About This Course
This course is accredited by the Institute of Chartered Foresters and gives partial fulfilment of Professional Membership Entry.
We have been teaching forestry at Bangor for more than 110 years, and there has never been a more exciting time to enter the profession. Our degrees will prepare you for the challenge of managing forests for the many benefits they provide, at a time of global environmental change. Forests, vital to the global ecosystem, cover 30% of the world’s land area. Forestry is concerned with the understanding and sustainable management of these forests for the benefit of society.
Click here for more information about the School's activities and expertise in the field of Forestry.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- Top five for Agriculture and Forestry (Complete University Guide League Table 2021).
- Ranked 7th in the UK for research quality (Agriculture and Forestry - The Complete University Guide 2021).
- We were the first university to offer a Forestry degree, and we are now the first to offer an MFor degree.
- We have excellent links with forestry organisations in the UK and overseas, and these are used in our teaching programmes.
- We have a comprehensive library collection in Bangor, a forestry experimental area nearby, and are within easy travelling distance of public and privately-owned forests.
- The University owns 82 ha of woodland, many of them seminatural, which are used for teaching.
- We run week-long field courses in the first, second and final years of the degree.
- We have an experienced group of staff, with new appointments in forestry and a number of related disciplines, and excellent interaction with local professional foresters.
- There are opportunities for studying abroad (usually in Canada or Finland) during the second year. If you opt for the four-year programme you will spend a year working in the forestry profession, gaining relevant experience and increasing your employability.
- We pay for your first year student membership with the Institute of Chartered Foresters.
Course Content
We combine the teaching of theory in lectures, seminars and tutorials with the application of theory in forest-based practical classes and weeklong field courses. The relaxed and informal atmosphere of seminars and tutorials encourages lively debate over current and contentious issues, and there are opportunities to discuss some of the same issues with forestry professionals during forest visits. Courses are assessed using a variety of methods involving coursework and examination. We make extensive use of the University’s ‘Blackboard’ virtual learning environment, which provides direct access to learning resources, course documents and lecture notes.
What will you study on this course?
On this Forestry course you will study 120 credits in each year, through a range of lectures, tutorials, seminars and fieldwork. Our courses are modular and optional modules allow you to expand your studies into new areas or develop specialisms that interest you.
Years 1 and 2
The first year provides an introduction to the ecological, economic and environmental principles on which forestry is based. In the second year you will develop your understanding of these principles and apply them to forestry practice. Subjects studied during the first two years include tree and wood identification, site assessment, tree measurement, silviculture and inventory, forest health, forest management and geographical information systems. By the end of the second year you will have acquired the knowledge and understanding needed for a sandwich placement year, should you wish to do one.
Year 3
In the third year, you will integrate the knowledge that you have acquired in the first two years to write a forest management plan for a local forest area. If this is your final year, you will undertake an independent research project (Honours Project) on a topic that interests you, under the supervision of academic staff. There are optional modules in forest ecology, forest ecosystems, the forestry profession, environmental issues, environmental policy, renewable energy, and advanced GIS and remote sensing. You can also choose to go on a week-long field course in Tenerife.
Year 4
The MFor does not involve an Honours Project in Year 3; instead you complete a larger, Masterslevel dissertation in Year 4. You can also choose from a range of advanced specialist modules, such as agroforestry, forest resource assessment, natural resource management and business planning.
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Forestry Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Course Costs
Mandatory Costs:
Suitable clothing and equipment for fieldwork will be required e.g. walking boots and waterproofs, rucksack. The cost for these will vary. Approximate cost: £50-£80.
Appropriate stationary for note-taking during classes, e.g. notepad, pens and pencils. The cost for these will vary. Approximate cost: £5-£15.
Necessarily Incurred Costs:
Students are required to provide their own lunch and evening meals on the Year 2 residential fieldcourse. The cost for these will vary. Approximate total cost: £50-£70.
Materials for the preparation of academic poster for assessment. The cost and number of these will vary. Approximate cost: £10-£15.
Travel costs to undertake any fieldwork as part of Year 4 Dissertation research. The cost will vary by project (and may not even be incurred). Approximate cost for a UK-based project in a student’s home area: £15-£20.
Optional Costs:
Cost for optional residential Year 3 fieldcourse. The cost will vary by trip. Approximate cost £600.
Purchase of Wellington Boots for fieldwork. The cost for these will vary. Approximate cost: £10-£20.
Costs of any visas and vaccinations required if the student opts to undertake project work overseas. The cost for these will vary.
Notes:
Copies of all required reading materials are provided via the University Library.
Where required, laboratory coats are provided.
General University Costs
Home (UK) students
- The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,000 per year (2021/22 entry).
- More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
International (including EU) students
Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
- If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
- If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).
Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:
- Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
- Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
- Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.
Entry Requirements
For 2019 entry:
- A minimum of 128 tariff points from a level 3 qualification* (excluding General Studies) including a grade C in one science subject at A2 level (preferred subjects are: Biology, Geography, Geology, Environmental Studies, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Economics, Statistics)
- Welsh Baccalaureate is accepted. *Level 3 qualifications include A levels, BTEC, Access, Irish Highers, International Baccalaureate, Welsh Baccalaureate, Scottish Advanced Highers and others – for a full list, please refer to the new UCAS tariff at www.ucas.com.
- International Baccalaureate.
- Distinction in the City and Guilds Extended Diploma in a relevant subject (acceptable subjects: Forestry and Arboriculture, Countryside Management)
- A minimum of grades DMM in the BTEC National BTEC National/Extended Diploma in a relevant subject (acceptable BTEC subjects: Countryside Management, Applied Science, Forestry & Arboriculture, Animal Management).
- Science/Environmental-based Access course.
- Equivalent overseas qualifications.
- We consider mature students with substantial relevant experience on an individual basis.
General University Requirements
To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.
We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.
All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.
As part of the University’s policy we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.
We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.
EU and International Students' Entry Requirements
For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.
Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
Careers
Employers are always looking for good forestry graduates who are self-motivated and enjoy working with people. A high proportion (around 80%) of our graduates find a forestry-related job within six months of graduation, and are employed by public, private and non-governmental organisations both in the UK and overseas. Our unique history, reputation and teaching excellence makes Bangor Forestry graduates highly employable.
Opportunities at Bangor
The University’s Skills and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions.
The Bangor Employability Award (BEA)
With the BEA, you can gain recognition for your extra-curricular activities (e.g. volunteering, clubs and societies, part-time work, etc.)
Internships
Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.
Student Volunteering
Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about the volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.
