Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management

The forest and natural resources management programs prepare students for work with public and private sector organizations and consultancies and for further professional or scientific study at the graduate level. Students develop professional skills, which employers look for in new employees:

1. Management skills including leadership, communication abilities, and teamwork;
2. Scientific knowledge and technical skills in measurements and analysis for management;
3. The ability to analyze and solve resource management problems using both social and biophysical sciences; and
4. A clear understanding of ethics and stewardship.

These skills are best developed by a broad base in the social sciences and humanities, communication, the natural sciences, and quantitative and qualitative methods. The majority of coursework taken during the first two years (lower division) is in these basics. Students are required to complete general education requirements and a professional core. Forest resources management students may concentrate some of their technical electives. Natural resources management majors have a ready opportunity to earn a minor in an area of disciplinary interest.

The Summer Program is required for all B.S. degree candidates. Students who completed an A.A.S. degree from the ESF Ranger School meet this requirement through transfer credits. The program is a four-week session that begins at the end of May and lasts through late June. It is taught at ESF's Wanakena Campus in the Adirondacks. The program consists of one course: FOR 304 Adirondack Field Studies. Students must complete the summer program before the junior year.

The Forest Ecosystem Science degree is based on a vision that combines professional competency in forest management skills with an enhanced understanding of ecological sciences. Students interested in this program typically are drawn to natural settings and environments, enjoy nature, and want to understand how forested ecosystems work. Experiential field learning is combined with learning concepts and skills in the classroom and laboratory on ESF's Syracuse campus.

The undergraduate curriculum in forest ecosystem science consists of two broad categories of courses. The first category, general education, provides students with knowledge and skills that are useful and important for all educated persons regardless of their profession as well as preparation for advanced courses leading to a specific profession. The second category, professional courses, provides students with direct preparation for a career. The first two years of college usually focus on general education and the second two on the professional studies.

Forest resources management is an integration of forest ecology and biology, forest measurements, forest policy and administration, and courses to predict and evaluate the effects of manipulation. Timber, water, soils, recreation, wildlife, and a broad array of environmental values and services, such as biodiversity and healthy forest systems, are important results of effective management. This major prepares students to be well-rounded generalists who can practice forestry and succeed as professionals in a variety of allied natural resources management fields.

The educational program in forest resources management, leading to the professional bachelor of science degree in forest management, is accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF). SAF is recognized by the Council on Higher Education as the specialized accrediting body for forestry in the United States.

The Natural Resources Management (NRM) program is structured to introduce students to a wide range of renewable natural resources (soils, water, vegetation, wildlife, recreation), while maintaining substantial flexibility for student-centered learning in understanding and managing natural systems. It is based on a vision that combines professional competency in management skills with a strong foundation in the social and biophysical sciences.

The Sustainable Energy Management (SEM) program is structured to introduce students to a wide range of energy markets and resources (fossil fuels, electricity, renewable and sustainable energy resources) while maintaining substantial flexibility for student-centered learning in understanding and managing energy systems.

The Sustainable Energy Management program is based on a vision that combines professional competency in management skills with a strong foundation in the social and biophysical sciences. The study of responsible energy resources use, and the development of sustainable sources of energy, has become a critical national and global issue. Energy issues include concerns about the quality and quantity of the different potential resources, energy security, and potential impacts of each on the environment and human health. It is essential that our society and energy professionals gain an understanding of production and conversion of different forms of energy, their current and future supplies, the markets and policy mechanisms that regulate their supply, and the associated impacts on the environment for each fuel.

The Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management offers the master of science (M.S.), the master of professional studies (M.P.S.), the master of forestry (M.F.), and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees.

The graduate program is organized in areas of study designed to provide students with a strong background within specific interest areas.

FNRM encourages interdisciplinary graduate programs. This often involves selecting steering committee members from other ESF and Syracuse University departments, or more formally, by arranging for joint study with other college departments and with Syracuse University. Concurrent degree programs that provide the student with two masters degrees, one from ESF and another from Syracuse University, are available with the following SU schools: Whitman School of Management, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and School of Education.

Concurrent degree programs usually add at least an additional year to a master's program of study. To be eligible, a student must have been matriculated full time at the College for at least one semester, have a grade point average of at least 3.5, and be formally accepted into the concurrent degree program by the other school. Students who are interested in any of these programs must complete an application process through the ESF Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies within their first year of study.

The Master of Forestry (M.F.) graduate degree program enables students to integrate knowledge and expertise drawn from both the natural and social sciences, and to apply their knowledge to solve practical forest management problems. The primary focus of the program is to provide an opportunity for graduates coming from diverse academic backgrounds with non-forestry baccalaureates to gain a professional education in forestry. As such, the program is designed to be the first professional degree in forestry attained by a student. Graduates will successfully function as professional foresters on multi-disciplinary forest management teams and respond to the challenges related to the sustainable management of local, regional and global forest resources.

The program is open to both students with some prior background in forestry and natural resources and for those without such background. Students with a degree in a related discipline (e.g., ecology, biology, wildlife, chemistry, etc.) can complete the M.F. degree in twelve (12) to eighteen (18) months. Students with a general science background, but little or no forestry experience, will require eighteen (18) to twenty-four (24) months to complete the program. The curriculum is designed for fall admission, but spring semester admission is possible. More than four (4) semesters may be required for students from non-science backgrounds who need additional basic undergraduate coursework as part of their program of study.

The degree requires 37 graduate credits of coursework. At least 24 of the coursework credits must be taken in residence at ESF. The educational program in forest resources management, leading to the master of forestry degree, is accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF). SAF is recognized by the Council on Higher Education as the specialized accrediting body for forestry in the United States.

The Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) graduate degree program enables students to integrate knowledge and expertise drawn from both the natural and social sciences, and to apply their knowledge to solve practical forest and natural resources management problems. The primary focus of the program is to provide an opportunity for graduates coming from related academic backgrounds with baccalaureates to gain a professional education in forestry. As such, the program is designed to be the first professional degree in forest and natural resources management. Graduates will successfully function as professional managers on multi-disciplinary forest and natural resources management teams and respond to the challenges related to the sustainable management of local, regional and global resources.

The M.P.S. degree is a coursework-based degree that enables students to increase, define, and integrate their natural science and social science knowledge and expertise in forest and natural resources management.

The degree requires at least 30 graduate credits of coursework. At least 24 of the course credits must be taken in residence at ESF. Within these credits, students must complete a core of required courses and other requirements.

The program is open to both students with some prior background in forestry and natural resources and for those without such background. Students with a degree in a related discipline (e.g., ecology, biology, wildlife, chemistry, etc.) can complete the M.P.S. degree in twelve (12) to eighteen (18) months. Students without a general science background will require eighteen (18) to twenty-four (24) months to complete the program. The curriculum is designed for fall admission, but spring semester admission is possible. More than four (4) semesters may be required for students from non-science backgrounds who need additional basic undergraduate coursework as part of their program of study.

The Master of Science (M.S.) graduate degree program enables students to integrate knowledge and expertise drawn from both the natural and social sciences, and to research issues and apply their knowledge to solve practical problems in forest and natural resources management situations. The primary focus of the program is to provide an opportunity for graduates coming from related academic backgrounds with baccalaureates to gain a science-based education in forest and natural resources management. Graduates will successfully function as researchers and managers on multi-disciplinary forest management teams and respond to the challenges related to the sustainable management of local, regional and global resources.

The program is open to both students with some prior background in forestry and natural resources and for those without such background. Students with a degree in a related discipline (e.g., ecology, biology, wildlife, chemistry, etc.) can complete the M.S. degree in twenty-four (24) to thirty (30) months. Students without a general science background will require more than thirty (30) months to complete the program. More than four (4) semesters of coursework may be required for students from non-science backgrounds who need additional basic undergraduate coursework as part of their program of study.

The degree requires at least 30 graduate credits, of which 24 are for coursework and six for the thesis. One-half of the 24 hours of coursework must be at the 600-level or above. At least 18 of the coursework credits must be taken in residence at ESF. All students must take one FOR 797 topical seminar and one additional graduate seminar.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) graduate degree program enables students to extend knowledge and expertise from their natural and social science background in their baccalaureate and master degrees. It is normally built upon a M.S. degree, but in some instances it can be undertaken after a non-research based graduate degree (such as a J.D., M.B.A, M.P.A, or M.P.S. degree).

The primary focus of the program is to provide an opportunity for graduates coming from diverse academic backgrounds to gain a science-based education in forest and natural resources management.

The degree provides students with an opportunity for in-depth study and to conduct a comprehensive scientifically based research program using advanced research tools. Ph.D. dissertations are expected to lead to a number of peer-reviewed articles in influential journals.

The degree is appropriate for students interested in advanced positions as forest and natural resources educators, researchers, managers, consultants and analysts on the local, regional and global levels.

The program is open to both students with some prior background in forestry and natural resources and for those without such background. Students with degrees in a related discipline (e.g., ecology, biology, wildlife, chemistry, etc.) can complete the Ph.D. degree in three (3) to five (5) years. Students with a general science background, but little or no forest or natural resources experience, will require more than five (5) years to complete the program.

The degree requires at least 60 graduate credit hours, of which 48 are for coursework and 12 for the dissertation. One-half of the 48 hours of coursework must be at the 600-level or above. At least 24 coursework credits must be taken in residence at ESF. All students must take one FOR 797 topical seminar and one additional graduate seminar.

The Ecology and Ecosystems area of study focuses on the structure, function, dynamics, and resilience of terrestrial ecosystems, at a range of scales, from tree genetics and plant physiology to landscape ecology, modeling and remote sensing. Because functioning and resilient ecosystems are central to human well-being, research opportunities in this area of study address a diversity of topics that help us better understand and enhance the sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems in a rapidly changing world.

The Management area of study focuses on both the underlying theory and on-the-ground application of practices to achieve sustainable outcomes in natural resource systems. Because management practices and decisions arise from the combination of ecological knowledge, economic considerations and landowner/manager objectives and/or policies, research opportunities in management are interdisciplinary by nature.

The Economics, Governance and Human Dimensions area of study emphasizes the human dimensions of resource systems involved in the processes of decision-making and action related to how coupled human-natural systems may be managed for sustainable outcomes. This area of study also incorporates rigorous research into human behavior in recreational and natural settings, a topic that draws from multiple disciplinary perspectives in the social sciences.

The Monitoring, Analysis and Modeling area of study focuses on the application of statistical and operations research methods and techniques used to sample, describe and predict how individual trees, forest stands and terrestrial ecosystems change over both temporal and spatial scales. Because trees and forests respond in varying ways to an array of human and natural disturbances, research opportunities in this area of study address a diversity of topics that help us to better understand and evaluate the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems in a rapidly changing world.