Masters in Forest Ecology and Sustainable Management
Umeå, Sweden
DURATION
2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
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STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Introduction
Forests worldwide play a key role in the bio-based economy; and this pressure to provide multiple products and services is putting forests under increasing pressure. Forests must also be maintained and developed, which requires knowledge of conservation ecology and sustainable forest management. The courses in this Master’s programme cover precisely these subjects, making this the ideal degree if you’re aiming for a career in applied forest ecology, silviculture and/or forest management.
As a student you will attend lectures carried out in close cooperation with research in ecology and forest management. The courses focus on the northern coniferous forest and you will learn about forest ecology and management of this ecosystem, as well as understand the complexity of issues such as global change and the many diverse roles of the forest.
After graduation, your specialist knowledge will make you an attractive employee in the job market, qualified to work as a specialist or advisor at a governmental authority, municipality or forestry company. Furthermore, you will be well prepared to continue your studies in a PhD programme.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Scholarships are available for fee-paying students admitted to Bachelor’s and Master's programmes. The scholarships are awarded by SLU and the Swedish Institute (SI).
A scholarship offered by SLU covers tuition fees only, no living or travel expenses are included. You need to pay the application fee even if you apply for a scholarship.
Scholarships awarded by the Swedish Institute are available for fee-paying students admitted to Master’s programmes and cover both tuition fees and living expenses. There are several different scholarships available depending on your background.
Curriculum
This Master’s program targets Swedish and international students who aim for a professional or academic career in applied forest ecology, silviculture, or forest resource management. It is tailored to deepen students’ knowledge of forest ecosystems and their responses to management activities and global change factors; and ultimately to develop strategies to attain sustainable forest management.
During the program, students will gain a comprehensive skill set of ecology and management and develop into broadly competent professionals and researchers who
- have a deep and comprehensive understanding of forest ecosystem properties and processes and how management activities affect the provision of forest products and ecosystem services and
- have a vast set of practical and professional skills needed to make evidence-based forest management decisions to achieve multiple forest-use objectives.
Students will practice specific skills and tools frequently used in forest-related research and industries, such as data analysis, modelling, problem identification and solving, decision making, communication, and writing. The programme also emphasizes interactions between students, academic researchers, and professionals within the Swedish forestry and land-management sectors and government.
The backbone of the program consists of four courses in forest history, forest ecosystem ecology, silviculture and sustainable management of boreal forests. These courses are recommended to complete the program and can also be taken independently by students not registered in the full Master’s program.
During the two year program, students are also able to select from a wide range of elective courses and interact with leading researchers at theForest Faculty, our sister universityUmeå University, and the prestigiousUmeå Plant Science Center(UPSC).
With the electives, students can broaden their knowledge of forest ecology and management into soil science, hydrology, experimental plant biology, conservation biology, and tropical forest management and/or deepen their skills in specific tools and applications like GIS, remote sensing, statistical modelling, field methods or mapping.
Program Outcome
MSc in Forest Ecology and Sustainable Management.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Forest Ecology and Sustainable Management graduates are highly competitive in the job market and qualified to continue studying in a doctoral programme.
During the two years of the programme, students will learn advanced topics in forest ecology and sustainable management for multiple objectives, practical skills, and professional development. Students will interact with academics, private industries, and public agencies through lectures, field excursions, symposia, and workshops. As international programme, we will create an active social network across the world.