Jack A. Stanford (Bierman Professor of Ecology), Director
The University of Montana-Missoula operates its Flathead Lake Biological Station as a year-round research facility and academic center in ecological sciences. The Station is located on 80 acres at Yellow Bay on Flathead Lake, some 85 miles north of Missoula near Kalispell and Glacier National Park. Up to 110 students can room in cabins and the G. W. Prescott dorm/apartment facility; board is provided by the station's commissary. Several large academic and office structures complement the state-of-the-art Freshwater Research Laboratory at this field campus.
During the annual 8-week summer session, formal courses are offered which emphasize field investigations of the rich flora and fauna of the diverse aquatic and terrestrial habitats found at or near the Station. Faculty from UM and other universities throughout the United States and Canada teach the field-oriented courses of the summer program. The formal courses each carry three to five semester credits for either advanced undergraduate or graduate academic programs. Biological Station courses may substitute for major program requirements in the Division of Biological Sciences and Wildlife Biology. Credits are transferable to most universities in the United States and Canada. Students must have completed introductory courses in biology, ecology and chemistry before enrolling in courses of the program.
Biology courses offered at the Biological Station are selected on a yearly basis from the following two- and four-week courses:
- 340 & 341 Ecology and Ecology Lab
- 355 Ecology of Mammals
- 356 Ecology of Birds
- 449 Plant-Animal Interactions
- 453 Lake Ecology
- 454 River Ecology
- 494 Seminar in Ecology and Resource Management
- 495 Field Ecology: Methods and Analysis
- 497 Advanced Undergraduate Research
- 499 Undergraduate (Senior) Thesis
- 597 Research in Ecology
In addition to these summer courses, the Biological Station offers opportunities for graduate studies in aquatic biology and ecology. After formal admission to a graduate degree-granting program, research programs leading to M.S. or Ph.D. degrees can be designed by the student, academic departments at the University and the Director of the Station. Research assistantships are often available for students working on advanced degrees at FLBS. Numerous scholarships are also available annually for students enrolled at UM/FLBS.
Enrollment Procedures
Students interested in participating in the annual summer academic program must apply before May 24. Application forms are available from the Biological Station or website or may be obtained in the Division of Biological Sciences office at UM.
Students interested in pursuing graduate work at FLBS should apply in writing to Graduate Admissions, Division of Biological Sciences, The University of Montana-Missoula, Missoula, 32 Campus Drive #4824, 59812-4824, or contact the Director.
For detailed information about academic and research opportunities at the Flathead Lake Biological Station, please visit the station web page or contact:
Flathead Lake Biological Station
The University of Montana
311 Bio Station Lane
Polson, MT 59860-9659
Phone: (406) 982-3301
Fax: (406) 982-3201
E-Mail: flbs@flbs.umt.edu
Web Page: www.umt.edu/flbs/