Applied Wildland Fire Science, Bachelor of Science
Forestry
College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences
This degree will prepare professionals trained for managing wildfires, working with organizations ranging from municipal to state, federal, and international. Many people working in fire sciences have some level of college training but lack the specialized courses and BS degree required for supervisory or career positions. Wildfires are rapidly increasing in importance as a major disruptor of lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems across the American West. Climate warming and accumulated fuels contribute to making wildfire a dominant and unavoidable disturbance throughout this century.
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To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
- All of Northern Arizona University's diversity, liberal studies, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
- All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
- At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
- At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.
- A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
- 103 units of major requirements
- Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Studies requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements.
- Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Major GPA | C |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 125 |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| University Honors Program | Optional |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A | Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link | View Progression Plan |
Purpose Statement
This degree will prepare professionals trained for managing wildfires, working with organizations ranging from municipal to state, federal, and international. Many people working in fire sciences have some level of college training but lack the specialized courses and BS degree required for supervisory or career positions. Wildfires are rapidly increasing in importance as a major disruptor of lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems across the American West. Climate warming and accumulated fuels contribute to making wildfire a dominant and unavoidable disturbance throughout this century.Many courses already exist in support of the current program for wildland fire specialists under the new Fire and Forest Management Professional Certificate. The courses cover the range of technical, natural science, and social science fields required for an Applied Fire Science BS degree. The program is designed to meet the requirements for certification by the professional organization Association for Fire Ecology (see https://fireecology.org/certification-levels). The skills gained by students in these upper-division courses include practical knowledge and management techniques related to fire ecology, forest ecology, silviculture, fuels, monitoring, modeling, policy, traditional ecological knowledge, and wildlife. An internship requirement will ensure the development of relevant experience while offering appropriate flexibility for an online program.
Career goals for most of the expected student population include employment with governmental, non-governmental, and private organizations involved with wildland fire. Traditionally, government agencies (federal, state, and local) have been at the forefront of fire management but increasingly NGOs such as The Nature Conservancy and the Forest Stewards Guild are hiring people with these skills. Private organizations are also increasing their impact in direct management (e.g., private wildfire contractors) but also offering planning, modeling, and fuel treatment services to all levels of government.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Equip students with a solid foundation in wildland fire management, encompassing ecological knowledge, management skills, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication strategies.
- Address the complexities of wildfire management and contribute to sustainable practices in the field.
- Apply ecological principles and processes focused on a scale from organisms to landscapes to real-world scenarios of fire ecology and management.
- Demonstrate a foundational understanding of wildland fire management including wildland fire suppression, prescribed fire, fire behavior, fire effects and modeling, and apply that understanding to data analysis and the development of monitoring and management plans that take into account ecological and social objectives.
- Examine and assess a range of techniques and strategies for fire management in diverse environments encompassing practices like field measurement, GIS and remote sensing, modeling, resilience, and conservation to accomplish various ecological and social objectives.
- Examine impacts of policies, regulations, and governance structures on wildland fire and evaluate policies that influence social, economic, and political areas of natural resource management and wildland fire management; effectively communicate complex information to diverse audiences.
- Examine and assess social and environmental impacts of mechanical treatments, prescribed fire, and wildfire to design effective environmental management plans that will address factors such as land use, human communities, water resources, soils, vegetation, wildlife, and climate change. Interpret data from Geographic Information Systems and modeling tools to evaluate interrelationships within ecosystems and develop actions that lead toward desired conditions.
Major Requirements
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This major requires 103 units distributed as follows:
- Preprofessional Requirements: 26 units
- Professional Requirements: 77 units
Take the following 103 units:
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Preprofessional Requirements (26 units)
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Professional Requirements (77 units)
- FOR 101, FOR 105, FOR 212, FOR 213, FOR 216, FOR 225, FOR 251, FOR 290, FOR 310, FOR 317, FOR 318, FOR 321, FOR 333, FOR 353, FOR 354, FOR 361, FOR 433, FOR 444, FOR 450, FOR 454, FOR 455, FOR 460, FOR 464, FOR 470, FOR 484 (68 units)
- FOR 408 (3 units)
- FOR 352W which meets the junior-level writing requirement. (3 units)
- FOR 481C which meets the senior capstone requirement. (3 units)
General Electives
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Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
Additional Information
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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.