Which Schools Offer a Forestry Degree Program Online?
Learn about the best schools that offer online forestry degree programs.
A forestry degree allows you to work as a forester or in a similar area of wildlife conservation. These degrees may be offered at the associate, bachelor's or master's levels.
Some colleges and universities give you the opportunity to major in forestry, while others offer majors like natural resources with a concentration in forestry.
Top Online Forestry Degree Programs
Forestry degrees are typically offered on campus, but there are several colleges and universities that offer online forestry programs.
We've listed our favorites alphabetically below. Most of the programs listed have been accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF).
<h3 id="section---1.AuburnUniversity">1. Auburn University</h3><p>Auburn University is a public research university in eastern Alabama. It offers two <a href="https://learn.org/article_directory/Masters_Degree_FAQs.html">master's degree programs</a> for foresters.
</p><p>The Master of Natural Resources (MNR) degree is a 30-credit program that can be tailored to your particular interest.
</p><p><b>Students can take courses such as:</b>
</p><ul><li>Forest Growth, Silviculture, and Management
</li><li>Forest History
</li><li>Forest Operations and Wood Supply Chain Management
</li><li>Forest Stand Dynamics
</li><li>Forest Wetlands Restoration
</li></ul><p><b>You can also pair your degree with one of three online certificates:</b>
</p><ul><li>Forest Finance and Investment
</li><li>One Health
</li><li>Restoration Ecology
</li></ul><p>The Master of Forest Business and Investment degree is for those looking to enter the forest industry. This degree is 31 credits and a blend of the forestry and business programs.
</p><h3 id="section---2.MichiganStateUniversity">2. Michigan State University</h3><p><a href="https://learn.org/browseby/company/Michigan_State_University.html">Michigan State University</a> is a public research university in East Lansing. It offers a hybrid online Master of Science in forestry degree.
</p><p><b>The degree program has three parts:</b>
</p><ul><li>a nine-day in-person field-based course to provide foundational skills
</li><li>asynchronous online courses with exercises to do in a forest near you
</li><li>a final nine-day in-person capstone project
</li></ul><p>The program is 30 credits. Full-time students can finish in 12 months and part-time students can finish in 25 months.
</p><p><b>Topics covered in the program include:</b>
</p><ul><li>forest carbon and climate change
</li><li>forest ecology
</li><li>forest economics and management
</li><li>forest measurements and sampling
</li><li>geographic information systems
</li><li>human dimensions of forestry
</li><li>silviculture
</li><li>tree biology and identification
</li></ul><h3 id="section---3.MississippiStateUniversity">3. Mississippi State University</h3><p><a href="https://learn.org/browseby/company/Mississippi_State_University.html">Mississippi State University</a> is a public research university based in Starkville in eastern Mississippi. It offers a Master of Science in forestry.
</p><p>The program is 30 credits for non-thesis students and 36 credits for thesis students. There are 10 three-credit courses and six credits of thesis work.
</p><p><b>Students must choose at least one course in the following categories:</b>
</p><ul><li>forest ecology/silviculture
</li><li>forest economics
</li><li>forest policy
</li><li>forest remote sensing/statistics
</li></ul><p>Students are also required to pass a comprehension exam before graduating.
</p><h3 id="section---4.NorthCarolinaStateUniversity">4. North Carolina State University</h3><p><a href="https://learn.org/browseby/company/North_Carolina_State_University.html">North Carolina State University</a>, or NC State, is a public research university in Raleigh. It offers an online master's in forest biomaterials.
</p><p>This master's program is for students who want to advocate for sustainability in the paper and allied industries.
</p><p>The program requires 30 credits.
</p><p><b>Courses in this program include:</b>
</p><ul><li>Masters Research Methods in Forest Biomaterials
</li><li>Forest Products Colloids and Surfaces
</li><li>Forest Biomaterials Physics
</li><li>Forest Biomaterials Chemistry
</li><li>Environmental Life Cycle Analysis
</li></ul><p>Students in the thesis program will need an additional six credits.
</p><h3 id="section---5.UniversityOfFlorida">5. University of Florida</h3><p>The <a href="https://learn.org/browseby/company/University_of_Florida.html">University of Florida</a> is a public research university in the state's north-central city of Gainesville. It offers a master's in forest resources and conservation with multiple concentration options.
</p><p><b>The three concentrations offered for this degree are:</b>
</p><ul><li>ecological restoration: focuses on returning an ecosystem to its natural state
</li><li>geomatics: focuses on how to work with forest geology
</li><li>natural resource policy and administration: focuses on training students to take on policy and administrative roles in forestry and natural resources
</li></ul><p>Each program requires 30 credits. Only the non-thesis degree options are offered online.
</p><p><b>Several certificates are available for forestry students as well:</b>
</p><ul><li>Aquaculture and Fish Health
</li><li>Ecological Restoration
</li><li>Environmental Education and Communication
</li><li>Forest Health and Resilience
</li><li>Geospatial Analysis
</li><li>Natural Resource Policy and Administration
</li><li>Quantitative Fisheries Science
</li></ul><h3 id="section---6.UniversityOfMissouriColumbia">6. University of Missouri, Columbia</h3><p>The <a href="https://learn.org/browseby/company/University_of_Missouri.html">University of Missouri</a>, fondly known as Mizzou, is a public research university. The Columbia campus is the flagship campus of the University of Missouri system.
</p><p>It offers a Master of Science in natural resources with an emphasis in agroforestry. This is a 30-credit program that typically takes about two years to complete.
</p><p><b>Courses cover a variety of agroforestry topics including:</b>
</p><ul><li>adoption strategies
</li><li>agroforestry practices
</li><li>agroforestry theories
</li><li>ecological principles
</li></ul><h2 id="section---FAQsAboutOnlineForestryDegreePrograms">FAQs About Online Forestry Degree Programs</h2><p>If you're interested in earning your forestry <a href="https://learn.org/article_directory/Distance_Learning_and_Online_Education_FAQs.html">degree online</a>, we've answered some frequently asked questions below.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCanIDoWithAForestryDegree">What Can I Do with a Forestry Degree?</h3><p>Most people with forestry degrees go on to become foresters. Foresters are responsible for managing trees, forests, and national parks.
</p><p><b>Job duties of a forester may include:</b>
</p><ul><li>creating and establishing plans for managing forest lands
</li><li>directing and assisting with forest fire suppression
</li><li>managing conservation and forestry activities
</li><li>negotiating forest development contracts
</li><li>picking and preparing sites for planting new trees
</li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatOtherCareersCanIEnterWithAForestryDegree">What Other Careers Can I Enter with a Forestry Degree?</h3><p><b>Other careers you can have with a forestry degree include:</b>
</p><ul><li>carbon analyst
</li><li>forest certification specialist
</li><li>forest restoration manager
</li><li>forestry consultant
</li><li>silviculturist
</li><li>wildland firefighter
</li></ul><h2 id="section---EarnAForestryDegreeToday">Earn a Forestry Degree Today</h2><p>While online forestry degrees are not the most common, there are still several colleges and universities that offer them. Be sure to check out one of the programs listed above today.</p>