¶¶Òõ̽̽

Type of Degree

B.S.

School or College

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources

Area of Study

Environment and sustainability
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Program Format

On-campus, Full-time

Credit hours to graduate

120

The B.S. in Forestry is designed for students who excel at math and science, are interested in careers working outdoors, and enjoy learning by doing. Graduates will be ready to enter the forestry profession to work on issues from a local to global scale.

Program Overview

Forestry is the science and profession of creating, managing, planting, conserving, and restoring forests, woodlands, and community or urban trees for human and environmental benefits. Modern forestry embraces a broad range of concerns and uses that include: timber, fuel wood, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, water quality, carbon storage, landscape conservation, recreation, community well-being, employment, and more.

The Forestry program trains and prepares students to excel in a diversity of careers in forestry and forest conservation. We provide the knowledge, skills, and experience students need to analyze and understand forest management across multiple scales and perspectives and develop students’ critical thinking skills needed to address complex problems facing sustainable forest management and conservation in the 21st century.

The ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Forestry Program is accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF), the accrediting body for postsecondary degree programs in forestry in the United States. SAF accreditation assures programs meet quality standards set by the profession, with our B.S. in Forestry satisfying the education requirement for becoming a certified forester and achieving licensure in all states where this is a requirement for practicing forestry.

Curriculum

All Forestry students must complete the Rubenstein School Core Curriculum. The Forestry program curriculum focuses on sustainable forestry. We ensure that students develop the ability to coordinate and manage all aspects of sustainable forestry through an education that combines a strong foundation in natural and social sciences with high-impact education practices that include: hands-on field classes, internships, service-learning courses, research experience, and forest management projects.

To enhance employability, students are required to pursue a forestry internship or research experience and earn academic credit as part of summer employment or other opportunities. A variety of public and private organizations offer career-oriented experiences, and the university offers field and laboratory research opportunities.

Popular Courses

  • Dendrology (Tree identification and ecology)
  • Natural Resource Ecology and Assessment
  • Forest Ecosystem Analysis (Forestry Field Camp)
  • Multi-Resource Silviculture (Forest treatments to balance ecological & social benefits)
  • Forest Ecosystem Health
  • Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystems

Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from the Forestry Program will be able to:

  • Apply esssential skills of measurement, spatial orientation, sampling, and data analysis;
  • Incorporate the foundational natural and social sciences into decision making;
  • Articulate historical context and contemporary trajectory of the profession;
  • Evaluate human dimensions of sustainable forest management, including the diverse universe of forest stakeholders, perspectives, and policies;
  • Develop and implement well-justified forest management strategies that address a diversity of objectives at spatial scales ranging from stands to the entire planet.

After Graduation

90% of ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Forestry students graduate within five years and 96.7% are employed or continuing their education within six months of graduation.

¶¶Òõ̽̽ Forestry graduates find employment with government agencies, forestry consulting companies, nonprofit conservation organizations, land trusts, tree care companies, and other employers, or they go on to graduate school. Individual Forestry faculty are available to guide students as they forge their career paths. The Rubenstein School Student Services team also offers career development assistance.

Careers

  • Forester
  • Natural Resource Professional/Manager
  • Private Consulting Forester
  • Forest Carbon Specialist
  • State Agency of Natural Resources/Conservation Forester
  • Manager of Industrial Forestlands
  • Utilities Forester
  • Forest Researcher
  • Arborist/Urban Forester
  • Forest Health Specialists
  • Environmental Educators
  • Biology/Natural Science Teachers
  • Conservationists

Where Alumni Work

  • Colleges and Universities
  • Consulting Forestry Companies
  • Environmental/Conservation Nonprofit Organizations
  • Forest Carbon Companies
  • Forest Products Industry
  • Green Building and Design Industry
  • High and Middle Schools
  • Land Trusts
  • Municipal Forests and Parks Departments
  • Peace Corps
  • Public Forests
  • State Agencies of Natural Resources/Conservation
  • Urban Tree Care Industry
  • U.S. Bureau of Land Management
  • U.S. Forest Service
  • U.S. National Park Service
  • Working Timberlands

Where Alumni Study

  • University of Massachusetts
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Vermont
  • Utah State University
  • Western Sydney University - Australia
  • Yale University

More

Student Involvement

  •  is the student chapter of the Society of American Foresters (SAF). Student members attend SAF conferences, compete in the annual SAF quiz bowl, and gain professional experience and career networking skills.
  • Femmes in Forestry is a ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Club that provides a space for femme-identifying students to create a support system for women in all natural resource and environmental majors.
  •  is a national forestry honor society that offers membership to qualified students based on academic excellence and professional achievement. ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Forestry is the Alpha Omicron Chapter.