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  • Master of Forestry
Application deadlines: Fall admissions: February 15 (priority) or August 15 (space available basis). Spring admissions: October 15 (priority) or December 31 (space available basis). GRE test scores are not required for entry into the program. For more information on the degree, please see the School of Forestry Graduate Handbook.


Forestry, Master of Forestry

This non-thesis plan prepares you for a career in forest management, in contrast to a career in research. It is appropriate if you desire advanced training in forestry, but not a research focus.

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Requirements Accordion Open

  • To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. (Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.)

    You must additionally complete:

    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s). This may include a thesis.
    • All graduate work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.
    • All work toward the master’s degree must be completed within six consecutive years. The six years begins with the semester and year of admission to the program.
    Read the full policy.

     

Overview Accordion Closed

In addition to University Requirements:

  • Complete individual plan requirements.
Minimum Units for Completion33
Additional Admission RequirementsAdmission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Comprehensive ExamComprehensive Exam is required.
Progression Plan LinkView Program of Study
Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate PlanOptional

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.

Details Accordion Closed

Additional Admission Requirements
  • Admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
    • NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Details on admission requirements are included in the online application.
    • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution.
    • Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A"), or the equivalent.
    • Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
    • Transcripts.
    • For details on graduate admission policies, please visit the Graduate Admissions Policy.
    • International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.


    Individual program admission requirements include:

    • Prerequisites (may be completed concurrently with the program)
      • 15 hours of Forestry coursework
    • Resume or curriculum vitae
    • Statement of research interests
    • All applicants should make contact with potential faculty members in the department BEFORE APPLYING. 
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. (15-16 units)
         
Additional Information
  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also take. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

  • 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. Departments may allow students to complete both degrees in an accelerated manner by approving up to 12 units applicable to both degrees.

Availability Accordion Closed

  • Flagstaff


View professional papers from previous MF students
School of Forestry
Location
Building 82
Southwest Forest Science Complex
200 East Pine Knoll Drive
Flagstaff, Arizona 86011
Mailing Address
PO Box 15018
Flagstaff, Arizona 86011
Email
forestryinfo@nau.edu
Phone
928-523-3031
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