Forestry, Master of Forestry

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Minimum Units for Completion	33
Additional Admission Requirements	Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Comprehensive Exam	Comprehensive Exam is required.
Progression Plan Link	View Program of Study

Purpose Statement

The Master of Forestry (MF) degree is intended for students wishing to pursue professional careers in the management and policy of forest resources for public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Student Learning Outcomes

Through our non-thesis degree, based primarily on coursework and a project designed with the guidance of your advisor to address a challenge or problem in forestry, our students graduate with the following competencies:

• A thorough understanding of fundamental knowledge that supports forest management in the areas of forest ecosystem science, forest management sciences and economics, and forest social sciences.  This understanding includes familiarity with major theories, areas of agreement and controversy, significant challenges, and leading edges of forest ecosystem science, forest management sciences and economics, and forest social sciences.
• An understanding of professional ethics, particularly the ability to examine how ethical issues frame decisions concerning the management of forested land.
• Ability to effectively communicate in oral presentations, writing, and using posters to forestry professionals and the general public (i.e., technical and non-technical audiences) about major theories, areas of agreement and controversy, significant challenges, and leading edges of forest management science and the practice of forestry.
• Ability to perform and interpret complex quantitative analyses to evaluate trends and effects in data.
• Ability to produce new insights, tools, or approaches about forest management based on integration, synthesis, and analysis of knowledge and data; and to succinctly articulate these new insights, tools, or approaches in oral presentations and in polished writing aimed at forestry professionals and the general public.  This competency will be demonstrated by completion of a professional paper.

Emphasis in Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology (EECB)

The EECB emphasis provides the opportunity for students in the Forestry M.F. Program to specialize in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. Students completing the EECB emphasis will have the following competencies:

• A solid understanding of the history and conceptual and theoretical foundations of ecology
• Knowledge of current and emerging topics in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology, and ability to discuss these topics with peers and experts
• Two of three listed below:
  • Understanding of and ability to use quantitative research approaches in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology
  • Understanding of ecology, evolution, and conservation biology at physiological, population, and community scales
  • Understanding of ecology, evolution, and conservation biology at ecosystem and global scales

 

Additional Admission Requirements

• Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
  
  Admission requirements include the following:

  • Transcripts.
  • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.

  
  Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
  
  Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

  International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.

• • GRE® Revised General Test

• • Three Letters of Recommendation

• • Prerequisites (may be completed concurrently with the program)

• • • 15 hours of Forestry coursework

• • Resume or Curriculum Vitae

• • Statement of research interests

• • All applicants should make contact with potential faculty members in the department BEFORE APPLYING.

Master's Requirements

• Take the following 33 units, as well as any required remedial coursework, chosen with guidance from your faculty advisor. Please note that of these 33 units, at least 17 must be in FOR courses.
  
  Core Courses
  At least one course from each of the following areas (8-9 units):

• • Ecosystem Science
    • FOR 500, FOR 504, FOR 515, FOR 520, FOR 521, FOR 544, FOR 545, FOR 550, FOR 551, FOR 552, FOR 553, FOR 554, FOR 560,FOR 563, FOR 580, FOR 582, FOR 604
    • MAT 542

• • Forest Management Sciences
    • FOR 500, FOR 525, FOR 542, FOR 545, FOR 551, FOR 565, FOR 573, FOR 590, FOR 593, FOR 633

• • Forest Social Science
    • FOR 515, FOR 573, FOR 605
    • POS 658, POS 659
    • Additionally, you can use FOR 506, FOR 695 as well as special topics courses offered by the School of Forestry (or other departments), in any of these concentrations, with approval by your faculty advisor.

• • • STA 570 or one 3-unit graduate course with significant content in statistics (3 units)
    • FOR 505, FOR 692 (3 units)
    • FOR 689: Please note that this requirement involves preparing a professional paper on a subject related to management as a capstone integrating experience. This paper meets Northern Arizona University's requirement for a written comprehensive exam (3 units)
    • Electives which may include the Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology Emphasis-see below (15-16 units)

• Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology Emphasis:

  • BIO 577 (3 units)
  • Select one seminar course from: FOR 505, BIO 698 (1 unit)
  • Breadth Courses (6 units): Select one course from each of two of the following groups:

• • • Quantitative: BIO 523, BIO 567, BIO 580, BIO 682, FOR 606, (EES 529 or GSP 529), or other graduate-level coursework in quantitative ecology at NAU, guided and approved by advisor input 
    • Physiological/ population/ community: BIO 570, BIO 568, BIO 571, BIO 573, BIO 663, BIO 673, ENV 540, FOR 504, FOR 517, FOR 520, FOR 543, FOR 545, FOR 550, FOR 551, FOR 552, FOR 553, FOR 560, FOR 580, FOR 582, FOR 604, or other graduate-level coursework in physiological, population, or community ecology at NAU, guided and approved by advisor input 
    • Ecosystem/global: (BIO 507 or FOR 507), BIO 578, ENV 571, FOR 515, FOR 521, FOR 544, or other graduate-level coursework in ecosystem/global ecology at NAU, guided and approved by advisor input

• Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

• Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program
  
  This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan. Accelerated Programs provide the opportunity for outstanding undergraduates working on their bachelor’s degree to simultaneously begin work on a master’s degree. Departments may allow students to complete both degrees in an accelerated manner by approving up to 12 units applicable toward both degrees. Students must apply to the accelerated program and the master’s program by the application deadline, and meet all requirements as listed on the Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Programs to be considered for admission. Admission to programs is competitive and qualified applicants may be denied because of limits on the number of students admitted each year. Be sure to speak with your advisor regarding your interest in Accelerated Programs.
   

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