is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" as of 2022.
Alumni include 11 Truman Scholars, 14 Goldwater Scholars, and 40 Udall Scholars. One alumnus, Harold Urey, has won the Nobel Prize.
== History ==
An act of Congress of February 18, 1881, dedicated 72 sections (46,000 acres (72 sq mi; 190 km2)) in Montana Territory for the creation of the university.
Montana was admitted to the Union on November 8, 1889, and the state legislature soon began to consider where the state's permanent capital and state university would be located. To be sure that the new state university would be located in Missoula, the city's leaders made an agreement with the standing capital of Helena that Missoula would stay out of the bidding for the new capital and would support Helena over its leading competitor, Anaconda. The cities' bids were supported by the rival "Copper Kings", William A. Clark and Marcus Daly, respectively.
Missoula won the legislative vote for the new university at the Third …
