In its 130+ years of higher education, the University of Montana reached a new milestone in 2022 by attaining the gold-standard “R1” status, designated by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. This classification is given to less than 4% of degree-granting universities in the country. Achieving and maintaining this distinction has led to UM becoming one of the fastest-growing research universities in the U.S.
So, what does it mean to be an R1 university? In the most straightforward terms, it means that we’re at the forefront of research and innovation in the nation with extensive field investigations, laboratory rigor and award-winning faculty. But in a broader sense, it represents a remarkable advantage for undergraduate and graduate students to obtain more funding and extensive research opportunities.
Scroll on to learn more about what our R1 distinction means for the University and how students are the primary benefactors of this sought-after designation:
An R1 University, also classified as “Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity,” is a designation awarded by Carnegie based on research spending, staff capabilities and the number of doctorates awarded. Achieving this designation cements UM’s role as a leading research university in not just STEM but several other social sciences and other research-related fields.
Some other notable R1 universities include Yale, Vanderbilt, Stanford, Princeton, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Cornell and Columbia. But none of these “prestigious” universities do R1 the Montana Way – with a determined nature, a hardworking mantra and a dash of Rocky Mountain grit.
Several factors are considered before a university receives R1 status, although the top two requirements are:
The R1 status lasts five years, after which new criteria may be required to continue with the status. UM will be up for re-classification in 2027 and expects to surpass all requirements.
Of the roughly 4,000 degree-granting Universities in the U.S., only 146 have received R1 status. That’s less than 4% of all universities in the nation, giving credence to the unique privilege of carrying the distinction. This draws from private, public and pricey colleges and universities nationwide, including several Ivy League schools.
For graduate students, R1 at UM means you’ll receive some of the best education in research and innovation. Our R1 status alone translates to more job opportunities and recognition upon graduating. The status also ensures a broader list of doctoral degrees and adequate funding for your program.
Undergraduate students equally benefit from our R1 status. Several UM programs in research and science rely on undergraduate lab work and other opportunities that more crowded colleges can’t provide. This means an undergraduate from UM graduates with more practical, resume-building experience than undergraduates from other R1 universities.
Achieving R1 status helps the University attract and retain leading faculty within their fields. Earning the R1 designation also aids UM in obtaining funding and facilities for the top-tier and impactful research defined by the status. Take the researchers in UM’s Center for Translational Medicine, for example, who were awarded $2.5 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health to identify and advance a COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
Our research expands beyond labs and medicine. UM researchers are at the forefront of improving climate, wildlife, forest management and the natural world. Faculty in the College of Humanities & Sciences also represent the prestigious status, expanding public knowledge about history, anthropology, racial justice, Native American studies and other humanities offerings that define the bedrock of our institution.
Check out some of these latest UM research achievements:
That’s because when you bring your passions and interests to UM, you become part of the R1 community. While the generous work of our faculty and staff within UM's Office of Research and Creative Scholarship has done much of the heavy lifting to achieve R1, it’s you, yes you, that translates R1 into real-world outcomes.