Containing sixteen public universities and colleges, the Montana University System provides excellent continued education to the state of Montana. The Montana University System enrolls 40,000 students each semester, bringing thousands of qualified employees into the workforce. These sixteen institutions are spread throughout the state, from Glendive to Kalispell and everywhere in between. Included within the Montana University System is Montana Tech located in Butte. A Montana Tech education produces highly skilled and qualified students who are ready to work for Butte businesses.
Brief History of Montana Tech
When Montana entered the Union in 1889 necessary funding was allocated for a state school of mines. Additionally, 100,000 acres became available for the construction. Montana Tech opened in 1900 under the name Montana State School of Mines. Originally, the school only offered two degrees: mining engineering and electrical engineering. After many years of standing as a school of mines, Montana Tech became the Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology in 1965. The acting president at this time strove to modernize the curriculum and ended up adding humanities and social sciences options to the existing technological degree paths.
In 1994, the Montana University System was restructured and Montana Tech became associated with the University of Montana. In 2018, the Montana Board of Regents formally changed the name from Montana Tech of the University of Montana to Montana Technological University. Only one small main building and two degrees existed when the School of Mines first began accepting students over 100 years ago. Over the years the campus has grown to have 13 buildings and 45 undergraduate degrees along with many minors, career programs and masters degrees.
The Students of Montana Tech
Montana Tech currently enrolls over 2,000 undergraduate students. Of those students, 60% are men. Throughout the school, these students can participate in any of the more than 70 student groups, clubs and teams. Over 200 students are currently pursuing a graduate degree at Montana Tech. Finally, about 60% of all undergraduate students benefit from financial aid via a variety of scholarships and grants.
Popular Degrees
Montana Tech is the only special-focus institution in the Montana University System. Specifically, a special-focus college is one that has curricula and degrees centered around specific fields. With 60% of classes containing less than 20 students, this small and focused campus creates the optimal environment for learning. Additionally, the most popular degrees include multiple engineering pathways such as Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering and General Engineering as well as General Business and Nursing.
Athletics
The Montana Tech “Orediggers” are a part of the NAIA. With six sports including men’s and women’s basketball, football, golf and volleyball there are over 170 student-athletes at Montana Tech. Butte rallies around these sporting events. The school colors, green and copper, can be seen all around town on game days.
After Graduation
Once Montana Tech students graduate, they are highly successful. Specifically, based on a survey done of the 2018 graduates, about 70% of undergraduates and 90% of graduate degree holders were in full-time positions within a year. Additionally, 75% of undergraduates and 90% of graduate degree holders self-identified their job as “very related” to their degree. For a business looking for high quality, hard-working employees, Montana Tech graduates are highly qualified and perfect for your team. Montana Connections Business Development Park takes pride in the local workforce that acts as a major benefit for companies who choose to put down roots in the park.
