These descriptions are abbreviated. Complete course descriptions are available at bulletins.psu.edu.
FOR 123N FORESTS, TREES, AND PEOPLE (3) The course begins with an introduction to how trees work and moves on to forest ecosystem services such as timber and non-timber products, carbon storage, watershed protection, and cultural connection.
FOR/WFS 150S FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR (2) Engages and prepares first-year college students for academic success, introduces students to Pennsylvania’s forests and related research and activities currently underway at Penn State, and introduces strategies students can use to prepare for careers in forestry, wildlife/fisheries, and other natural resources disciplines.
FOR 201N GLOBAL CHANGE AND ECOSYSTEMS (3) Provides a general understanding of global change, ecosystems, and linkages among them. Recommended Preparation: 3 credits of science
FOR 203 FIELD DENDROLOGY (3) Field identification of native and introduced trees and shrubs.
FOR 204 SILVICS AND FOREST DYNAMICS (2) Introduces the life history and characteristics of trees (silvics) and the stand dynamics of different forest types across North America as the scientific foundation for implementing sustainable forest management. Prerequisite: FOR 203 or FORT 150
FOR 228 CHAINSAW SAFETY, MAINTENANCE, AND OPERATION IN FOREST MANAGEMENT (1) Safety, maintenance, skills, and techniques for effective chainsaw operation in forest management. Counts only as Elective credit in the forestry degree program.
FOR 255 GPS AND GIS APPLICATIONS FOR NATURAL RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS (3) Use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for mapping and analysis of natural resources data.
FOR 266 FOREST RESOURCES MEASUREMENTS (4) Measurement systems used in forest and wildlife management and urban forestry. Prerequisite: FOR 203 or FORT 150; Concurrent: FOR 255 or FORT 260 or WILDL 211; and STAT 200 or STAT 240 or STAT 250
FOR 295 FORESTRY INTERNSHIP (1-4) Supervised field experience related to the students major. Prerequisite: Permission of program
FOR 296 INDEPENDENT STUDIES (1-18)
FOR 297 SPECIAL TOPICS (1-9)
FOR 299 IL FOREIGN STUDIES (1-12) Courses offered in foreign countries by individual or group instruction.
FOR 303 HERBACEOUS FOREST PLANT IDENTIFICATION AND ECOLOGY (3) Focuses on developing herbaceous plant identification skills with emphasis on important plant structural features, common taxonomic terms, dichotomous keys, and botanical nomenclature. Prerequisite: 3 credits in BIOL or BISC or FOR or FORT or HORT or PLANT
FOR 308 FOREST ECOLOGY (3) Effect of environment, spacing, and age in trees; forest influences; origin and development of forest communities. Prerequisite or concurrent: FOR 203 or FORT 150
FOR 320 WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT (3) Provides the fundamentals of wildland fire behavior and effects. The role of fuels, weather, and topography on fire behavior will be covered in depth, and fire behavior and effects models will be used. Students will be introduced to prescribed burning as a land management tool. Prerequisite: FOR 203 or FORT 150
FOR 350 FOREST ECOSYSTEM MONITORING AND DATA ANALYSIS (3) Quantitative approaches for characterization, monitoring, and comparison of forest ecosystems. Prerequisite: STAT 200, STAT 240, STAT 250 or equivalent with a C or higher
FOR 370 WATERSHED ECOHYDROLOGY (3) Presents foundational concepts in ecohydrology of watersheds, considers coupled hydrological and ecological processes that shape water quality and watershed health, and explores ecohydrology as a tool for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. Prerequisite: SOILS 101 or 3 credits of CHEM
FOR 397 SPECIAL TOPICS (1-9)
FOR 401 URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT (3) Nature’s role in community development, landscapes, arboriculture, administering urban forestry programs, land-use planning and regulatory policy, open-space conservation, civic environmentalism. Prerequisite: 5th-semester standing
FOR 403 INVASIVE FOREST PLANTS: IDENTIFICATION, ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT (3) Addresses the impacts and challenges associated with "exotic" plant invasions in eastern North American forests through an interdisciplinary exploration of topics including invasive plant identification and management, ecological interactions and impacts, human roles and influences, and management and policy options. Prerequisites: 6 credits in BIOL or BISC or FOR or FORT or HORT or PLANT
FOR 409 TREE PHYSIOLOGY (2) Fundamentals of the relationship of the basic physiological functions of forest trees to form. Prerequisite: BIOL 110 or BIOL 127
FOR 418 US/IL AGROFORESTRY: SCIENCE, DESIGN, AND PRACTICE (3) Agroforestry integrates trees in agricultural landscapes, and/or agriculture products into forested areas for multiple benefits.
FOR 421 SILVICULTURE: APPLIED FOREST ECOLOGY (3) The application of the principles of forest ecology to control of establishment, composition, and growth of forest stands. Prerequisites: (FOR 266 or (FORT 105 and FORT 110) with a C or higher) and FOR 308
FOR/WFS 430 CONSERVATION BIOLOGY (3) The application of biological principles to issues in the conservation of biodiversity. Prerequisite: BIOL 220W or FOR 308 or WFS 209
FOR/WFS 431 CONSERVATION GENETICS (3) Provides a comprehensive overview of evolution and conservation genetics, an interdisciplinary science that focuses on understanding the processes that influence genetic diversity at the individual and population levels. Prerequisite: BIOL 110
FOR 440 FOREST AND CONSERVATION ECONOMICS (3) The role and application of economics and finance to forest resource conservation and management. Prerequisite: AGBM 101 or ECON 102 or ECON 104
FOR 442 FOREST CONSERVATION: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES (3) Forest conservation is the promotion and maintenance of healthy, resilient, and functioning forest ecosystems that ensure the continued provision of high-quality ecosystem services and socio-economic benefits. Prerequisites: BIOL 220W or FOR 308, and 7th semester standing or higher
FOR 445 WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT (3) Topics include the relationship between wildlife and their habitat, identification of important plant structure and composition, quantifying vegetation structure at both stand and landscape scales, understanding disturbance ecology as a basis for habitat management practices (e.g., silvicultural applications and prescribed burning), and determining how specific management practices can be used to achieve habitat goals and objectives. Prerequisite: FOR 203 or FORT 150; Recommended Preparation: WFS 310 or FOR 421
FOR 450W HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF NATURAL RESOURCES (3) Addresses human needs and desires, from individuals to nations, for social, ecological, and economic benefits derived from natural resource decisions. Prerequisite: 6 credits of social and behavioral sciences
FOR 455 REMOTE SENSING AND SPATIAL DATA HANDLING (3) An advanced remote sensing and geospatial technology course emphasizing the use of remote sensors and geographic information systems to study the Earth's land surface. Prerequisite: FOR 255 or FORT 260 or GEOG 160 or GEOG 260 or WILDL211
FOR/WFS 465 RESTORATION ECOLOGY (4) Covers the conceptual and theoretical foundations that underlie restoration efforts and links these to real-world applications in past and ongoing restoration projects in a variety of types of ecosystems. Prerequisites: BIOL 110 or FOR 203; Concurrent: BIOL 220W or FOR 308; Recommended Preparation: 3 credits in statistics
FOR 466W FOREST MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING (3) Rationale, process, and tools for forest management decision-making and planning. Developing and communicating forest plans for forested properties. Prerequisite: (FOR 255 or FORT 260 or WILDL 211) and FOR 421 and FOR 440
FOR 470 WATERSHED MANAGEMENT (3) Management of wild land watersheds for control of the amount and timing of water yield, water quality, erosion, and sedimentation. Prerequisite: 3 credits in SOILS
FOR 475 PRINCIPLES OF FOREST SOILS MANAGEMENT (3) Effect of current forest management practices on the properties and productive capacity of forest soils. Prerequisite: FOR 308 and 3 credits in SOILS
FOR 477 FIELD METHODS IN WATERSHED ECOHYDROLOGY (3) A detailed introduction to and experience with field methods and calculations of important fluxes in watershed ecohydrology. Prerequisites: FORT 240 or 3 credits in SOILS; Concurrent: FOR 470
FOR 480 POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION (3) Forest resources policy objectives; criteria and goals of society; policy implementation by ownership classes; planning, administration, and evaluation of programs. Prerequisite: 3 credits of social or behavioral sciences
FOR 489 SUPERVISED EXPERIENCE IN COLLEGE TEACHING (1-3) Provides select undergraduate students with formal, supervised teaching experience in a Forestry (FOR) course. Prerequisite: Permission of the Forest Ecosystem Management Program
FOR 494 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH (1-12) Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small group basis. Prerequisite: Permission of the Forest Ecosystem Management Program
FOR 495 FORESTRY INTERNSHIP (1-6) Supervised field experience related to the student’s major. Prerequisite: Approval of proposed assignment by instructor prior to registration
FOR 496 INDEPENDENT STUDIES (1-18)
FOR 497 SPECIAL TOPICS (1-9)
FOR 499 IL FOREIGN STUDIES (1-12)
