Forestry

University of California, Berkeley

About the Program

The Master of Forestry (MF) degree is the advanced professional forestry degree granted by the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM). The student who has completed an undergraduate curriculum in forestry is usually broadly trained in the principles of forestry but has not yet developed proficiency in the application of these principles to diverse problems involved in professional practice. The Master of Forestry program is designed to advance the student's understanding of the essentials of professional forest management at the graduate level within the context of resource and environmental planning of sustainable systems. 

Beginning in Fall 2020, the Master of Forestry program will offer a 4+1 program.  The 4+1 program allows students who plan to graduate from UC Berkeley with a  bachelor's degree in one of the ESPM majors to apply for the Master of Forestry program in the spring semester of their junior year. Students who are admitted into the 4+1 program could then take up to three courses during their final semester of their senior year and begin preparation for the final project and professional paper. 

Visit Department Website

Admissions

Admission to the University

Applying for Graduate Admission

Thank you for considering UC Berkeley for graduate study! UC Berkeley offers more than 120 graduate programs representing the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary scholarship. The Graduate Division hosts a complete list of graduate academic programs, departments, degrees offered, and application deadlines can be found on the Graduate Division website.

Prospective students must submit an online application to be considered for admission, in addition to any supplemental materials specific to the program for which they are applying. The online application and steps to take to apply can be found on the Graduate Division website.

Admission Requirements

The minimum graduate admission requirements are:

  1. A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;

  2. A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale; and

  3. Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in your chosen field.

For a list of requirements to complete your graduate application, please see the Graduate Division’s Admissions Requirements page. It is also important to check with the program or department of interest, as they may have additional requirements specific to their program of study and degree. Department contact information can be found here.

Where to apply?

Visit the Berkeley Graduate Division application page.

It is recommended that prior to applying, candidates should contact forestry faculty with whom they would like to work and discuss the program.

Master's Degree Requirements

Curriculum

The MF program has four components: course work, an internship/project, a professional paper, and an oral examination, and typically takes about two years for completion.

Course work
Twenty-four semester units of upper division and graduate courses, of which at least 12 units are at the graduate level. The Forestry graduate adviser and the student’s guiding professor must approve the program of study to assure advanced specialized training in professional forest resource management. Advanced courses in forest measurements, silviculture, and management are required.

Internship/Project
Normally with a public or private forestland management organization, the internship provides direct experience in the application of theory to professional land management.

Professional paper
The paper demonstrates a student’s ability to assemble and analyze data and to recommend a resolution of an applied forest problem. The paper may be based on the internship or on another supervised professional work experience or may be a report based on independent analysis. The paper must have guiding professor and forestry graduate adviser acceptance and approval.

Oral Exam
A comprehensive oral examination covering forest management is taken after completion of course work and approval of the professional paper. Primary emphasis will be on work done in the period of residence, but students should also be prepared to demonstrate mastery of the general field of forestry.

For more information on the Master of Forestry degree, please contact Ryann A. Madden, the forestry graduate advisor.

4+1 Program for UC Berkeley Students

The 4+1 program allows students who plan to graduate from UC Berkeley with a  bachelor's degree in one of the ESPM majors to apply for the Master of Forestry program in the spring semester of their junior year. Students admitted into the 4+1 program may take up to three courses during their final semester of their senior year and begin preparation for the final project and professional paper. 

This program accelerates a student's ability to complete the MF work within one academic year after receiving their bachelor's degree. 

Courses

Forestry

Contact Information

Forestry Program

ESPM Graduate Student Services Office

135 Mulford Hall

Visit Department Website

Department Chair

Michael Mascarenhas

145 Mulford Hall

Phone: 510-643-3788

mascarenhas@berkeley.edu

Graduate Student Affairs Officer

Ryann A. Madden

135 Mulford Hall

Phone: 510 642 6410

espm_gradsupport@berkeley.edu

Department Manager

Nicole Lowy

130 Mulford Hall

nlowy@berkeley.edu

Master of Forestry Head Graduate Advisor

Rob York

ryork@berkeley.edu

Back to Top