Forestry is the study of forests as a natural resource. Forests are an important part of the environment, provide many ecosystem services, produce wood, and are used for a wide range of recreation activities. The role of foresters is to manage forests sustainably for all the climate, biodiversity, health and renewable biomaterial benefits forest provide. Foresters may work with landowners in designing and creating new forests, manage existing forests for the forest owners’ objectives or work with wood industries in harvesting and supplying timber.
What is the BSc in Forestry course?
The BSc in Forestry is a three-year degree programme that prepares students for a professional career in Sustainable Forest Management. The course is professionally accredited by the Society of Irish Foresters and graduates may apply to be placed on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine register of Approved Foresters. Graduates are deemed to have achieved the equivalent of the Green Cert for Stamp Duty exemption purposes
Year 1
Semester 1
Semester 2
Plant Biology
Forest Surveying & Mapping
Forest Establishment
Fundamentals of Forestry
Mechanisation & Safety
Wood Science
Dendrology
Earth Science
Mathematics for Forestry
Information and Communication Technology for Forestry
Communication Skills and Computer Applications
Chemistry for Land Scientists
Year 2
Semester 3
Semester 4
Timber Technology
Placement
Forest Mensuration
Forest Protection
Forest Soils
Forestry & the Environment
Applied Geographical Information Systems
Year 3
Semester 5
Semester 6
Forest Economics
Plantation Silviculture
Sustainable Forest Management
Commercial Forestry Practices
Principles of Silviculture
Forest Engineering
Forest Inventory
Small Enterprise Management
Forest Harvesting
Forest 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:
SETU Waterford 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
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
Graduates have also found professional employment in the UK, Australia and Canada.
Completion of a level 8 programme will also enable students to undertake taught Masters programmes or Masters degrees by research at SETU Waterford or other third-level colleges.
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.
