BSc in Forestry

Bachelor of ScienceForestry
Code:
WD076
Delivery:
Full Time
2019 CAO range:
        181 - 601
Level:
7
Campus:
Cork Road
Duration:
3 years
Credits:
180 ECTS
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What is Forestry?

Forestry is the study of forests as a natural resource. Forests are an important part of the environment, provide timber and other products and are used for a wide range of recreation activities. The role of foresters is to manage forests so that people can benefit from this natural resource on a sustainable basis. Foresters may work with landowners in planting new forests, manage existing forests or work with sawmills in harvesting and supplying timber.

Tree Week | Newstalk

Tree Week, organised by the Tree Council of Ireland since 1985 is a week long programme of event...

What is the BSc in Forestry course?

The BSc in Forestry is a three year degree course that prepares students for a professional career in Forest Management.The programme is professionally accredited by the Society of Irish Foresters and graduates may apply to be placed on the Forest Service register of Approved Foresters.

The BSc in Forestry is accredited by the Society of Irish Foresters and graduates may apply to be placed on the Forest Service register of Approved Foresters. Graduates are deemed to have achieved the equivalent of the Green Cert for Stamp Duty exemption purposes.

In order to facilitate the delivery of programmes during the Covid-19 pandemic, module outline and order may change slightly for the academic year 2020/2021.

Year 1
Semester 1Semester 2
Plant BiologyForest Surveying & Mapping
Forest EstablishmentFundamentals of Forestry
Mechanisation & Safety Wood Science
DendrologyEarth Science
Mathematics for ForestryICT for Forestry
Information & Communication Technology for ForestryChemistry for Land Scientists
Year 2
Semester 3Semester 4
Timber TechnologyPlacement
Forest Mensuration
Forest Protection
Forest Soils
Forestry & the Environment
Applied Geographical Information Systems
Year 3
Semester 5Semester 6
Forest EconomicsPlantation Silviculture
Sustainable Forest ManagementCommercial Forestry Practices
Principles of SilvicultureForest Engineering
Forest InventorySmall Enterprise Management
Forest HarvestingForest Management Plan

Leaving Cert: Minimum entry requirements for BSc in Forestry:

5 subjects: O6/H7
English or Irish: O6/H7
Mathematics: O6/H7

Advanced and Equivalent Entry for BSc in Forestry:

BSc in Forestry graduates are widely employed in the Irish forest sector, including the following organisations:

State Bodies:

Coillte, the Irish State Forestry Company: www.coillte.ie

Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority: www.teagasc.ie/forestry

Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: www.agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice

Forest Management Companies:

Veon Ltd: www.veon.ie

Forestry Services: www.forestryservices.ie

SWS Forestry: www.swsforestry.ie

Western Forestry Co-operative Society: www.westernforestrycoop.ie

Green Belt: www.greenbelt.ie

The Forestry Company: www.theforestrycompany.ie

Irish Forest Unit Trust: www.iforut.ie

Irish Wood Producers: www.irishwoodproducers.com

Sawmills:

Laois Sawmills: www.laoissawmills.com

Murrays Timber Group: www.mtg.ie

Graduates have also found professional employment in the UK, Australia and Canada.

Follow on study for BSc in Forestry graduates:

WD157 - Bsc (Hons) in Land Management in Forestry

WIT Forestry also has transfer links with DN271 - the Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Forestry) degree, University College Dublin; and honours degrees in forestry at University of Aberdeen, Scotland; University of the Highlands & Islands, Scotland and Master’s degrees in forestry at University of Wales, Bangor.

More Student Stories

Fieldwork and field trips are an essential element of the course. Typically, 25% to 50% of each module scheduled hours consist of fieldwork elements. Fieldtrips are used to apply technical skills, demonstrate forest operations and processes, gather information for analysis and meet professionals in their working environment. Locations include Coillte and private forests, wood processing industries and Kennedy Arboretum. All students will undertake a company placement in the second semester of Year 2. In addition, work placements may be organised in other countries. All students will carry out a forest management plan of Lismore Estate in third year, involving extensive fieldwork in mapping, inventory, valuation and forest operation, protection and management planning.

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