The Certificate of Completion Forest Technology can be completed within one year and is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment in the forestry field in supervised positions such as forester aides, surveyor assistant, measurement technician, and field mapping aide.
Click here to learn how this Certificate of Completion can lead to an AS in Forestry.
Check out the Forestry/Natural Resources program website!
The forestry field is projected to have many career opportunities coming up in the next decade as many forestry and natural resources professionals retire in the next few years. Students who enjoy working outdoors and want to have a career that focuses on managing our valuable forest lands to conserve and protect resources as well as produce valuable products for society should consider this degree.
Gainful Employment Disclosure
Southwestern is required by federal regulations to disclose information related to Southwestern's educational programs that lead to gainful employment in a recognized occupation. This information is intended to provide students the opportunity to measure employment outcomes associated with Southwestern’s certificate programs.
Gainful employment information for the Certificate of Completion Forest Technology can be found online.
Graduation Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 46 credit hours with a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or better. All courses must be completed with a grade of 'C' or better. One course must be completed at Southwestern before the Certificate of Completion Forest Technology is awarded.
Complete the graduation application process one term prior to the term of completion (e.g., spring term graduates must apply during winter term).
Pre-Program Courses
Students are required to take the following courses prior to the program courses, depending on students' college placement information. See advisor for details:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MTH55 | Introductory Technical Mathematics (MTH20 may be taken in place of this course) | 4 |
| WR90R | Academic Literacy (or placement in higher writing course) | 4 |
| CIS120 | Concepts of Computing (or demonstrate proficiency) | 4 |
Program Guide
| Fall | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| ENV235 | Introduction to Soil Science | 4 |
| F111 | Introduction to Forestry | 4 |
| GEOG265 | Intro to Geographical Info Systems | 3 |
| WR115 | Introduction to Expository Writing (or higher) 1 | 3 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| CIS125S | Spreadsheet Applications | 3 |
| F222A | Elementary Forest Surveying | 4 |
| F280 | CWE: Forestry | 1 |
| FE209 | Forest Photogrammetry & Intro to Remote Sensing | 4 |
| MTH80 | Technical Mathematics I 2 | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| F223 | Forest Measurements | 4 |
| F241 | Dendrology | 5 |
| F251 | Recreation Resource Management | 4 |
| BA285 | Human Relations in Organizations 3 | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 46 | |
| 1 | Excluding WR241 Imaginative Creative Writing Fiction, WR242 Imaginative Writing Poetry Poetry, WR243 Imaginative Writing Explorations, or WR250 Autobiography Writing. |
| 2 | MTH60 Algebra I or higher may be substituted for MTH80 Technical Mathematics I. |
| 3 | BA110 Group Dynamics for Teams, BA120 Leadership Development, PSY100 Introduction to Psychology, PSY201 General Psychology, PSY201H General Psychology w/Honors, PSY203 General Psychology, or PSY203H General Psychology w/Honors may be substituted for BA285 Human Relations in Organizations. |
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, the student will be able to:
- Discuss important forest management challenges and potential solutions.
- Discuss characteristics of regional forests, field techniques, and management practices.
- Demonstrate basic skills in forest surveying, remote sensing, geographic information systems, and spreadsheet applications.