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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

Lower-Division Major Required Courses14
Lower-Division Outside Major Required Courses27-31
Upper-Division Major Required Courses27
Professional Electives14-15
Upper-Division Writing Requirement9
Total Hours91-96

Lower-Division Major Required Courses

Complete all of the following courses:
FORS 130Intro Forestry Field Skills2
FORS 202Forest Mensuration3
FORS 241NDendrology3
FORS 250Intro to GIS for Forest Mgt3
NRSM 210NSoils, Water and Climate3
Total Hours14

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Lower-Division Outside Major Required Courses

Complete all of the following courses:
BIOO 105NIntroduction to Botany3
BIOB 160NPrinciples of Living Systems3
CHMY 121NIntroduction to General Chemistry4
COMX 111AIntroduction to Public Speaking3
or THTR 120A Introduction to Acting I
ECNS 201SPrinciples of Microeconomics3
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 Hours27-31

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Upper-Division Major Required Courses

Complete all of the following courses:
FORS 320Forest Environmental Economics3
FORS 330Forest Ecology3
FORS 340Forest Product Manufacturing3
FORS 341Timber Harvesting & Roads3
FORS 349Practice of Silviculture3
FORS 440Forest Stand Management3
FORS 481Forest Planning3
NRSM 385Watershed Hydrology3
NRSM 422Nat Res Policy/Administration3
Total Hours27

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Professional Electives

Rule: Complete 18 total credits from the combined subcategories.

Biophysical Sciences

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 Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Management Application

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 Hours5-6

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Policy and Social Science

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 Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Measurement and Analysis

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 Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Upper-Division Writing Requirement

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 Hours9

Minimum Required Grade: C-