Missoula College

Shannon O’Brien, Dean

Penny Jakes, Interim Associate Dean

MISSION

The Mission of Missoula College is to create a comprehensive, accessible, student-centered learning environment that fosters individual growth, facilitates workforce development, and provides a foundation for advanced academic achievement.

Vision of Excellence

We envision a future where Missoula College is recognized as a model of excellence for two-year education in Montana, empowering students to succeed in higher education and continuing to serve the needs of the community and workforce.  We elevate the awareness of two-year education as a result of our high retention, graduation and placement rates.  Through this demonstration of excellence, more students will enroll in two-year colleges, more businesses and industries will partner with two-year schools, and the state will receive the benefits of a more educated citizenry/workforce.

The Missoula College offers programs and services on four campuses: the East Campus at 909 South Avenue West, the West Campus at 3639 South Avenue West, Mountain Campus at 32 Campus Drive, and the Bitterroot College in Hamilton. The student support offices including Enrollment Services, Disability Services for Students, Financial Aid, Registrar, Career Services, Educational Opportunity (EOC), Outreach Programming Office, Academic Advising, and administrative offices are located at the East Campus. All business technology programs, applied computing and engineering technology programs, culinary arts programs, health professions programs, as well as a branch of the Mansfield Library, The Bookstore at the Missoula College, and a dining room are located on the East Campus. All industrial technology programs are located on the West Campus.

Students may attend courses at four campus sites and online. Courses are scheduled at a variety of times between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday.  The Missoula College Dean's Office, department chairs and/or program directors may be contacted for specific program and scheduling information. 

Bachelor of Applied Science Degree Program 

A Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) degree is offered by the University of Montana - Missoula in collaboration with the Missoula College. The initial contact for information and degree planning for the B.A.S. degree is the Missoula College Academic Advising Center. This degree program is available for students who have completed an Associate of Applied Science degrees from accredited institutions and who wish to continue toward completing a baccalaureate degree. For more information, see the Bachelor of Applied Science section of the catalog. 

Associate of Applied Science and Certificate of Applied Science Programs

The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) and Certificate of Applied Science (C.A.S.) programs are designed to prepare an individual for employment in a specific career or career pathway. In some instances, particularly in Health Professions, the degree or certificate is a prerequisite for taking a licensing examination. The A.A.S. degree is not typically considered a transfer degree, although opportunities do exist at the University of Montana and some other baccalaureate degree-granting institutions for continuing in programs such as the University's Bachelor of Applied Science degree program.

The College's Surgical Technology and Respiratory Care programs are reviewed by their respective Joint Review Committees and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. The Food Service Management program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation Educational Institute Accrediting Commission, the Paralegal Studies program is approved by the American Bar Association, and the Nursing programs are approved by the Montana Board of Nursing and Accredited by Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The Pharmacy Technology Program is accredited by American Society of Health System Pharmacists/Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ASHP/ACPE).

Associate of Arts Degree Program

The Associate of Arts degree is a general education transfer degree and does not officially include a major or minor course of study but students may focus on specific areas of emphasis in order to satisfy the degree requirements. To receive an Associate of Arts (AA) degree, students must successfully complete all the general education requirements as described by Montana Board of Regents policy 301.10 Appendix 1. The minimum grade point average for the 60 credits required for the A.A. is 2.0. At least 30 of the 60 required credits must be earned at UM, through either Missoula College or University of Montana-Missoula.

Credit Applicable Toward Associate of Arts and Baccalaureate Degrees 

Students may count up to 15 technical course credits towards the A.A. and baccalaureate degrees (except the B.A.S.; see the B.A.S. section of the catalog for more information). UP to 20 technical course credits may count if the student has previously earned an A.A.S. degree. Refer to the section on Technical Courses and Credit Maximums in this catalog for additional information. Students should visit with their advisor for more information.

Academic Support Services 

Services designed to increase the success of students enrolled at Missoula College are available at the College. Such services include the Academic Advising Center, tutoring and computer-based academic learning tools in the Academic Support Center, study skills workshops, basic skills developmental courses, access to Disability Services for Students, academic and financial aid reinstatement and follow-up assistance, individual student retention services, and other learning support activities.