Academic Opportunities
The Office for Civic Engagement assists UM students to enhance and complement their academic experience through community engagement. Students may enroll in academic service learning courses, an online course in nonprofit administration, or elect to complete a Minor or Certificate in Nonprofit Administration.
Service Learning
The University of Montana offers many service learning courses in various departments across campus. In a service learning course, students enhance their classroom knowledge through a real world service experience or applied research scenario meeting identified community needs.
Nonprofit Leadership Alliance and the Minor in Nonprofit Administration
UM students can earn a Minor in Nonprofit Administration and/or a professional credential from the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. Students participating in Nonprofit Leadership Student Association and/or the Minor supplement required courses with an internship at a local nonprofit agency and attend a national conference.
Online Program in Nonprofit Administration
The Office for Civic Engagement, in partnership with the Political Science Department and UM Online in the School for Extended and Lifelong Learning, offers a yearly Online Program in Nonprofit Administration. These courses are open to students or current professionals and offer participants the opportunity to learn specialized skills for the nonprofit sector.
ALIVE Program
The University of Montana is one of only two universities in the country that offers full-time national service members (AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA) the chance to earn graduate credit during their year of service. Members have the chance to begin or earn credit towards a future Master’s degree through the ALIVE program
UM Recognized For Community Engagement
UM was selected by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for the prestigious 2008 Community Engagement Classification.
Institutions are chosen for the classification in one of three categories: Curricular Engagement, Outreach & Partnerships, or Curricular Engagement and Outreach & Partnerships. UM was one of only 68 public institutions to receive the 2008 Community Engagement Classification in the Curricular Engagement and Outreach & Partnerships category. Fifty-one private institutions were awarded the 2008 classification in that category. For more information on UM's community partnerships, click here.
The Community Engagement Classification relies on voluntary participation by institutions of higher education and permits analysis of attributes that are not available in national data. Since its beginning in 2006, almost 200 institutions have received the classification.
UM's application was submitted by the University's Service Learning Advisory Board, chaired by Davidson Honors College Dean James McKusick, and the Office for Civic Engagement.
"Achieving this distinction is truly an impressive milestone for The University of Montana, one that recognizes UM as standing at the vanguard of U.S. colleges and universities for its commitment to public service and community engagement," McKusick said.
