Master of Forestry in Forest Resource Management
Program Code: N-FRM-MF
Degree Designation: Master of Forestry
Department: Nicholas School of the Environment
Website: nicholas.duke.edu/academics/masters-programs/master-forestry
Program Summary
The Master of Forestry degree integrates forest ecology and management within an educational program that emphasizes related environmental fields. The program builds knowledge in basic forest ecology and ecological management of forests for a variety of uses, including nontraditional forest products and conservation. This distinctive approach is brought about by coordinating a core set of forestry courses in sampling, measurement, dendrology, silviculture, and ecology—combined with electives in resource-oriented courses (such as soils, hydrology, air quality, water quality, biological conservation, and physiology); statistical analysis and modeling; and resource economics and policy. The Duke Forest serves as an outdoor laboratory in many of these courses.
The focus of the Master of Forestry is problem solving in complex ecological and management systems. Within the program, students may acquire skills that qualify them for positions in industry, conservation organizations, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other groups involved with the use and conservation of forests. The MF Program is accredited by the Society of American Foresters, which is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation as the specialized accrediting body for forestry educational programs in the United States. Students can develop additional credentials for employment by concurrently completing the MF degree and a master of environmental management degree in the Nicholas School of the Environment or other concurrent degree programs (i.e., business, law, or public policy) at Duke, as described in the section that follows.
Prerequisites: statistics, calculus, principles of ecology, and microeconomics (or general economics that focuses on microeconomics rather than macroeconomics) required.
For more detailed information about this program, including specific prerequisites and degree requirements, see nicholas.duke.edu/academics/masters-programs/master-forestry.
Academic Requirements
The MF curriculum includes coursework toward four core competencies: forest ecology and biology; measurement of forest resources; silviculture and management of forest resources; and forest resources policy, economics, and administration. Within these categories, students customize their course selections to emphasize particular resources (e.g., forest carbon, forest hydrology, biodiversity conservation) or analytic approaches (e.g., geospatial analysis, finance, environmental justice).
Course credits are distributed among core competency areas specified by SAF, in addition to Nicholas School-wide requirements, quantitative analysis, and electives.
Specific to MF Students
Competency Areas. Competency areas include forest ecology and biology; measurement of forest resources; silviculture and management of forest resources; and forest resources policy, economics, and administration. Courses taken to fulfill requirements other than those suggested here need advisor approval. (F) and (S) courses are usually offered in fall and spring semesters, respectively. An asterisk (*) indicates courses that are usually taught every other year.
Forest Ecology & Biology: 6 credits
ENVIRON 503 Forest Ecosystems, 3 credits (S)
One course from the options below:
ENVIRON 505 Functional Ecology of Plants, 3 credits (F)
ENVIRON 714 Landscape Ecology, 3 credits (F)
ENVIRON 721 Soil Resources, 3 credits (F)
ENVIRON 732 Hydrology in Environmental Management, 3 credits (F)
Measurement of Forest Resources: 6 credits
ENVIRON 701 Forest Measurements, 3 credits (F)
ENVIRON 731 Dendrology, 3 credits (F)
Silviculture & Management of Forest Resources: 8.5 credits
ENVIRON 705L Silviculture, 3 credits (S)
ENVIRON 708L Silviculture Prescription, 2 credits (S)
ENVIRON 763 Forest Management Traveling Seminar, 1.5 credits (rotating topics; may be taken up to three times for credit). Either of two NCSU courses, FOR 514 or FOR 522, can replace ENVIRON 763.
ENVIRON 806 Duke Forest Practicum, 2 credits (S)
Forest Resources Policy, Economics & Administration: 7.5 credits
ENVIRON 520 Resource and Environmental Economics I, 1.5 credits (F)
ENVIRON 680 Economics of Forest Resources, 1.5 credits (F). NCSU’s course FOR 519 can replace ENVIRON 520 & 680.
ENVIRON 727 Forests in the Public Interest, 1.5 credits (F) (may be taken up to 2 times for credit)
One course from the options below:
ENVIRON 550 Land Use Principles and Policies, 3 credits
ENVIRON 577 Environmental Politics, 3 credits
ENVIRON 790 Valuing Ecosystems for Investment and Conservation, 3 credits
ENVIRON 835 Environmental Law, 3 credits
Quantitative Analysis: 6 credits
ENVIRON 710 Applied Statistical Modeling Environmental Management, 3 credits (S)
One course from the options below, 3 credits:
ENVIRON 558L Satellite Remote Sensing for Environmental Analysis
ENVIRON 559 Fundamentals of Geospatial Analysis
ENVIRON 724 Landscape Analysis and Management
ENVIRON 761 Geospatial Analysis for Conservation & Management
ENVIRON 796 Financial Foundations for Environmental Managers
ENVIRON 832 Environmental Decision Analysis
ENVIRON 859/A Geospatial Data Analytics
One methods-oriented quantitative course is required. One or more courses focusing on Geographic Information System/Geospatial Analysis are highly recommended to satisfy the Quantitative Analysis requirement or as Specializing Electives (next section). Quantitative courses are also taught by the Duke Department of Statistical Science, Fuqua School of Business, Sanford School of Public Policy, and Departments of Biology, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, and Evolutionary Anthropology. In addition, various departments at NCSU and UNC offer graduate-level quantitative coursework that can be used to meet this requirement.
Specializing Electives: 7-9 credits
Trips and Additional Experiences
All MF and MEM Students
Master's Project (MP): 4-6 credits
Seminar: 1 credit awarded at the end of 4 semesters
TOTAL: Minimum 48 credits required
When taken on its own, the MF program requires a total of at least 48 credits and four semesters of enrollment. A student pursuing the MF concurrently with the MEM will need at least five semesters of enrollment to earn the minimum of 72 credit hours and fulfill degree requirements. If the joint degrees do not substantially overlap in coursework, six semesters might be needed to complete both degrees. Consult the concurrent degree requirements for additional information.