Course summary

The Tropical Forestry MSc represents a natural addition to our highly successful and well-respected MSc Forestry, MSc Environmental Forestry and MSc Agroforestry degree courses. Award The programme provides part-time students from across the world with training in the management of forest resources, understanding of the scientific, academic and practical principles which underpin forest management, forest measurement and forest ecosystem function and the interrelationships between government, industry and communities’ forests and associated land-use. The Tropical Forestry MSc is part-time and the full MSc is completed in three years. It builds on the existing links and strengths of the highly successful forestry masters programmes in the School of Natural Sciences: MSc Sustainable Forest Management (SUFONAMA), MSc Sustainable Tropical Forestry (SUTROFOR) and Forest and Nature for Society (FONASO). These programmes were developed by European Masters consortiums and funded by the EU Erasmus Mundus programme. Our distance-learning programme is designed to provide students with training in the subject of tropical forestry, understanding of the scientific, academic and practical principles which underpin forest conservation, protection and management and forest ecosystem function and the interrelationships between government, industry and communities’ forests and associated land-use. Suitable applicants include individuals working in forestry/forest-related industries/natural resource management, particularly in the fields of planning, regulation, policy, monitoring and environmental protection. The course is also suited to individuals working in forestry education who wish to further their knowledge and expertise in order to improve their teaching. The programme, which is accredited by the Institute of Chartered Foresters, is designed to provide students with detailed knowledge of direct relevance to the modern forest manager. Key course modules cover the increasing importance of social issues in forest management, the complex challenges and multiple benefits of well-managed agroforestry systems and the sustainable use of non-timber forest products. Modules in inventory, assessment and monitoring look at other significant issues surrounding the sustainable management of global forest resources.