Today, at the Montana Board of Regents Meeting held on the campus of Great Falls College, the Montana Board of Regents of Higher Education approved the collaborative PhD in Materials Science between The University of Montana, Montana Tech, and Montana State University. Limited authority was granted to Montana Tech to award a PhD in Materials Science as a participant in the collaborative Materials Science PhD program.
“This is certainly an historic day for Montana Tech,” announced Chancellor Don Blackketter. “Faculty on our campus have been working on this since at least 2008. We are looking forward to offering the PhD in Materials Science in collaboration with our MSU and UM partners. I appreciate the support from President Engstrom, the Board of Regents, especially Board Chair Angela McLean and former Regent Pat Williams, and the many industry supporters that have made this day happen. Having Newmont, FLSmidth, and Resodyn testify today made a huge positive impact."
The PhD program will focus on near-term industrial need and long-term research issues, both of which will directly benefit Montana industries. The curriculum will involve both physical science and engineering, and courses will be offered at UM, Montana Tech, and MSU. Support of PhD dissertations will come from several sources including extramural funding and internships from government sponsors, industrial partners, participating corporations, and affiliated research centers, particularly State Centers of Excellence. The PhD program will enable students to pursue their studies within the Montana University System (MUS) and, additionally, attract qualified graduate students from other parts of the nation and the world.