Forestry and Natural Resources Major: What It Includes, Classes and Careers

A Forestry and Natural Resources major studies how to manage forests, wildlife, parks and natural resources. Forestry and natural resources majors study forest ecology, wildlife management, conservation, fire management and resource policy, with field work.

A Forestry and Natural Resources major includes coursework in forest ecology, wildlife management, forest measurements, fire management, and natural resource policy and more. You build skills such as field work, GIS, resource assessment, and equipment use. Programs often include field work. Typical degrees: associate, bachelor's and master's degrees.

Typical courses include forest ecology, wildlife management, forest measurements, fire management, natural resource policy, and GIS and field methods. Exact course names and requirements vary by college, and most degrees also include general education courses.

It depends on the level. Forestry and Natural Resources is offered as certificate, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral awards at U.S. colleges; certificates take from a few months to about two years, an associate degree usually takes about two years of full-time study, a bachelor’s degree usually takes about four years of full-time study, a master’s degree usually takes one to two years after a bachelor’s, and a doctoral or professional degree takes several more years beyond that. Part-time study takes longer.

Associate, bachelor's and master's degrees. In the latest federal data, 132 colleges reported certificate awards, 224 colleges reported associate awards, 722 colleges reported bachelor’s awards, 210 colleges reported master’s awards, and 92 colleges reported doctoral awards.

Career paths connected to forestry and natural resources include forester, forest and conservation worker, conservation technician, fish and game warden, arborist, and forest fire prevention specialist. Some roles need additional training, experience, certification or a license.

Examples include forester (typical training: 4-year degree), forest and conservation worker (typical training: 1–3 months), conservation technician (typical training: 2 years), fish and game warden (typical training: 4 years plus academy), arborist (typical training: 1–3 months to start), and forest fire prevention specialist (typical training: 1–2 fire seasons).

Forestry and Natural Resources majors build skills such as field work, GIS, resource assessment, equipment use, and report writing.

Good pairings include Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (mapping is central to resource management) and Environmental Studies (adds policy and sustainability).

Often, yes. Programs commonly include field work. Ask each college how its program arranges hands-on work.

It can be a good fit if you are interested in the work it leads to, such as forester, forest and conservation worker, and conservation technician, and enjoy subjects like forest ecology and wildlife management. No major guarantees a job, so compare the coursework, the careers and the education each career requires before deciding.

How hard it feels depends on your strengths. Core coursework includes forest ecology, wildlife management, and forest measurements; if those subjects interest you, the major is likely to feel more manageable. Reviewing a college’s course list and talking to current students helps you judge.

989 U.S. colleges reported awarding degrees or certificates in this field in the latest federal (IPEDS) data. Programs can have different names at different schools.

California (100), New York (79), Pennsylvania (65), Massachusetts (42), and Texas (42), based on the colleges that reported awards in this field.

802 of the colleges that offer forestry and natural resources also report offering at least one program entirely online, though not necessarily this one. Use the college search with this major and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with the school.

Forestry and Natural Resources studies how to manage forests, wildlife, parks and natural resources. Agriculture and Agribusiness studies how food, fiber and plants are produced, managed and sold. Forestry and Natural Resources leads to careers such as forester and forest and conservation worker, while Agriculture and Agribusiness leads to careers such as farm manager and agricultural technician.

Forestry and Natural Resources studies how to manage forests, wildlife, parks and natural resources. Animal Science and Veterinary Technology studies animal biology, care, nutrition and health. Forestry and Natural Resources leads to careers such as forester and forest and conservation worker, while Animal Science and Veterinary Technology leads to careers such as veterinary technician and veterinary assistant.

Yes. Short online career training can help you understand a specific job and build practical knowledge alongside your classes. It does not replace your degree or any required license.

No. Career Education Institute is not a college and does not award degrees. It offers short, non-credit online trainings about jobs connected to forestry and natural resources, such as Forester Training.