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The forestry major is a professional degree program and is the only one in Kentucky accredited by the Society of American Foresters. The curriculum consists of UK Core requirements, preprofessional, professional, and specialty support components. Preprofessional, professional, and specialty support courses provide the skills and understanding to manage forest resources. Electives strengthen your knowledge of basic principles in areas of special interest to you.

Graduation Requirements

To earn the Bachelor of Science in Forestry, the student must complete a minimum of 121 semester hours. A 2.0 grade-point standing (on a 4.0 scale) is necessary and remedial courses may not be counted toward the total hours required for the degree.

The official curriculum information is published in the UK Bulletin each year.

Curriculum Details

Major Requirements

FOR 100 Forests and Forestry (3)
FOR 200 Basics of Geospatial Technology (3)
FOR 219 Dendrology (4)
FOR 221 Winter Dendrology (1)
FOR 240 Forestry and Natural Resource Ethics (2)
FOR 250 Statistics and Measurements I (4)
FOR 255 Forest Fire (1)
FOR 260 Forest Products and Wood Science (4)
FOR 280 Forest Resource Policy and Law (3)
FOR 285 Communication and Professional Development in Forestry and Natural Resources I (1)
FOR 286 Communication and Professional Development in Forestry and Natural Resources II (1)
FOR 355 Introduction to Forest Health and Protection (1)
FOR 320 Forest Valuation and Economics (3)
FOR 330 GIS and Spatial Analysis (3)
FOR 340 Forest Ecology (4)
FOR 350 Silviculture (4)
FOR 356 Forest Soils and Hydrology (1)
FOR 357 Inventory and Measurements II (2)
FOR 358 Silvicultural Practices (3)
FOR 359 Forest Operations and Utilization (3)
FOR 365 Wildlife Assessment (2)
FOR 370 Wildlife Biology and Management (4)
FOR 400 Human Dimensions of Forestry and Natural Resources (3)
FOR 502 Forest Entomology (3)
FOR 425 Forest Management (4)
FOR 435 Conservation Biology (3)
FOR 460 Forest Hydrology and Watershed Management (3)
FOR 480 Integrated Forest Resource Management (5)
PLS 366 Fundamentals of Soil Science (4)
Subtotal: Major TOTAL hours....(82)


Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement

  • FOR 400 Human Dimensions of Forestry and Natural Resources (3)
  • FOR 480 Integrated Forest Research Management (5)

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement TOTAL hours (GCCR)....(8)


Professional Electives

Nine hours of professional electives. In general, the professional electives should be a 300-level or above course. If a student wants to take a course not on the forestry program’s professional elective list, the student must receive approval from the Department of Forestry Undergraduate Programs Committee.

Subtotal: Professional electives TOTAL hours....(9)


Pre-major Requirements

  • BIO 103 Basic Ideas of Biology  or  BIO 148 Introductory Biology I (3)
  • CHE 104 Introductory General Chemistry  or  CHE 105 General College Chemistry I (3-4)
  • Any approved Quantitative Foundations course with a Math (MA) prefix (3)

Subtotal: Premajor hours....(9-10)


UK Core Requirements

See the UK Core section of the Bulletin for the complete UK Core requirements. The courses listed below are (a) recommended by the college, or (b) required courses that also fulfill UK Core areas. Students should work closely with their advisor to complete the UK Core requirements.

I. Intellectual Inquiry in Arts and Creativity

  • Choose one course from approved list (3)

II. Intellectual Inquiry in the Humanities

  • Choose one course from approved list (3)

III. Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences

  • Choose one course from approved list (3)

IV. Intellectual Inquiry in the Natural, Physical,and Mathematical Sciences

  • BIO 103 Basic Ideas of Biology (3)

V. Composition and Communication I

  • CIS/WRD 110 Composition and Communication I (3)

VI. Composition and Communication II

  • CIS/WRD 111 Composition and Communication II (3)

VII. Quantitative Foundations

  • Any approved Quantitative Foundations course with a Math (MA) prefix (3)

VIII. Statistical Inferential Reasoning

  • FOR 250 Statistics and Measurements I (4)

IX. Community, Culture and Citizenship in the USA

  • GEN 100 Issues in Agriculture, Food and Environment (3)

X. Global Dynamics

  • FOR 435 Conservation Biology (3)

UK Core TOTAL hours....(31)


Electives

Elective courses should be selected by the student to lead to the minimum total of 121 hours required for graduation.

Subtotal: Electives TOTAL hours....(3)


Some states may require a professional license, certification, registration, or permit be obtained before engaging or working in forestry. Students interested in practicing forestry in another state should learn more about whether their undergraduate or graduate program will lead to licensure or certification, etc. in each state. 

Academics
Forestry Curriculum

Learn more about the requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Forestry.

View Curriculum

Spring Field Semester

View week-by-week summaries of the Spring Field Semester that occurs during spring of the junior year.

View Field Semester

Wildlife Biology and Management Minor

View the requirements for the Wildlife Biology and Management Minor.

View Wildlife Minor

Jobs
Forestry and Natural Resources Job Board

View job opportunities in forestry and natural resources. Includes graduate school, temporary, part-time and permanent positions.

View Jobs

Career Opportunities

Learn what you can do with a degree in forestry.

View Careers

Explore Forestry

Watch or listen to our From the Woods Today show to learn about all things forestry in Kentucky.

View Episodes


How can we help? 

If you have questions about the UK Forestry program or would like to schedule a visit, let us know.

Contact Laura Lhotka, Forestry Academic Coordinator 859-257-8718, laura.lhotka@uky.edu