Montana Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide

This guide to teacher preparation programs in Montana is designed to provide key information to help aspiring teachers decide on which program best suits their individual career needs. All teachers in Montana are required to complete a teacher preparation program in the state, and there are several teaching schools in Montana to choose from. Scroll down to find lists of top-rated teaching programs, a table of accredited, state-approved teacher preparation programs, and student reviews of Montana teaching schools. Whether you are a first-time college student or are switching from another career, use this guide to start on your way to your teaching degree in Montana.

Quick Facts

• There are 18 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Montana.¹
• 12 schools offer an associate’s degree in education.¹
• 10 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in education.¹
• 5 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.¹
• 1 school ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2022.²
• 1 school ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2022.³
• No schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2022.⁴
• 4 educator preparation providers (EPPs) are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.⁵

For not-for-profit schools with teacher degree programs.

Table of Contents

Teacher Preparation Program Comparison

Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs

Select Schools with Teacher Preparation Degrees

Schools with Associate Degrees in Education

Student Reviews

Comparison of Montana State Schools with Teacher Preparation Programs

We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in Montana according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.

While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states.

You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution, for both traditional and alternative programs, for the 2018-2019 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education reports under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality. Traditional teacher preparation programs are usually completed as part of a bachelor’s degree program. Alternative certification programs are typically designed for career changers looking to enter the field and lead to a postgraduate certificate or a master’s degree. Many schools in our table offer both traditional and alternative programs. Take a look at our Montana traditional and alternative certification guides for more information.

Finally, we have provided the net price per year for undergraduate tuition, based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).

• — indicates none or not applicable.
• N.Av. indicates data was not available or pass rates were omitted for confidentiality.

Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in Montana

Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2022

• University of Montana-Missoula

US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2022

• Montana State University (#175)

Select Missouri Schools with Teacher Preparation Degrees

Montana State University

Located on the main Bozeman campus in southwestern Montana, the Montana State University (MSU) Department of Education is part of the College of Education, Health and Human Development. Undergraduates students can gain a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Elementary Education and Secondary Education (with a variety of subject areas). A concentration in Special Education, a Reading K-12 Teaching minor, and a variety of teaching minors are also available. In addition to its undergraduate offerings, MSU offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.), Education Specialist (EdS), Doctor of Education (EdD), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), and graduate certificates in Adult & Higher Education; Curriculum & Instruction; and Educational Leadership. A Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) leading to initial teacher licensure for first-time teachers is also available.

University of Montana

The University of Montana (UM) is located in Missoula and is home to the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education. The Teaching & Learning Department offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and Secondary Education (with specific teaching subject area majors) at the undergraduate level. At the graduate level, a Master of Education (M.Ed.) program is offered in Curriculum Studies with Initial Teacher Licensure for K-8 Elementary, 5-12 Secondary, or K-12 Secondary Education. A non-licensure Master of Arts (MA) in Education is also available. The Educational Leadership Department offers several graduate-level degrees, including an M.Ed., Educational Specialist (EdS), or Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership; an M.Ed. or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in International Educational Leadership; and licensure/endorsement programs for prospective principals and superintendents. Options in the Counseling Department include an MA in School Counseling, an EdS in Counselor Education, a PhD in Counselor Education & Counseling, and a PhD in Counselor Education. Students at various levels can obtain teaching endorsements in Reading Specialist K-12, Teacher Librarian K-12, Early Childhood Education, and Special Education, with online options available.

Schools with Associate Degrees in Education

While a bachelor’s degree is the minimum educational level required to qualify for state certification, an associate’s degree can be the first step towards a career in education. It can qualify graduates for careers in non-licensed roles in early childhood education, after-school care, and related areas. The credits earned from an accredited associate degree program can also typically be transferred towards a bachelor’s degree. The following Alabama schools offer associate’s degrees in education.¹ Schools with an asterisk (*) also offer four-year teaching programs and/or alternative route to certification programs.

Aaniih Nakoda College
269 Blackfeet Avenue-Agency
Harlem, MT 59526
(406) 353-2607
www.ancollege.edu

Blackfeet Community College
504 SE Boundary St
Browning, MT 59417
(406) 338-5441
www.bfcc.edu

Chief Dull Knife College
1 College Dr
Lame Deer, MT 59043
(406) 477-6215
www.cdkc.edu

Dawson Community College
Main Building
300 College Dr
Glendive, MT 59330
(800) 821-8320
www.dawson.edu

Flathead Valley Community College
777 Grandview Dr
Kalispell, MT 59901
(406) 756-3822
www.fvcc.edu

Fort Peck Community College
605 Indian Ave
Poplar, MT 59255
(406) 768-6300
www.fpcc.edu

Little Big Horn College
Crow Agency, MT 59022
(406) 638-3104
www.lbhc.edu

Miles Community College
2715 Dickinson St
Miles City, MT 59301
(406) 874-6100
www.milescc.edu

Montana State University-Billings*
1500 University Dr
Billings, MT 59101-0298
(406) 657-2011
www.msubillings.edu

Salish Kottenai College*
58138 US-93
Pablo, MT 59855
(406) 275-4800
www.skc.edu

Stone Child College*
8294 Upper Box Elder Rd
Box Elder, MT 59521
(406)395-4875
www.stonechild.edu

University of Montana Western*
710 S Atlantic St
Dillon, MT 59725-3598
(877) 683-7331
www.umwestern.edu

Student Reviews

University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
(406) 243-0211
https://www.umt.edu/

Student Review: “In all honesty, I would strongly recommend against choosing the University of Montana as a path to a teaching certificate. While it appears friendly and welcoming on the outside, on the inside very few professors care about their students as individuals. All of the worst, most disorganized, rude and hostile professors I had at college I had within the School of Education at UM. Classes were asinine, no one would tell me who my advisor was, and worst of all was the system used to place students in a student teaching/observation location. I got placed over forty miles outside of town and wasn’t able to afford gas to get back and forth, and I begged and pleaded with everyone from my professors, the observation coordinator, and even the dean of the school. Each time I got the same answer: If you really wanted to teach, you’d shut up and figure it out.” -Student at the University of Montana

University of Montana Western
710 S Atlantic St
Dillon, MT 59725-3598
(877) 683-7331
https://www.umwestern.edu/

Student Review: “I really like my school because we have a unique class system in which we only take one class at a time. The classes run 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 18 days and then we’re done with that class and move onto a different one. It makes it so much easier to focus on one class at a time and really get what we’re supposed to be learning and have time to focus on the work for that class. We also have small classes (25 students max), so it means the professors get to know the students on a lot more personal basis and it’s a lot easier to talk to them if you need help. The professors are all really knowledgeable and have diverse backgrounds and are very approachable and helpful when it comes to anything you need with class.” -Lacey W., student at The University of Montana-Western

Student Review: “This university was very willing to work with the fact that I have a family. I wanted to pursue a teaching degree and I wasn’t sure whether or not it was possible. With the unique perspectives to college and the overall effort put forth by the staff of the university, I feel like it was challenging – but manageable – to obtain my degree. The university has what is called the “block” system in which the student only takes one class at a time for three hours a day, Monday through Friday. I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and a traditional college experience was overwhelming for me. But this university was very helpful and helped me to obtain my goals. I was able to put all of my attention and effort into one class at a time and therefore I was much more successful than I might have been in a traditional college.” -Student at University of Montana

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. The Princeton Review. The Best 385 Colleges, 2022 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2021.
3. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2022: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
4. US News & World Report Best Online Graduate Education Schools 2022: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
5. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
6. US Department of Education 2020 Title II Report: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx