What Colleges Offer Forestry Degree Programs?
Forestry schools are available in states like Arizona, Oregon, Michigan, and more. Learn about a few of the available forestry schools and some of the different forestry degree programs they offer.
Forestry Schools
There are many different schools across the country that offer undergraduate and/or graduate degree programs in forestry. There are even more options when you begin exploring forestry with other related topics, such as wildlife and forestry conservation degree programs. Due to the hands-on nature of the field, there are very few schools that offer online forestry degree programs Explore a few colleges in the table below that offer a forestry major and other forestry programs.
<table border="1"><tr><th>School</th><th>Location</th><th>Forestry Degrees Available</th></tr>
<tr><td>Michigan State University</td><td>East Lansing, MI</td><td>Bachelor's, Graduate Certificate, Master's, PhD</td></tr>
<tr><td>University of Georgia</td><td>Athens, GA</td><td>Certificate, Bachelor's, Master's, PhD</td></tr>
<tr><td>Northern Arizona University</td><td>Flagstaff, AZ</td><td>Certificate, Bachelor's, Master's, PhD</td></tr>
<tr><td>Oregon State University</td><td>Corvallis, OR</td><td>Bachelor's, Master's, PhD</td></tr>
<tr><td>Iowa State University</td><td>Ames, IA</td><td>Bachelor's, Master's, PhD</td></tr>
<tr><td>Southern Illinois University</td><td>Carbondale, IL</td><td>Bachelor's, Master's, PhD</td></tr>
</table><h4 id="section---MichiganStateUniversity">Michigan State University</h4><p>Michigan State University's forestry program is accredited by the Society of American Foresters. Both undergraduate and graduate degree programs offer hands-on learning experiences in the field. At the graduate level students can choose from a research-intensive track or a professional track. PhD students can choose from areas of study like:
</p><ul><li>Social forestry
</li><li>Ecology
</li><li>Agro forestry
</li><li>Wood science
</li></ul><h4 id="section---UniversityOfGeorgia">University of Georgia</h4><p>The University of Georgia also offers a forestry program accredited by the Society of American Foresters. According to the school website, the program is considered a top program in the nation and provides hands-on learning experiences. The undergraduate program consists of a pre-professional program with general education requirements and a professional program with forestry major requirements.
</p><h4 id="section---NorthernArizonaUniversity">Northern Arizona University</h4><p>Northern Arizona University's forestry program is also accredited by the Society of American Foresters and is considered a leader in forestry research, per the college's website. The school is unique in that it offers students 5 different life zones to explore within 50 miles of campus. At the master's level, students can choose from a Master of Forestry (MF) or a Master of Science (MS) in Forestry.
</p><h2 id="section---DegreeProgramsInForestry">Degree Programs in Forestry</h2><p>Although there are certificate programs and associate's degree programs available in forestry, the most common forestry degree programs are available at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. A <a href="https://learn.org/articles/What_Education_is_Necessary_for_a_Career_in_Forestry.html">career in forestry usually only requires an associate's or bachelor's degree</a>, but a graduate degree in the field can advance one's career. Here we discuss these degree programs in more detail.
</p><h3 id="section---BachelorSDegreeInForestry">Bachelor's Degree in Forestry</h3><p>A forestry major typically earns a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree and these programs are usually on-campus. Students in these degree programs may be able to specialize in various areas of the field, such as forest hydrology, urban forest management, or forest recreation and park management. At the bachelor's level students may discuss topics in:
</p><ul><li>Ecology
</li><li>Forest resource measurements
</li><li>Forest resources management
</li><li>Forest resource policy
</li><li>Spatial analysis (GIS and/or GPS)
</li></ul><h3 id="section---MasterSDegreeInForestry">Master's Degree in Forestry</h3><p>Students can usually pursue an MF or MS in Forestry degree program. These degree programs may also offer various areas of specialization, such as recreation ecology, fire science, wildlife habitat management, or watershed management. Students in these degree programs are typically expected to participate in field work and/or individual research projects.
</p><h3 id="section---PhDInForestry">PhD in Forestry</h3><p>PhD programs in forestry may go by other names, like forest science, and may offer different areas of emphasis, such as forest biology and management, forest business, or wildlife ecology and management. Typically students in these programs must complete a dissertation and may require a master's degree for admission.</p>