Program Overview
The Bachelor of Forestry Science (BForSc) is a professional degree that prepares graduates for managing forest resources by combining core science courses with management, commerce, and technology.
Forestry Science graduates are highly sought after by employers and follow exciting and rewarding career paths.
Small class sizes create a high-quality learning environment.
UC has field stations located near Arthur’s Pass and at Kawatiri Westport for forestry teaching and research.
Participate in an exchange programme with top Forestry schools in Canada and the United States.
With strong employer links, the majority of graduates are employed before finishing their degree.
Christchurch, New Zealand
48 Months
NZ$ 36,950
IELTS: 6 TOEFL: 80
The Bachelor of Forestry Science follows a closely prescribed structure, with introductory courses in biology and forestry sciences, and advanced courses in forestry and industry.
See ‘How do I plan my degree?’ above for an example degree structure diagram.
Compulsory courses
Year 1
- FORE111 Trees, Forests and the Environment
- FORE131 Trees in the Landscape
- FORE141 Forest Growth and Measurements
- FORE151 Commercial Aspects of Forestry
- BIOL112 Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
- STAT101 Statistics 1
Year 2
- FORE205 Introduction to Forest Engineering
- FORE215 Introduction to Forest Economics
- FORE218 Forestry Biology
- FORE219 Introduction to Silviculture
- FORE222 Biometry 1a
- FORE224 Biometry 1b
- SOIL203 Soil Fertility
Year 3
- FORE307 Plantation Silviculture
- FORE316 Forest Management
- FORE327 Wood Science
- FORE342 Geospatial Science in Forest Monitoring and Management
Year 4
- FORE419 Management Case Study
- FORE422 Forest Harvest Planning
- FORE447 Environmental Forestry
Optional courses
You will also need to complete four optional courses from below in the third and fourth years. It is recommended to complete one in your third year and the other three in your fourth year:
- FORE423 Forest Transportation and Road Design
- FORE426 Forest Products Marketing and International Trade
- FORE435 Forest Economics 2
- FORE436 Forest Tree Breeding
- FORE443 Biosecurity Risk Management
- FORE475 Independent Course of Study
Bachelor of Forestry Science with Honours
Students with a good grade average across their studies will be invited to complete their degree with honours, which adds the course FORE414 Dissertation to their final year.
The BForSc is open to everyone who gains entry to the University. It is recommended that you take NCEA Level 3 biology and maths (including statistics and probability) or the IB/Cambridge equivalent.
If you have not studied Year 13 statistics, you should consider enrolling in a Headstart preparatory course over summer.
Fast-track option
You may be able to fast-track your degree and gain direct entry to the second year if you have excellent Year 13 results or a New Zealand Certificate in Science with outstanding merit.
It is possible to gain exemption for parts of the Forestry Examinations with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) or a New Zealand Diploma in Forestry with outstanding merit.
| APPROVED ENGLISH TESTS | MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS |
| IELTS | Academic with an average score of 6.0, with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking |
| TOEFL iBT | Total minimum score of 80, with at least 19 in reading, writing and listening. Please note UC only accepts TOEFL iBT scores from a single test date, not MyBest scores. |
| TOEFL PBT | With a minimum score of 550 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5 |
| CCEL EAP | Level 2 with a minimum C+ grade |
| CAE or CPE | minimum score of 169 with at least 162 in reading, writing, listening and speaking |
| Pearson Test of English (Academic) | PTE with an overall score of 46 and no PTE communicative skills score below 36 |
| NZCEL | Level 4 - Academic endorsement |
| FluentIQ | Overall mark of 8/10 with nothing less than a 7 being scored in a single category. |
| LanguageCert | B2 Communicator (LRWS) overall with High Pass |
| NZAPA | English New Zealand Accredited Pathway Assessment Level 2 (with no skill lower than Level 1) |
This is an indicative fee - total tuition fee will be dependent on your course selection - $ 36,950
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Benefit from hands-on learning with 90 days industry work experience.
- Gain skills in forestry management, sustainability, marketing, and research.
- Graduates are working in forest management, conservation, harvesting, wood processing, biosecurity, policy, iwi advisory, and more.