Admission requirements

Prerequisites for the Tropical Forestry Master’s degree program are:
• Completed university degree program in the area of forest sciences or a similar subject (e.g. agriculture, horticulture, landscape architecture and regional planning, geography, water management, biology)
• Knowledge of English (TOEFL 550 (paper-based) / 213 (computer-based) or IELTS 6.0)

Aptitude assessment procedure

The participation in an aptitude assessment or selection procedure is a prerequisite for enrollment in this degree program. Please note that the deadline for submitting an application may be earlier than the application deadlines for the degree program (see above under application deadlines). The following links will provide you with information on all documents to be submitted within the specified deadline and on the relevant regulations.

• Information and documents to be submitted
• • Notes for the application on the webpage of the discipline

Notes on the application process

If, at the time of application, proof of the first degree qualifying the applicant for a profession is not yet available, the application will be considered under the precondition that 80% of the credit points attainable for the degree have already been achieved based on completed module examinations or the final thesis and the colloquium (if applicable). A certification from the awarding institute of higher education (examination office) serves as proof of the above-mentioned academic achievements. You can find the appropriate form on the Admissions Office website.

General information about the degree program

© TU Dresden

The Tropical Forestry degree program serves to train managerial staff to develop knowledge-based, innovative and sustainable management strategies for natural forests, forest plantations and other types of forest as well as agroforestry systems and urban green spaces, including the control of their use and care.

Special attention is dedicated to the flexible adaptation to changing social conditions and the manifold interactions between people and the development of different types of forest on the basis of a multidisciplinary approach.
The two-year degree program comprises a total of 120 ECTS points (European Credit Transfer System), made up of three semesters of on-site learning and one semester for the completion and defense of the Master’s thesis. Elective compulsory modules enable students to develop their own individual profile. The research plan is created with the objective of effectively collecting and analyzing primary data at the end of the third semester and beginning of the fourth semester.

Study contents

Climate and ecology including functions of ecosystems, forest-related development policy and forest cultivation by means of models and instruments for rural development; assessment, growth and evaluation of forest resources; forest use with specific parameters, harvest, transport, storage, processing and marketing of forest products, economic aspects and management of forest resources, forms of organization, management systems and cooperation models and analysis thereof, integrated management of vegetation, soil and water in drainage basins; silviculture and protection of biodiversity in natural forests, silviculture and forest protection in plantation forests and agroforestry; urban and peri-urban tree management in various contexts and forest management strategies for natural and plantation forests in tropical regions, coordination of various management strategies and land use management with respect to space and time as well as theoretical and methodical knowledge of project and landscape planning, modeling, communication, conflict management and academic work.

You can find detailed information about the content of the degree program on the degree program website and in the study regulations.

Particularities

DAAD SCHOLARSHIPS
Students from developing countries (see the current list of eligible countries) can apply for a DAAD EPOS scholarship. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers a limited number of scholarships for highly qualified applicants. The latest call for scholarship applications and the required documents for a development-related postgraduate course (EPOS) can be found on the DAAD website.

Application documents for a scholarship
— All documents listed on the DAAD website (under “application procedure”)
— Additional required documents:
• Research plan (for a potential Master’s thesis topic, incl. problem, research goals, methodology, timeline, bibliography with all cited publications; two pages)
• A current photo

The complete application documents must be submitted by October 30 at the latest – one year prior to the start of the degree program – by email to tropentutor@mailbox.tu-dresden.de. Only applications that have been submitted in full can be considered!

FAQ
If you have any questions, please first refer to our M.Sc. Tropical Forestry FAQ page!
If you require additional information, please contact the tutor of the M.Sc. Tropical Forestry degree program.
You can find here an estimate of the cost of living (incl. cost of living, travel expenses, semester fee).
In addition to the DAAD EPOS scholarship, you can search for other funding opportunities in our list of funding bodies.
The International Office can provide information for international students and applicants.

Stay abroad

Would you like to spend a semester abroad? Whether it is a semester of studies, an internship or a language course abroad, you will definitely benefit from the international experience. You can improve your knowledge of your subject and language skills, establish new contacts, make friends, get to know other cultures, and much more. You can find further information on the International Office’s website.

Double degrees

GloFor double degrees
Global Forestry (GloFor) is a two-year, English-language Erasmus Mundus M.Sc. program. It helps graduates prepare to grapple with the enormous challenges of our time and the potential of forestry in low and middle-income countries.

Double degrees are offered in cooperation with the above-mentioned universities.

Occupational fields

Occupational fields comprise:
— Leadership positions in the forestry and timber industries as well as bilateral and multilateral forestry management projects,
— Government consulting on the development of forests and land use,
— Leading functions in international organizations, NGOs and public authorities,
— Forestry consulting and environmental education,
— Academic positions in domestic and international forestry research and education institutions,
— Expert function in forestry engineering offices.

Study documents

The official announcements of TU Dresden include all published regulations . Please use the search bar to find the document you need: Official proclamation

The regulations are also available on each institution’s website.

Contacts

Admissions Office

Faculty of Environmental Sciences

International Office

Additional information