Edit in JSFiddle

var testapp = angular.module('testapp', []).
config(['$routeProvider', function($routeProvider) {
    $routeProvider.when('/tmpl', {
        controller: 'modularController',
        templateUrl: '/tmpl.html'
    });
}]);

testapp.controller('modularController', ['$scope', function($scope) {
    $scope.message = 'I am a well behaved modular controller.';
}]);

<div ng-controller="modularController" class="well well-small">{{message}}</div>
<a href="#/tmpl" class="btn btn-link">Now fire a route change</a>

<div ng-view></div>

<script type="text/ng-template" id="/tmpl.html">
    <div class="well well-small">Coming from RouteProvider and still {{message}}</div>
</script>