Masters course Tropical Forestry
| Degree | 4 semesters | Language | Location |
| Master of Science | 120 Credits | English | Tharandt |
The master course Tropical Forestry qualifies future decision-makers and change agents to develop sustainable forest management strategies and implement development-relevant interventions in rural and peri-urban areas. The studies provide expert knowledge to handle manifold human-forest interactions and sustainable development issues.
Video of the Tropical Forestry Master's Program
General Information
The orientation of forestry has changed from being solely state-directed to an increasing involvement of a large number of stakeholders. This is fueled by the on-going
processes of globalization and devolution. The program qualifies graduates to deal with the huge challenges in contemporary tropical forestry and to adapt to future
developments. These tasks call for extended skills in:
- management of natural forests, forest plantations, and urban tree resources in tropical and subtropical regions
- integrated land use management, agroforestry, carbon forestry and forest landscape restoration
Expertise in such areas is needed in national and international institutions, consulting agencies, universities and research institutes. The MSc graduates act as change agents to develop forest management and rural regions towards sustainability in terms of economic, socialand ecological aspects. The course is development-oriented,
internationally staged and addresses primarily students from countries of the tropics and subtropics. Corresponding to the professional perspectives importance is
attached to the increasing participation of students from Germany and other European countries. The target group of the Master’s course are future decisionmakers
in the management of forest resources as well as at the junctions with other specialist disciplines. This refers to forestry, agriculture, horticulture, landscape and regional planning, geography, water management, nature conservation and biology. The graduates are qualified for development-relevant interventions in rural areas and in
transitional zones between town and countryside.
Study contents
The contents of the course of studies are deliberately structured by starting with specific subjects in the first two semesters, later, in the third semester, the planning and management modules are integrating the specific subject knowledge in a synergetic and holistic way.
Specific contents are climate and ecology, including functions and performances of ecosystems; forest-related development policy and forest culture by the aid of models and instruments of rural development; assessment, growth and evaluation of forest resources; forest utilization based on specific parameters, harvest, transport, storage, processing and marketing of timber and none-timber forest products, economic aspects and management of forest resources, forms and models of natural resource management organizations, management systems and cooperation models and their analysis; integrated management of vegetation, soil and water in catchment areas; silviculture and conservation of biodiversity in natural forests; silviculture and forest protection in plantation forests as well as agroforestry; urban and peri-urban tree - and forest management in various contexts; computer based modelling; as well as communication and conflict management.
Synergetic and holistic integration of contents is delivered in forest management strategies for both natural forest and forest plantations in the tropics; spatial and temporal coordination of diverse management strategies and land use management as well as theoretical and methodical knowledge of planning at project and landscape scale; as well as planning scientific work and research, including publishing. In addition to lectures, excursions take place.
| Module | ECTS Credits |
|---|---|
| 1st Semester | |
|
Tropical Climate and Ecology |
7 9 8 7* 7* |
| 2st Semester | |
| Economics and Management of Forest Resources Organization and Management Systems Management of Vegetation and Soil in Watersheds Natural Forest Silviculture and Biodiversity Conservation in the Tropics Forest Plantation Silviculture and Agroforestry in the Tropics |
7 8 7 7* 7* |
| 3st Semester | |
| Design and Planning of Research Planning at Project and Landscape Scales Modelling Communication and Conflict Management Natural Forest Management and Restoration in the Tropics Forest Plantation Management and Landscape Rehabilitation in the Tropics |
10 8 5* 5* 7* 7* |
| 4st Semester | |
| Master Thesis and Colloquium | 30 |
Professional field
The fields of work comprise:
- Management of enterprises of forestry and forest products, as well as bilateral and multi-lateral forest management projects,
- Advise for governments about the development of forest and land use,
- Leading activities in international organizations, non-governmental organizations and authorities,
- Forestry extension and environmental education,
- Scientific activities in national and international forestry research and educational institutions,
- Expert work as forestry engineering consultancies.
International Master's Programme Tropical Forestry ( Flyer download, 180kb)
Fees
TU Dresden is a public university that does not charge tuition fees. However, all students have to pay a semester contribution less than 300 € per semester that includes a ticket for public transport in Dresden and all regional trains in Saxony. Furthermore, students can
use the rental bike system in Dresden for 1 hour for free. All general living expenses have to be paid by the student. We currently advise to budget about 700 € per month for living in Dresden.
Scholarships
Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS) • DAAD
The EPOS programme offers individual scholarships to participants from developing countries so that they may study development-related postgraduate courses.
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master • Global Forestry
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are delivered by multiple higher education institutions and run across various countries. They are distinguished by their academic excellence and by their high level of integration. Students at master's level from all over the world can apply. In addition, scholarships are available for the best students. If you have completed or are in your final semester of a relevant Bachelor’s degree programme you are eligible to apply for the Global Forestry programme.
Campus tour Tharandt
The Department of Forest Sciences of the TU Dresden is located in Tharandt, a picturesque small town close to Dresden, surrounded by forests. Higher education in
forestry has been taking place here for more than 200 years. The tradition of tropical forestry dates back to the 1930s. Frequently running suburban trains connect Dresden and Tharandt within less than 20 minutes. The scientific institutes, lecture rooms and labs are housed in buildings of the former Royal Academy of Forestry as well as recent constructions with modern equipment for teaching, studying and experimenting.
Tharandt campus tour © TU Dresden