Fire and Forest Management Professional Certificate
Apply here (click this link to apply)
- NAU is revising its application system for certificates. Until this is done, we are not charging application fees and a simple form is required only (click above).
Meet continuing education requirements and/or 401-series requirements while learning useful information for your future jobs with this certificate! This certificate can also lead towards a bachelor’s degree in the School of Forestry.
Upon completion of the certificate program, you will:
- understand the importance of forest and fire ecology as well as fire science concepts to natural resource management and fire management
- have a working familiarity with fire effects and/or fire behavior models
- understand how silviculture, ecology, GIS, policy and monitoring link together and how you can apply these concepts in your work
- be prepared to apply your knowledge to your daily job and to natural resource management
Complete Professional course offerings
Required courses for the certificate
| Course | Type | Prerequisites | Semester* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Ecology | |||
| FOR 450: Fire Ecology for Professionals (3 units) | 6 Week Web, 1 Week Classroom and Field Trips | FOR 310 or Instructor consent** | Spring |
| Ecology, Biology and Environmental Science | |||
| FOR 310: Forest Ecology for Professionals (3 units) | 6 Week Web, 1 Week Classroom | None | Fall |
| Fire and Fuel Management (Choose One) | |||
| FOR 317: Silviculture and Fire Applications (3 units) | 6 Week Web, 4-5 Day Field Trip and Lab | FOR 310 or Instructor consent** | Spring (Odd Years) |
| FOR 318: Fuel Treatments and Modeling (3 units) | 6 Week Web, 1 Week Classroom and Field Trip | None | Spring (Even Years) |
| Measurement, Analysis and Technology (Choose One) | |||
| FOR 351: Fire Monitoring and Modeling (3 units) | 6 Week Web, 1 Week Classroom and Field Trip | Instructor consent** | Fall (Odd Years) |
| FOR 425: Forest Management Applications in GIS (3 units) | 3 Week Web, 1 Week Classroom | None | Winter (Even Years) |
| Management, Planning and Policy (Choose One) | |||
| FOR 360: Natural Resources Policy (3 units) | 4 Week Web | None | Winter (Odd Years) |
| FOR 444: Wilderness Management for Professionals (3 units) | 6 Week Web, 4 Day Classroom | None | Fall (Even Years) |
* Spring classes generally run January through March; Fall classes, October through December; and Winter classes, December through January.
** For instructor consent, please call 928-523-1716.
Additional online courses offered
These courses are not directly part of the Undergraduate Fire and Forest Management Professional Certificate but are available to satisfy additional units that may be needed beyond the certificate. These courses are regular Northern Arizona University distance learning courses and are not designed especially for managers. Current offerings are a good introduction to Vista and Forestry.
Please Note: There is some indication that 100 and 200 level courses may not satisfy the requirements. Please check with your human resources officer.
| Course | Type | Prerequisites | Dates Offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOR 101: Forestry Introduction (3 units) | Web Only | None | Fall/Spring |
| FOR 212: Trees and Forests of North America (2 units) | Web Only | None | Fall |
Current Professional Courses
| Course | Semester | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| FOR 310 (001-#9159): Forest Ecology for Professionals Course Information (Download) | Fall | 10/23/2023 – 12/8/2023 online and via zoom 12/4-12/8/2023 |
| FOR 444 (001-#9710): Wilderness Management - Professions Course Information (Download) | Fall | 10/23/2023 - 12/8/20223 online |
| FOR 360 (001-#1027): Natural Resources Policy Course Information (Download) | Winter | 12/18/2023-1/12/2024 online |
| FOR 450 (001-#8519): Fire Ecology for Professionals Course Information (Download) | Spring | 1/22/2024-3/8/2024 online |
| FOR 318 (001-#8810): Fuel Treatments and Modeling Course Information (Download) | Spring | 1/29/2024-3/15/2024 online (in person 3/11/2024-3/15/2024) |
| FOR 351 (001-#9340): Fire Monitoring & Modeling Pros Course Information (Download) | Fall | 10/16/2023-12/1/2023 online |
Educational objectives
We expect certificate candidates have basic writing, speaking and computational skills that would be expected for a professional. We expect certificate candidates to be proficient in fundamentals of computer operation (some basic Windows-based operating system/software experience) and we have provided online training links to help them with this.
During the course of the certificate program we expect students to gain the following knowledge and skills:
- An understanding of ecological adaptations of forests including genetic variation and adaptations as well as the basic concepts of tree reproduction, growth and structure.
- Students will be able to characterize the biogeochemical processes of forested ecosystems.
- Comprehension of population models, predator-prey relationships, habitat selection and quality, and the interactions of wildlife and their required resources.
- An understanding of plant community concepts in forest ecology, niche and niche differentiation concepts and biodiversity concepts.
- An understanding of disturbance terminology and regime characteristics, the role and importance of native and introduced species and succession terminology and life-history characteristics
- An understanding of landscape ecology concepts, terminology and the importance of scale in space and time.
- An understanding of what silviculture is and how it applies to forest and fire management as well as basic concepts of stand development, forest strata, regeneration, site preparation, and intermediate treatments.
- An understanding of how silvicultural and ecological concepts relate to fuel treatments, fire effects, and land management.
- An understanding of basic GIS concepts and how ArcGIS can be applied directly to forest and fire management issues.
- An understanding of basic vegetation and fire monitoring terminology, protocols and data as well as fire behavior and fire effects models.
- An understanding of the philosophical, historical, legal, ecological, social and cultural aspects of land management and how that relates to fire management.
Course costs
General Tuition and Fees can be found at Student and Departmental Account Services.
- Select “Tuition and Fees” from the top menu.
- Under the heading “Undergraduates”, select the semester of interest.
- Select “Online Campus”, then select “Undergraduate”.
Other information
Our certificate program parallels the Undergraduate Certificate in Fire Ecology, Management, and Technology at the University of Idaho. If our course schedule does not meet your needs, 6 units of our certificate may be taken elsewhere. Any changes need to be approved in advance by the Northern Arizona University Fire and Forest Management Professional Certificate advisors.