WRFI Advantage

Think outside the classroom.

The Wild Rockies Field Institute (WRFI) offers a unique combination of outdoor adventure, quality academics, and experiential learning, all at an affordable price. Here’s why you should join us on our next course.

It’s Academic

WRFI is committed to rigorous academic excellence. Students earn upper-division college credit in a variety of departments through the University of Montana. Our instructors are knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter they teach and are experts in the backcountry skills necessary to explore them in the field. WRFI courses are engaging, rigorous, applicable, and above all, exciting and fun. There’s simply no better way to learn.

It’s Outside

Students say a primary reason they take our courses is because they get to learn in a hands-on way in an outdoor environment. Our students explore some of the most beautiful landscapes in America and meet the people at the heart of the subjects they study. Our students tell us repeatedly that they learn more and better when they are in the field seeing and doing.

It’s Personal

WRFI is a small organization committed to the experiences and well-being of its students and staff. Class size is typically limited to 10-12, and the student-to-instructor ratio is never more than 6:1, which means we’ll always remember your name. Every student gets lots of personal attention, and there is plenty of opportunity to ask questions, get help on assignments, and ask for advice. WRFI courses require personal reflection on what the course content and your experiences mean to you, so your education becomes personal and meaningful.

It’s Affordable

As a matter of principle, we believe that field-based courses conducted in the real world are an essential part of a quality college education. WRFI keeps tuition low to enable students from a variety of backgrounds to join us in the field. In fact, even with the added costs of gear and travel, our courses are often cheaper than tuition at your own university or college.

It’s Unique

WRFI can help you set yourself apart. Our courses are not your standard off-campus experience. You will not sit in the same classroom in a different country, reading textbooks and watching PowerPoint presentations. On a WRFI course you’ll sleep under the stars every night, touch and smell the plants in your ecology text book, and meet the expert who wrote the article in your course reading packet. When it comes time to apply for that dream job or the perfect graduate program, your experience on a WRFI course will give you a story to tell, a different story than everyone else’s story.