Forestry B.S.
David Affleck, Chair
The B.S. in Forestry prepares students to be leaders in the stewardship of forest resources, from water to wildlife to wood products. Through field and classroom experiences, students gain expertise in the core biophysical and ecological processes that shape forested landscapes, and synthesize this knowledge with socio-economic principles to effectively manage, conserve, and restore natural resources.
The program uses the unique natural settings offered in Montana to give students classroom and field learning experiences with skills-based courses, independent studies, internships and research projects that lead to diverse employment opportunities.
With a degree in Forestry students can work as forest ecologists, silviculturalists, timber managers, forest planners, wildland fire specialists, inventory managers, forest rangers, or as range or soil conservationists. The Forestry degree is accredited by the Society of American Foresters and meets the requirements for qualification as Forester for the U.S. Civil Service Commission (440 series). This means student can work as a forester for federal agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs as well as for many state agencies and with private industry. View more information on civil service requirements.
Bachelor of Science - Forestry
W.A Franke College of Forestry & Conservation
Degree Specific Credits: 91-96
Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0
Catalog Year: 2019-2020
General Education Requirements
Information regarding these requirements can be found in the General Education Section of the catalog.
Summary
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Lower-Division Major Required Courses | 14 | |
Lower-Division Outside Major Required Courses | 27-31 | |
Upper-Division Major Required Courses | 27 | |
Professional Electives | 14-15 | |
Upper-Division Writing Requirement | 9 | |
Total Hours | 91-96 |
Lower-Division Major Required Courses
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete all of the following courses: | ||
FORS 130 | Intro Forestry Field Skills | 2 |
FORS 202 | Forest Mensuration | 3 |
FORS 241N | Dendrology | 3 |
FORS 250 | Intro to GIS for Forest Mgt | 3 |
NRSM 210N | Soils, Water and Climate | 3 |
Total Hours | 14 |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Lower-Division Outside Major Required Courses
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete all of the following courses: | ||
BIOO 105N | Introduction to Botany | 3 |
BIOB 160N | Principles of Living Systems | 3 |
CHMY 121N | Introduction to General Chemistry | 4 |
COMX 111A | Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
or THTR 120A | Introduction to Acting I | |
ECNS 201S | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
Complete one of the following two options: | 4-6 | |
M 151 | Precalculus | |
M 121 & M 122 | College Algebra and College Trigonometry | |
Complete one of the following two options: | 4-5 | |
M 162 | Applied Calculus | |
PHSX 205N & PHSX 206N | College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory | |
Complete one of the following courses: | 3-4 | |
FORS 201 | Forest Biometrics | |
STAT 216 | Introduction to Statistics | |
Total Hours | 27-31 |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Upper-Division Major Required Courses
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete all of the following courses: | ||
FORS 320 | Forest Environmental Economics | 3 |
FORS 330 | Forest Ecology | 3 |
FORS 340 | Forest Product Manufacturing | 3 |
FORS 341 | Timber Harvesting & Roads | 3 |
FORS 349 | Practice of Silviculture | 3 |
FORS 440 | Forest Stand Management | 3 |
FORS 481 | Forest Planning | 3 |
NRSM 385 | Watershed Hydrology | 3 |
NRSM 422 | Nat Res Policy/Administration | 3 |
Total Hours | 27 |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Professional Electives
Rule: Complete 18 total credits from the combined subcategories.
Biophysical Sciences
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete one of the following courses: | 3 | |
BIOE 370 | General Ecology | |
BIOO 335 | Rocky Mountain Flora | |
BIOO 433 | Plant Physiology | |
FORS 333 | Fire Ecology | |
FORS 342 | Wood Anatomy, Properties, & ID | |
NRSM 418 | Ecosystem Climatology | |
WILD 370 | Wildlife Habitat Cons & Mgmt | |
Total Hours | 3 |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Management Application
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete two of the following courses: | 5-6 | |
FORS 230 | Fire Management & Environmental Change | |
FORS 232 | Forest Insects & Diseases | |
FORS 331 | Wildland Fuel Management | |
FORS 434 | Advanced Forest Roads | |
FORS 435 | Advaced Timber Harvesting | |
NRSM 265 | Elements of Ecological Restoration | |
NRSM 360 | Rangeland Mgt (equiv 260) | |
Total Hours | 5-6 |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Policy and Social Science
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete one of the following courses: | 3 | |
ENST 225S | Sustainable Communities | |
ENST 230H | Nature and Society | |
NASX 303E | Ecological Perspectives in Native American Traditions | |
NRSM 370S | Wildland Conservation Policy/Governance | |
NRSM 379 | Collab in Nat Res Decisions | |
NRSM 389E | Ethics Forestry & Conservation | |
NRSM 424 | Community Forestry & Conservtn | |
NRSM 426 | Climate and Society | |
NRSM 427 | Advanced Water Policy | |
NRSM 475 | Environment & Development | |
PTRM 217S | Parks & Outdoor Rec. Mgmt. | |
PTRM 300 | Recreation Behavior | |
PTRM 310 | Nat Res Interp and Comm | |
PTRM 380 | Rec Admin & Leadership | |
PTRM 451 | Tourism & Sustainability | |
PTRM 482 | Wilderness & Protected Area Management | |
Total Hours | 3 |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Measurement and Analysis
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete one of the following courses: | 3 | |
FORS 350 | Forestry Apps of GIS | |
FORS 351 | Env Remote Sensing | |
FORS 505 | Sampling Methods | |
GEO 421 | Hydrology | |
Total Hours | 3 |
Minimum Required Grade: C-
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete three of the following courses: | 9 | |
FORS 330 | Forest Ecology | |
FORS 341 | Timber Harvesting & Roads | |
FORS 349 | Practice of Silviculture | |
FORS 440 | Forest Stand Management | |
Total Hours | 9 |
Minimum Required Grade: C-