The University of Montana School of Fine Arts serves as the flagship for the arts in the State of Montana. Committed to excellence in performance and education, the School offers a full complement of undergraduate and graduate degrees in Art, Drama/Dance, Media Arts, and Music. The Creative Pulse, an innovative program within the School of Fine Arts, is an interdisciplinary summer graduate program for master teachers leading to a Master’s Degree in Integrated Arts and Education.Comprised of 55 full-time faculty, 22 part-time faculty, 18 staff members and more than 900 full-time students, the School operates out of five major facilities on campus. The Departments of Art, Drama/Dance, and Music are nationally accredited (National Association of Schools of Music, National Association of Schools of Theatre, and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design). Imbedded in the mission of the School of Fine Arts at The University of Montana is a deep commitment to challenge each student with a professionally based process that provides extreme readiness for success in a highly competitive marketplace.
The School of Fine Arts is home to The Montana Repertory Theatre, a professional touring theatre company; The Colony, a summer playwrights’ workshop; The Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival, and the Gallery of Visual Arts. The School is supported by the University’s Montana Museum of Art and Culture, with its extensive and internationally recognized permanent collection. The departments regularly host high school festivals on campus and tour to different communities, sharing their expertise.
The University of Montana’s main campus sits at the base of Mount Sentinel—which offers one of the state’s most popular hiking trails—and adjacent to the Clark Fork River. The campus covers 200 acres with 62 buildings and a 25,000-seat football stadium. UM’s south campus includes family and single housing complexes, a golf course, and soccer and track facilities. The University of Montana has been rated in the top ten nationally for combining academic quality and outdoor recreation by Outside magazine.