Study contents

The course programme

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 ongoing
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 graduates act as change agents to develop forest management and rural regions towards sustainability in terms of economic, social and ecological aspects. The Master program 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 program are future decision-makers
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.

Video of the Tropical Forestry Master's Program

Content and structure

!! NEW!! New curriculum effective from Winter Semester 2025/26 academic intake

The study regulations including detailed module descriptions in appendix can be downloaded here: Study regulations (SO 2025) [in English]. The structure of the new curriculum can be downloaded here, also found below:

Structure MSc Tropical Forestry (effective from WiSe 2025/26 academic intake)

Old curriculum valid until the 2024-2026 academic intake

The contents of the Master program are deliberately structured by starting with specific subjects in the first two semesters, later, in the third semester, the planning and management modules integrate 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 non-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
1^st Semester
Tropical Climate and Ecology Forest related Development Policy and Culture Urban Forestry in the Tropics Forest Utilization and Product Chains Forest Resources Assessment	7 9 8 7* 7*
2^ndSemester
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*
3^rdSemester
Design and Planning of Research Planning at Project and Landscape Scales Modelling Communication and Conflict Management Modelling Natural Forest Management and Restoration in the Tropics Forest Plantation Management and Landscape Rehabilitation in the Tropics	10 8 5* 5* 7* 7*
4^th Semester
Master Thesis and Colloquium	30

* Elective modules where you only have to choose one of the 2 modules

Professional fields

Management of enterprises of forestry and forest products, as well as bilateral and multi-lateral forest management projects,
Advise 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.

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 which 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.