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College of Forest Resources
Undergraduate Program

Adviser
116 Anderson
206-543-3077
cfradv@u.washington.edu

The College of Forest Resources offers the following programs of study:

  • The Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources degree with a major in environmental science and resource management. Within this major, options in landscape ecology and conservation, restoration ecology and environmental horticulture, sustainable forest management, and wildlife conservation are offered.
  • The Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources degree with a major in paper science and engineering. Paper science and engineering has ABET accreditation which is recognized by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education as the accrediting agency for engineering in the United States.
  • Minors in environmental science and resource management;and streamside studies.

Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources

Suggested First- and Second-Year College Courses:

  • Environmental Science and Resource Management: HCDE 231, ENGL 131 (or other 5-credit English composition course); COM 220; BIOL 161-BIOL 162; CHEM 120, CHEM 220; any 5-credit VLPA course; MATH 120 or Q SCI 291; ESRM 210.
  • Paper Science and Engineering: CHEM 142 (or CHEM 144), CHEM 152 (or CHEM 154), CHEM 162 (or CHEM 164), CHEM 237, CHEM 238; ECON 200; ENGL 131 (or other 5-credit English composition course); HCDE 231; CHEM E 260; MATH 124, MATH 125, MATH 126, MATH 307; PHYS 121, PHYS 122, PHYS 123; Q SCI 381; PSE 201, PSE 202, PSE 248 and PSE 450.

Department Admission Requirements

  • Environmental Science and Resource Management: Students in good academic standing may declare this major at any time.
  • Paper Science and Engineering: Students may apply for freshman admission or upper-division admission. Applications are available in Student and Academic Services, 116 Anderson, or through the College of Engineering, 356 Loew, or by visiting the College Web site. Departmental deadlines are July 1 for autumn quarter, October 15 for winter quarter, and January 15 for spring quarter. Admission is competitive; completion of requirements does not guarantee admission. Students may also declare into the Chemical Engineering degree program through the College of Engineering advanced admission program (see College of Engineering section for advanced admission entrance and continuation requirements).

Graduation Requirements

Environmental Science and Resource Management

180 credits, to include:

  1. General Education Requirements (67-68 credits)
    1. Written Communication (12 credits): 5 credits English composition (ENGL 131 preferred); HCDE 231; and four additional credits, which are satisfied by core courses shown below.
    2. Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning (20 credits): Q SCI 291, Q SCI 292, Q SCI 381; ESRM 250.
    3. Natural World (24-25 credits): BIOL 161 and BIOL 162, or BIOL 180 and BIOL 200; CHEM 120 and CHEM 220, or CHEM 142 (or CHEM 144) and CHEM 152 (or CHEM 154); ESRM 210 or ESS 210 or ESS/OCEAN 230 (5 credits only) or ESS 201 or ATM S 211.
    4. Visual, Literary, & Performing Arts (VLPA) (10 credits): COM 202 or COM 220; five additional credits from the University VLPA list.
    5. Individuals & Societies (I&S) (10 credits): ENVIR/ECON 235 or ECON 200 or ECON 201; and five additional credits, which are satisfied by core courses shown below.
  2. Major Requirements (62 credits for the major):
    1. Core Courses (17 credits): ESRM 200, ESRM 201, ESRM 300, ESRM 304.
    2. Restricted Electives (Minimum 35 credits of 300- or 400-level courses from within the College of Forest Resources for the major; 29 to 36 such credits may come from one of the specified option course lists described below): 15 of the credits must be at the 400 level.
    3. Capstone (10 credits): ESRM 462 and ESRM 463 and ESRM 464; or ESRM 494 and ESRM 496; or ESRM 494 and ESRM 495.
  3. Free electives: As needed to bring minimum total to 180 credits.

Environmental Science and Resource Management voluntary program options:

All requirements for any of the four voluntary options are the same as for the major shown directly above.

  1. Landscape Ecology and Conservation Option (at least 35 credits from the following list): ESRM 350, ESRM 425, ESRM 427, ESRM 430, ESRM 441, ESRM 465, ESRM 470, Q SCI 482.
  2. Restoration Ecology and Environmental Horticulture Option (35 credits from the following list): ESRM 331, ESRM 362, ESRM 415, ESRM 473 (or ESRM 479), ESRM 478, ESRM 480; two from ESRM 411, ESRM 412, ESRM 444, or ESRM 451.
  3. Sustainable Forest Management Option (at least 35 credits from the following list): ESRM 323; ESRM 368; ESRM 430; ESRM 461; ESRM 470; ESRM 328 or ESRM 350 or ESRM 409 or ESRM 410 or ESRM 414 or ESRM 425 or ESRM 426 or ESRM 428; ESRM 315 or ESRM 381 or ESRM 420 or ESRM 425 or ESRM 435 or ESRM 444 or ESRM 468 or ESRM 490 (section by approval); ESRM 320 or ESRM 321 or ESRM 400 or ESRM 403 or ESRM 427 or ESRM 465.
  4. Wildlife Conservation Option (35 credits from the following list): ESRM 350, ESRM 351, ESRM 441, ESRM 450, ESRM 455 (to be taken at least twice), Q SCI 482.

Paper Science and Engineering

  1. General Education Requirements (91 credits)
    1. Written Communication (8 credits): 5 credits English composition (ENGL 131 preferred); HCDE 231 (3 credits). (Additional 5 credits satisfied by PSE courses shown below.)
    2. Mathematics and, Statistics (23 credits): MATH 124, MATH 125, MATH 126, MATH 307; Q SCI 381 or IND E 315 or STAT 390.
    3. Supporting Sciences: (43 credits): CHEM 142 (or CHEM 144), CHEM 152 (or CHEM 154), CHEM 162 (or CHEM 164); CHEM 237, CHEM 238; CHEM E 260; PHYS 121, PHYS 122, PHYS 123.
    4. Visual, Literary, & Performing Arts (VLPA) (10 credits): Chosen from the University VLPA list.
    5. Individuals & Societies (7 credits): ECON 200; 2 credits from the University I&S list; (3 additional credits satisfied by required PSE courses.)
  2. Major Requirements (64-65 credits)
    1. Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (18 credits): CHEM 455; CHEM E 310, CHEM E 330, CHEM E 340, CHEM E 436.
    2. Paper Science Courses (46-47 credits): PSE 201, PSE 202, PSE 248, PSE 402, PSE 404, PSE 406, PSE 450, PSE 476, PSE 477, PSE 478, PSE 479, PSE 480, PSE 481, PSE 482, PSE 487, PSE 497. All required PSE courses must be completed with at least a 2.0 grade.
  3. Electives
    1. Technical Electives or Business Option (12 credits minimum).
    2. Free electives to bring minimum total to 180 credits.

Minors

Environmental Science and Resource Management

Minor Requirements: Minimum 25 ESRM credits, 20 of which must be upper division. A maximum of 5 credits from PSE courses allowed.

Streamside Studies

Minor Requirements: Minimum 28 credits with a grade of at least 2.0 in each course:

  1. Core courses (minimum 15 credits): ESS 210, ESS 230, ESS 326 or ESS 401; CEE 476 or ESRM 426; ESRM 201, BIOL 356, or FISH 447; and FISH 450, ESRM 328/FISH 328, or FISH 311.
  2. 3 credits of ESRM 429
  3. 10 credits from the following (extra courses not applied to the core may also count): CEE 462; ESRM 210 or ESRM 311; ESRM 371/ENVIR 379/SOC 379, or ANTH 457; ESRM 465, ESRM 470, ESRM 472; FISH 312, FISH 428, FISH 438/BIOL 438, GEOG 370.

Student Outcomes and Opportunities

  • Learning Objectives and Expected Outcomes: Forest resources emphasizes interactions between biotic and human systems at landscape to regional scales. It also provides a knowledge base to answer critical questions about how individual organisms and biotic systems respond to perturbations and stresses imposed by human activities, as well as how the environment affects human behavior and institutions. This knowledge enables the design of methods for the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of biotic systems, and is critical for environmental decision making.

The goal of the paper science and engineering curriculum is to provide students with the training, tools, and experiences needed to be successful professionals in the pulp, paper, and allied industries. At the same time, it provides a comprehensive education so graduates can effectively work and live in the world's complex society.

The goal of the environmental science and resource management curriculum is to present fundamental knowledge and problem-solving experiences that enable students to understand the interdisciplinary dimensions of natural resource and environmental sciences and management. The structure of this curriculum provides great flexibility for students to pursue specialized fields through the formal program options, which include: landscape ecology and conservation; restoration ecology and environmental horticulture; sustainable forest management; and wildlife conservation; or to construct individual coursework to fit their educational goals.

Career opportunities abound in the area of environmental science and resource management in both private and public sectors. One example is the projected need in the U.S. Forest Service, where it is estimated that one-third of the workforce will be retiring within the next five years.

  • Instructional and Research Facilities: See the main College page for details.
  • Honors Options Available: With College Honors; With Distinction (Departmental Honors). See adviser for requirements, or link to www.cfr.washington.edu/acad/undergrad/honors.htm

Research, Internships, and Service Learning: The Office of Student and Academic Services regularly receives internship announcements, which are forwarded to all CFR students via email and placed in the office's Career Corner. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue these opportunities, which include work experience with federal, state, and private organizations in environmental science, forestry, engineering, conservation, wildlife, horticulture, and other related fields.

Undergraduate research opportunities are available. Students should contact faculty members in their areas of interest. There are also foreign study and field opportunities within the College. Some are formal study with faculty members, others are through other agencies. Contact the Office of Student and Academic Services for more information.

  • Department Scholarships: For majors, the College of Forest Resources has a strong scholarship program that provides in-state tuition to students, based on merit or need. Application information can be found at www.cfr.washington.edu/Acad/Scholarship.htm.

    The Washington Pulp and Paper Foundation provides scholarships for students enrolled in the Paper Science and Engineering curriculum. For information, contact Professor Rick Gustafson in Bloedel 364 or visit the foundation Web site at: http://depts.washington.edu/wppf/.

  • Student Organizations/Associations: The College has student organizations which organize student symposia, field trips, parties, slide shows and talks, public service projects, and other social activities. Current CFR student organizations can be found at www.cfr.washington.edu/Acad/clubs.htm.

Of Special Note: Some college classes include field trips or require laboratory supplies or material duplication at student expense.

Helpful links

Undergraduate Program

Minor

Graduate Program

Time Schedule

Academic Planning Worksheet

College Web page

Departmental faculty

Course Descriptions