Master of Forests

Forests, the most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystems, are central to life on earth and planetary and human health. Halting deforestation and forest degradation, restoring forests in landscapes degraded by unsustainable use, and expanding the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation, are global goals with diverse local implementation opportunities and challenges. Traditional Owners now manage a third of Australia’s forests, mostly for conservation and environmental services; state agencies manage another third. Plantation forests grow most of our wood. Farm forests improve agricultural productivity and sustainability. Urban forests make cities more livable and improve their residents’ well being. Wood from sustainably managed forests is often described as ‘the ultimate renewable’, and is now the basis of advanced engineered materials and buildings. Around the world, forests in their many forms, and how we conserve and manage them sustainably for their myriad services and products, are being re-imagined.

Capitalising on these opportunities and addressing the associated challenges is both exciting and demanding. It requires innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving, drawing from a wide range of disciplinary and specialist knowledge. By completing courses across a broad range of knowledge bases and applied to forest science and management, you will develop the skills to integrate and adapt knowledge to design novel solutions to complex problems.

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 5.0/7.0.

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

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.