focus in Missoula. The national headquarters for the , the , and the are located in Missoula, as are local offices of the and . Numerous regional and local conservation organizations also have offices in Missoula. The environment provides an outstanding opportunity for the cultivation of ideas and potential funding sources for research.