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
Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan	Optional

Purpose Statement

The Master of Forestry (MF) is a course-work-based non-thesis degree intended for students pursuing professional careers in the management of forest resources for public, private, and non-profit sectors.  The degree prepares students for positions in governmental or non-governmental agencies such as forest manager, policy analyst, silviculturist, or wildlife manager.  This degree is for you if you desire advanced training in Forestry with a focus on forest management and policy instead of original scholarly research. 
 
The MF is appropriate for students with a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry or closely related disciplines.  The MF is integral to the School of Forestry’s Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Program that facilitates completion of both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in five years.  The degree is also suitable for students with Bachelor’s degrees outside Forestry who seek training to facilitate a career change to Forestry.  In addition, the MF is part of the Western Regional Graduate Program that provides reduced tuition for students who are residents of other participating western U.S. states. 
 
The MF emphasizes core training in forest management, ecosystem, and forest social sciences; professional presentations; emerging issues in forestry; electives that provide advanced training in specific skills; and a capstone professional paper that showcases student skills in research/knowledge synthesis and understanding, professional writing, and professional ethnics.


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:

• Demonstrate the ability to apply graduate level critical thinking skills to identify, explain, synthesize and solve complex professional forestry problems through acquisition and application of fundamental knowledge of forest ecosystem, forest management & economics, & forest social sciences.
• Apply an understanding of professional ethics and the interaction between ethics and natural resource management decision-making to the professional paper.
• Effectively communicate through written, oral and visual means, a management-oriented professional forestry project, demonstrating the ability to communicate forest management applications to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Identify, evaluate and synthesize trends and effects in data
• Produce new insights, tools, or approaches to forestry and forest management through synthesis.

Graduate Admission Information

• 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 Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
  
  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.

Additional Admission Requirements

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

• • All applicants should contact and receive confirmation from a School of Forestry faculty member who will advise the applicant’s professional paper BEFORE APPLYING.

• • Prerequisite(s) that may be completed concurrently with the program:

• • • 15 hours of Forestry coursework

• • Resume or Curriculum Vitae

• For those applying for fall 2025 and beyond, the following will also be required:

• • Letter(s) of Recommendation or Reference(s)

• • • Contact information for three professional and/or academic references.
      • Professors, supervisors, co-workers, research collaborators, or mentors.

• • Personal Statement or Essay

• • • A personal statement or essay that clearly states research interests.

Master's Requirements

• This Master’s degree requires 33 units distributed as follows:

  • Core Courses: 8 - 9 units
    • Ecosystem Science: 3 units
    • Forest Management Sciences: 3 units
    • Forest Social Science: 2 - 3 units
  • Additional Core Courses: 9 units
  • Electives: 15 - 16 units
  
  Of the 33 units of course requirements, 17 units must be in FOR courses

  
  Take the following 33 units, as well as any required remedial coursework, chosen with guidance from your faculty advisor. Of these 33 units, at least 17 must be in FOR courses.
   

  Core Courses: (8 - 9 units)

  Take at least one course from each of the following areas (8 - 9 units):

   

• • Ecosystem Science (3 units)
    • FOR 500, FOR 504, FOR 515, FOR 520, FOR 544, FOR 545, FOR 550, FOR 551, FOR 552, FOR 553, FOR 554, FOR 560, FOR 563, FOR 580, FOR 582, FOR 604

• • Forest Management Sciences (3 units)
    • FOR 500, FOR 525, FOR 542, FOR 545, FOR 551, FOR 565, FOR 573, FOR 590, FOR 593, FOR 633

• • Forest Social Science (2 - 3 units)
    • 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 areas, with approval by your faculty advisor.

• Additional Core Courses (9 units)

  • 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)

• Additional Electives (15 - 16 units to equal 33 units)
  • Additional electives with approval by your faculty advisor. (15 - 16 units)

Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program

• • This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan wherein a student may start a master's degree while simultaneously completing their bachelor's degree.

• • Students enrolled at the Flagstaff campus for both graduate and undergraduate programs are eligible to complete the Bachelor of Science in Forestry and start a Master of Forestry at NAU.

• • Students must apply to the master's program by the graduate program's application deadline, meet all admissions requirements listed in the policy Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Programs, as well as the admissions requirements for the specified master's plan 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 the Master's Program Director/Coordinator regarding your interest in the accelerated plan.

• • Students accepted into the Accelerated Program should complete the following requirements:

• • Master's Requirements
    
    This Master’s degree requires 33 units distributed as follows:

    • Core Courses: 8 - 9 units
      • Ecosystem Science: 3 units
      • Forest Management Sciences: 3 units
      • Forest Social Science: 2 - 3 units
    • Additional Core Courses: 9 units
    • Electives: 15 - 16 units
    
    Of the 33 units of course requirements, 17 units must be in FOR courses

    
    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: (8 - 9 units)

    Take at least one course from each of the following areas (8 - 9 units):

     

• • • Ecosystem Science (3 units)
      • FOR 500, FOR 504, FOR 515, FOR 520, FOR 544, FOR 545, FOR 550, FOR 551, FOR 552, FOR 553, FOR 554, FOR 560, FOR 563, FOR 580, FOR 582, FOR 604

• • • Forest Management Sciences (3 units)
      • FOR 500, FOR 525, FOR 542, FOR 545, FOR 551, FOR 565, FOR 573, FOR 590, FOR 593, FOR 633

• • • Forest Social Science (2 - 3 units)
      • 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 areas, with approval by your faculty advisor.

• • Additional Core Courses (9 units)
    • 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)

• • Additional Electives (15 - 16 units to equal 33 units)
    • Additional electives with approval by your faculty advisor. 6 units of the student's undergraduate certificate or Individualized Focus from the Bachelor of Science in Forestry in Forestry will apply toward the Master of Forestry. (15-16 units)

Additional Information

• 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.

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