Program Requirements

The Masters of Forests requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A minimum of 24 units must come from completion of 8000-level courses

The 96 units must consist of:

A minimum of 72 units must come from completion of courses from the lists below:

12 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

ENVS8018 Partnership Research for Agricultural and Natural Resource-Based Development (6 units)

ENVS8105 Forests Research Essay (6 units)

12 units from completion of Forests courses from the following list:

EMDV8104 Environmental Governance (6 units)

ENVS6024 Biodiversity Conservation (6 units)

ENVS6026 Managing Forested Landscapes (6 units)

6 units from completion of Research Methods courses from the following list:

ANTH8019 Social Analysis and Community Politics (6 units)

BIOL6202 Experimental Design and Analysis in Biology (6 units)

EMDV8102 Research Methods for Environmental Management and Development (6 units)

ENVS6202 Environmental Measurement, Modelling and Monitoring (6 units)

MATH6102 Environmental Modelling and Integrated Assessment (6 units)

MATH6111 Scientific Computing (6 units)

MGMT8006 Management Research Methods (6 units)

6 units from completion of Applied Research and Professional Practice courses from the following list:

COMP6730 Programming for Scientists (6 units)

EMDV8103 Environmental Assessment (6 units)

ENVS6015 GIS and Spatial Analysis (6 units)

ENVS6025 Complex Environmental Problems in Action (6 units)

ENVS8048 Topics in Environment & Society (6 to 12 units)

MGMT7153 Core Leadership (6 units)

SCOM6031 Science, Risk and Ethics (6 units)

SCOM8014 Communicating Science with the Public (6 units)

SCNC8000 Science Internship (6 to 12 units)

VCPG6100 Group Research and Innovation Project (6 to 12 units)

A minimum of 24 units from completion of contextual courses from the following list:

BIOL6206 Evolution of Biodiversity (6 units)

ECON6040 Resource and Environmental Economics (6 units)

EMDV8009 Asia Pacific Environmental Conflicts: Causes and Solutions (6 units)

EMDV8011 Payments for Environmental Services (6 units)

EMDV8012 Ecological Economics and Policy (6 units)

EMDV8018 Resources, environment and politics in Australia (6 units)

EMDV8078 Introduction to Environmental and Resource Economics (6 units)

EMDV8101 State, Society and Natural Resources (6 units)

ENVS6020 Human Ecology (6 units)

ENVS6021 Participatory Resource Management: Working with Communities and Stakeholders (6 units)

ENVS6223 Sustainable Agricultural Systems (6 units) 

ENVS6304 Land and Catchment Management (6 units)

ENVS6307 Climate Change: Science, Society, and Policy (6 units)

ENVS6308 Fire in the Environment (6 units)

ENVS6342 Agricultural Innovation (6 units) 

ENVS6528 Environmental Policy (6 units)

ENVS6555 Water Management (6 units)

ENVS8003 Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation (6 units)

ENVS8016 Contemporary Perspectives in Environment-Society Interaction (6 units)

MGMT7062 Leading for Social Impact (6 units)

VCPG8138 Science, Technology and Public Policy (6 units)

A maximum of 12 units from completion of further 6000-level or 8000-level courses from the following subject areas:

ENVS Environment

EMDV Environment and Development.

SCOM Science Communication

24 units from elective courses offered by ANU

Capstone Courses

Study Options

Admission Requirements

At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry. 

Applicants must present a Bachelor degree or international equivalent

with a minimum GPA of at least 5.0/7.0

with at least 8 courses in a cognate discipline, which must also have a minimum GPA of 5.0/7.0.

The GPA requirement for this program must be met by both the program as a whole, as well as by the 8 courses in a cognate discipline. Where more than 8 cognate courses have been completed by the applicant, ANU will take the best 8 courses when assessing the cognate GPA.

In line with the university's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors. 

Academic achievement & English language proficiency

The minimum academic requirement for full entry and enrolment is a Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 5.5/7.0. 

However, applicants will first be ranked on a GPA ('GPA1') that is calculated using all but the last semester (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes. 

If required, ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of: 

a GPA ('GPA2') calculated on the penultimate and antepenultimate semesters (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes; and/or

demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency. 

Prior to enrolment in this ANU program, all students who gain entry will have their Bachelor degree reassessed, to confirm minimum requirements were met.

Further information: English Language Requirements for Admission 

Diversity factors

As Australia’s national university, ANU is global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, competitive ranking of applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe.

Assessment of qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met.

 Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au

ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher.

Credit Granted

Applicants with a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Certificate in a cognate discipline may be eligible for 24 units (one semester) of credit.

Applicants with a Graduate Diploma or Honours in a cognate discipline may be eligible for 48 units (one year) of credit.

Cognate Disciplines

Ecology, Environmental Policy, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Forestry, Natural Resource Economics, Natural Resource Management, Resource Management.

Fee Information

All students are required to pay the Services and amenities fee (SA Fee)

The annual indicative fee provides an estimate of the program tuition fees for international students and domestic students (where applicable). The annual indicative fee for a program is based on the standard full-time enrolment load of 48 units per year (unless the program duration is less than 48 units). Fees for courses vary by discipline meaning that the fees for a program can vary depending on the courses selected. Course fees are reviewed on an annual basis and typically will increase from year to year. The tuition fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and the courses selected and are subject to increase during the period of study.

For further information on Fees and Payment please see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Employment Opportunities

There are opportunities for graduates across the breadth of the forests sector, in all its diversity, in Australia, in our region, and more widely. Graduates with forests expertise work in conservation and sustainable production systems, in partnership with First Nations peoples and with farmers, in the forest and environmental services industries, and across government, business, and community sectors. Graduates have the capacity to enter at managerial and strategic thinking -level positions, and to become the next generation of leaders for forests.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate advanced specialist knowledge and cognitive skills across a broad range of contemporary issues and challenges in the natural and social forest sciences.
2. Independently apply and integrate advanced knowledge and understanding to a range of problems, concepts and theories concerning forest management.
3. Demonstrate the capacity to engage with interdisciplinary approaches and multiple stakeholders, to explore practical solutions in forest policy.
4. Effectively communicate knowledge and understanding of forests, the forest sciences, and policy and management options to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
5. Critically analyse and resolve complex problems by applying appropriate forest science methodologies.

Inherent Requirements

No specific inherent requirements have been identified for this program.

Further Information

Program advice:

Students should seek advice from the Program Convener on a study plan that suits their background and career aspirations.

• Courses in the Contextual course list provide knowledge complementary to the study of forests, i.e. provide the broader context in which ‘Forests’ interact. Choice in these courses may depend particularly on the background knowledge of the student.
• Research methods courses are those that provide skills and training to undertake research.
• Applied Research and Professional Practice courses are those that provide skills and training more specifically for professional work in this field.

Students who are admitted to the Master of Forests can explore the option of applying to transfer into the Master of Forests (Advanced) and undertake a significant research component. Please discuss this pathway option with the program convener at the commencement of your program. Students who may wish to pursue this pathway must meet the following requirements:

• achieve a minimum 70% weighted average mark in the initial 48 units of coursework
• have the approval of an identified supervisor, and 
• have completed compulsory courses in the first 48 units of the Master of Forests (Advanced).
• have satisfied the published admissions requirements for the Master of Forests (Advanced)

ENVS8105 Forests Research Essay can be taken as 12 units with the approval of the course convener. Students taking this option must also complete ENVS8018 to satisfy the degree requirements.

Vertical Double Degree pathway UGRD-PGRD:

This program is part of the Vertical Double Degree pathway structure offered by the College of Science and the College of Health and Medicine. The Vertical Double Degree pathway presents students with the opportunity to complete a 3-year single undergraduate degree offered by the ANU College of Science or the College of Health and Medicine with a cognate 2-year Masters degree in 4 years (full-time) instead of 5 years (full-time). Not all undergraduate and Masters programs are offered as a Vertical Double Degree pathway. For more information on applicable combinations, benefits and how to apply, eligibility and conditions please visit https://science.anu.edu.au/vertical-double-degrees or https://health.anu.edu.au/vertical-double-degrees

Students who are interested in pursuing a Vertical Double Degree pathway with this program, are advised to contact the College of Science Student Administration Office at science.enquiries@anu.edu.au and seek academic advice. Students who are already in an undergraduate degree offered by the College of Science or College of Health & Medicine should seek academic advice before completion of the first 72 units of their undergraduate studies.

This pathway is not available to students in an undergraduate Flexible Double Degree.

Exit pathways:

Students who have completed 48 units and wish to exit the program have the option of transferring to graduate from a Graduate Diploma of Science.

Students who have completed 24 units and wish to exit the program have the option of transferring to graduate from a Graduate Certificate of Science.

Courses offered by the College of Science and College of Health and Medicine:

An indicative list of courses offered by the College of Science and the College of Health and Medicine can be found under current students page on the College website via this link.