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Forestry courses

Forestry involves learning how to manage forests and woodlands for commercial reasons (timber and wood for fuel), as places for recreation and as habitats for wildlife. You could learn about ancient woodlands, the importance of protecting hedgerows or how to manage large commercial plantations. Some courses include arboriculture, the cultivation and care of individual trees. Forestry graduates typically work for The Forestry Commission, private estates, conservation charities and overseas.

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Introduction Entry Requirements Career Prospects Recommended Courses

Example course modules

Forestry in the 21st century
Ecosystem function and services
Forest ecology
Silviculture
Forest management and inventory
Forest health
Environmental management and conversation
Research methods and GIS
Forest policy and governance
Ecosystem functions and services

Teaching hours / week

Average for this subject

Hours

Average for all subjects

Average hours for this subject: 15 (Low N/A - High N/A). Average hours for all subjects: 14.

The time you'll spend in lectures and seminars each week will vary from university to university, so use this as a guide.

More on studying and contact hours at uni

Who studies this subject

Female : 20%

Male : 80%
Mature : 68%

School leaver : 32%
Full-time : 75%

Part-time : 25%

Subjects you need

A-levels (or equivalent) usually required

At least one from biology, chemistry or physics

Useful to have

Business studies
Environmental science
geography

More advice on A-level requirements

Application checklist

Here's a guide to what to expect from the application process - also check individual university entry requirements, as these may differ.

January application
October application
Personal statement
Portfolio
Interview
Entry test
Work experience
Audition

More advice on applying to uni

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement is a core part of your university application, and getting it just right takes time. Before you start work on yours, take a look at our five quick tips on writing a personal statement. We'll help you past that writer's block!

Personal statement tips and advice

Fewer than 100 graduates usually take full first degrees in forestry and arboriculture, so there is not a lot of data to examine – they're a little more commonly taken as foundation degrees, often studied at colleges. But for the chosen few in forestry, there are a handful of specialist roles in forestry management available every year, and this is the degree preferred for those jobs. If you want to find out more specifically about the prospects for your chosen subject, it might be a good idea to go on open days and talk to tutors about what previous graduates from your chosen subject went on to do.

Professional and accrediting bodies:

Six months after graduating

Typical graduate job areas

Conservation and environmental associate professionals

Sources: DLHE & Graduate prospects

Longer term career paths

Jobs where this degree is useful

Agricultural scientist
Estates officer
Farm manager

Other real-life job examples

Agricultural surveyor
Conservation worker
Arboricultural manager

A degree in agriculture or agricultural management will provide you with subject-specific skills including an understanding of the global, regional and local contexts of agriculture; legal and economic issues in agriculture, sustainability and environmental impact and the principles of operating an agricultural business. You will also gain useful transferable skills in numeracy, communication, IT, team-working, problem-solving and independence and self-motivation. Farming is the most common industry of employment for agriculture graduates, but they also go to work in areas including land and property management, forestry and the manufacture of farm equipment and machinery.