University of Montana Catalog 2023-2024

Forestry B.S.

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.

Bachelor of Science - Forestry

General Education Requirements

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

Summary

Lower-Division Major Required Courses20
Lower-Division Outside Major Required Courses23-26
Upper-Division Major Required Courses28
Professional Electives15
Total Hours86-89

Degree Specific Credits: 86-89

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Lower-Division Major Required Courses

Complete all of the following courses:
FORS 130Introduction to Forestry Field Skills2
FORS 202Forest Mensuration3
FORS 230Fire Management & Environmental Change3
FORS 232Forest Insects & Diseases3
FORS 241NDendrology3
FORS 250Intro to GIS for Forest Mgt3
NRSM 211NSoils and Water2
NRSM 212NEcology, Physics and Taxonomy of Soils1
Total Hours20

Minimum Required Grade: C- 


Lower-Division Outside Major Required Courses

Complete all of the following courses:
BIOO 105NIntroduction to Botany3
BIOB 160NPrinciples of Living Systems3
CHMY 121NIntroduction to General Chemistry4
COMX 111AIntroduction to Public Speaking3
or THTR 120A Introduction to Acting I
ECNS 201SPrinciples of Microeconomics3
Complete one of the following two options:4-6
Precalculus
College Algebra
and College Trigonometry
Complete one of the following courses:3-4
Forest Biometrics
Introduction to Statistics
Total Hours23-26

Minimum Required Grade: C- 


Upper-Division Major Required Courses

Complete all of the following courses:
FORS 320Forest Environmental Economics3
FORS 330Forest Ecology3
FORS 335Forest Ecology Field Laboratory1
FORS 340Forest Product Manufacturing3
FORS 341Timber Harvesting & Roads3
FORS 349Practice of Silviculture3
FORS 440Forest Stand Management3
FORS 481Forest Planning3
NRSM 385Watershed Hydrology3
NRSM 422Natural Resource Policy and Administration3
Total Hours28

Minimum Required Grade: C- 


Professional Electives

Rule: Complete 15 total credits from the combined subcategories, including at least 3 credits from each subcategory.

Biophysical Sciences

Complete at least one of the following courses:3
General Ecology
Rocky Mountain Flora
Plant Physiology
Fire Ecology
Wood Anatomy, Properties, & ID
Ecosystem Climatology
Wildlife Habitat Conservation & Management
Total Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C- 

Management Application

Complete at least one of the following courses:3
Wildland Fuel Management
Advanced Forest Roads
Advaced Timber Harvesting
Elements of Ecological Restoration
Rangeland Management
Total Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C- 

Policy and Social Science

Complete at least one of the following courses:3
Sustainable Communities
Nature and Society
Ecological Perspectives in Native American Traditions
Climate and Society
Wildland Conservation Policy/Governance
Collaborations in Natural Resource Decisions
Ethics and Sustainability
Community Forestry & Conservation
Water Policy
Climate Policy
Environment & Development
Recreation Behavior
Natural Resource Interpretation and Communication
Recreation Administration & Leadership
Tourism & Sustainability
Wilderness & Protected Area Management
Total Hours3

Minimum Required Grade: C- 

Measurement and Analysis

Complete at least one of the following courses:3-5
Forestry Apps of GIS
Env Remote Sensing
Sampling Methods
Hydrology
College Physics I
and College Physics I Laboratory
Total Hours3-5

Minimum Required Grade: C- 


Upper-Division Writing Requirement

Complete three of the following courses:9
Ecosystem Ecology
Forest Ecology
Timber Harvesting & Roads
Practice of Silviculture
Forest Stand Management
Total Hours9

Minimum Required Grade: C-