Future Forests

Formerly: International Forestry

This program applies an understanding of forests as complex social-ecological systems. It provides students with the necessary systems thinking and the disciplinary breadth, tools and competencies to analyse and manage such systems.

In this highly interdisciplinary major, we apply an international perspective on the challenge of forest adaptation and transformation and offers competencies for graduates aiming to work in a range of fields to tackle the complex issues associated with the management of resilient and adaptive forests. These range from ecology, economy, inventory and monitoring, protection, silviculture and management, to modelling, policy and governance. Using a wide range of cases studies from around the world, a profound understanding of different social-ecological forest systems, adaptation challenges and management approaches is conveyed.

Important Facts

Language: English
Teaching form: On-campus
Type of study: Fulltime
Study location: Freiburg
Start: Winterterm only, Mid October
Duration: 4 Semester
ECTS: 120 ECTS
Costs: 161€ Semester fees,
+ 1.500€ Study fees (only NON-EU-Students)

Application period: March 1st – May 15th

Special features of this major

Realistic
Understand forests as complex social‑ecological systems and the challenges they face through global change.

Resilience
Apply scientific and practical methods to strengthen forest resilience and adaptive capacity to enhance the provision of ecosystem services

Intercultural and modern
Join a global, research‑driven community that sparks curiosity, critical thinking and the use of the latest scientific approaches to solve problems.

Special: Cluster of Excellence

This major is closely associated with the Future Forests Cluster of Excellence. This provides our students ample opportunities to work as research assistants and to conduct their MSc thesis under the guidance of internationally renowned researchers .

“The development of resilient and adaptive forests in the face of global change is one of the greatest challenges of forestry worldwide. How we ensure that our forests continue to provide the desired ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water regulation, timber, recreation, and health benefits poses many questions for research and practice. At Freiburg University, we have established a large research centre, the Cluster of Excellence Future Forests, where we will tackle these issues. The MSc Forest Sciences – Future Forests, which benefits from this unique research environment, provides students with the analytical tools and approaches, the interdisciplinary training and the hands-on experiences to become the next generation of leaders in forest adaptation.”

Prof. Dr. Jürgen Bauhus

Head of major, Head of the Chair of Silviculture and Speaker of the Future Forests Cluster of Excellence.

Curriculum

Short description of the study content

1. Semester
2. Semester
3. Semester
Electives
Internship
Master Thesis
Erasmus

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Core modules

Forests and Global Change: Climate Change, Deforestation and afforestation, Digitalisation
Applied Environmental Statistics: Extends statistical knowledge, R, Python, multiple regression

Major modules

Carbon Forestry: Voluntary forest carbon projects, Financing climate change mitigation
Forest Economics and Forest Management: Basic economics, Forest economic calculations & optimisation as a decision-making aid
Forest Inventory and Information Systems: Forest Information Systems, Spatial information systems, and more
Plantation Forestry and Novel Ecosystems: Management, sustainability and benefits of planted forests, novel Ecosystems

Core modules

There are no core modules offered in the second semester.

Major modules

Forest Adaptation and Close-to-Nature Management (details follow soon)
Adaptation Silviculture Case Study (details follow soon)
International Forest Governance (details follow soon)
Simulating Forest Futures (details follow soon)

Core modules

Frontiers in Forest Sciences: Perception, Changes in forestry, research methods

Major module

Disturbance Ecology (details follow soon)
Forests and Rural Developement (details follow soon)

Elective Modules

During the program you take three electives amounting to 15 ECTS credits.

You can choose from a variable selection of modules offered for the two master programmes — MSc Forest Sciences and MSc Environmental Sciences. The language of instruction is mainly English, although German taught modules are also available.

In addition, modules from other master programmes within the faculty, the university, or even outside the university may be taken, provided they are academically relevant. Eligibility is decided by the examination board in accordance with the specific focus of the study programme.

Language courses are not recognised as suitable teaching units.

The internship should provide an insight into possible career fields and enables to gain hands-on and real-life work experience, connect to organisations and develop personal and professional competences. It serves as an excellent opportunity to explore possible professional fields and career paths.

The mandatory internship (10 ECTS) lasts at least 7 weeks (275 full‑time working hours). It is recommended to place it in the semester break between the 2nd and 3rd semester, but it can also be scheduled flexibly at any time thats suitable. It may be completed either in one company or can be also split into two phases and two different companies of at least three weeks each. Students are free to do it either in Germany or abroad.

Internships are organised by the students themselves. They will be supported with advice and contacts on request.

The Master thesis is worth 30 ECTS credits (27 ECTS master thesis and 3 ECTS colloquium). The written part is an individual examination paper. This thesis must be completed within 6 months and the topic must be chosen from the area of the chosen major. The Master’s colloquium consists of an approximately 20-minute presentation by the student on the topic, methods and results of the Master’s thesis, followed by a discussion.

The purpose is to enable each student to work intensively on a subject within their field of study using scientific methods, meet the stipulated deadline, and present the results in an appropriate scientific research format. Both the thesis topic and the supervising faculty members are arranged and agreed upon by the student themselves. Registration of the thesis is permitted once the student has accumulated at least 60 ECTS on their transcript of records.

Upon request, it is also possible to study abroad for one semester. Although the master’s programme does not include a dedicated Erasmus semester, it still offers many possibilities for international experience. These include a semester abroad with individual modules that can be taken, a professional or research internship, and the option to write the master’s thesis overseas. If you are interested, our team is happy to advise you and help organise the appropriate stay abroad.

Erasmus