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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: 2020-21

General Education Requirements

Information regarding these requirements can be found in the General Education Section of the catalog.

Summary

Course List

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

Course List

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

Course List

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

Course List

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

Course List

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

Course List

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

Course List

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 326

Climate and Society

NRSM 370S

Wildland Conservation Policy/Governance

NRSM 379

Collab in Nat Res Decisions

NRSM 389E

Ethics and Sustainability

NRSM 424

Community Forestry & Conservtn

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

Course List

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

Course List

Code

Title

Hours

Complete three of the following courses:

9

BIOE 447

Ecosystem Ecology

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-