Forest and Fire Sciences (BS)

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

The BS in Forest and Fire Sciences prepares students for exciting careers contributing to the betterment of society through the protection and sustainable management of our forests, including the role of fire as a management tool. Our forests have the greatest capacity of any ecosystem to store carbon and mitigate climate change if managed well. However, without proper management, forests are increasingly susceptible to disease and catastrophic fire events that are re-shaping the landscape and built environments. California and the world needs professionals trained to understand forest management and fire science in order to save lives and improve our environment. Cal Poly's Forest and Fire Sciences major meets this critical need.

Students in the Forest and Fire Sciences major may specialize in water science, wildland fire, and forest resources. Optionally, students may select courses from approved electives that are categorized by career area from climate change science to environmental policy and management to geospatial technology to urban forestry.

Graduates qualify for such positions as: fire and fuels manager, forester, geospatial analyst, environmental planner and assessor, natural resource manager, urban forester, park administrator, watershed manager, hydrologist, consultant, and many other related environmental career areas. Cal Poly graduates are employed throughout the world by government, nonprofits, and industry through: managing and sustaining working forests; fire protection and stewardship of wildlands; implementing leading-edge strategies in forestry, land management, and conservation; and protecting and managing the wildland-urban interface.

The Forest and Fire Sciences major provides students with applied learning experiences at our Swanton Pacific Ranch.  This 3,200 acre living and learning laboratory engages students in meaningful learn-by-doing opportunities to study the methods of resource conservation applied through sustainable management techniques in redwood forests, riverine ecosystems, and expansive coastal grasslands overlooking the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

The Society of American Foresters accredits the Forest and Fire Sciences major. Also, completion of this degree program qualifies students to become Registered Professional Foresters, Certified Hydrologists, Wildland Fire Practioners, and Wildlife Biologists.

In addition to the required major courses, students select courses from an expansive list of approved electives, or take a minor, or select one of the following concentrations.

Concentrations

Forest Resources

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

This specialized course of study prepares students for careers in the protection and management of forests and natural resources. Such careers may be in more focused areas such as forest technicians, foresters, urban foresters, silvicultural, consulting foresters, etc.

Water Science

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

This concentration provides students a focused and encompassing program in watershed management, including a proficiency in watershed hydrology in forest ecosystems, Mediterranean ecosystems, rangeland hydrology, post-fire watershed evaluation, watershed and stream restoration, and urban/wildland hydrologic implications. Students pursuing this concentration can qualify as hydrologists under U.S. Government OPM guidelines (GS 1315).  This concentration also meets the educational requirements for professional certification through the American Institute of Hydrology.

Wildland Fire

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

Focused study on the management of fire and fuels on landscapes ranging from the wildlands to the urban interface. Emphasis on the technologies, issues and policies in managing fire, using fire as an ecosystem management tool and social and economic impacts of fire. Completion of this concentration meets the requirements of the Wildland Fire Practitioner Certification through the Association of Fire Ecology.

Program Learning Objectives

1. Demonstrate critical-thinking problem-solving skills.
2. Communicate forestry and fire sciences principles and research findings effectively and professionally to diverse audiences.
3. Integrate and apply technical knowledge in the following areas: forest ecology and biology; measurement of forest resources; management of forest resources; forest policy and administration.
4. Demonstrate proficiency in quantitative skills and information management specific to forestry and fire sciences.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of their professional and ethical responsibilities as forest managers, natural resources managers, environmental managers, including respect for diversity.
6. Implement life-long learning habits by exposing students to the discovery process of applied research and demonstration projects conducted by forest and fire sciences faculty.

Degree Requirements and Curriculum

In addition to the program requirements listed on this page, student must also satisfy requirements outlined in more detail in the Minimum Requirements for Graduation section of this catalog, including:

• 40 units of upper-division courses
• 2.0 GPA
• Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR)
• U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)

Note: No Major, Support or Concentration courses may be selected as credit/no credit. In addition, no more than 12 units of cooperative or internship courses can count towards your degree requirements.

¹

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.

²

Courses may need to be at the 3000-4000 level to ensure completion of the requirement minimum of 40 units of upper-division.

³

If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.

Concentrations

Forest Resources

¹

Approved electives may need to be at the 3000-4000 level to ensure completion of the required minimum of 40 units of upper-division courses.

²

Courses taken to meet a major course requirement cannot be double-counted in the concentration.

Water Science

¹

Approved electives may need to be at the 3000-4000 level to ensure completion of the required minimum of 40 units of upper-division courses.

²

Courses taken to meet a major course requirement cannot be double-counted in the concentration.

Wildland Fire

¹

Approved electives may need to be at the 3000-4000 level to ensure completion of the required minimum of 40 units of upper-division courses.

²

Courses taken to meet a major course requirement cannot be double-counted in the concentration.

General Education (GE) Requirements

• 43 units required, 16 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
• If any of the remaining 27 Units is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
• See the complete GE course listing.
• A grade of C- or better is required in one course in each of the following GE Areas: 1A (English Composition), 1B (Critical Thinking), 1C (Oral Communication), and 2 (Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning). 

¹

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.

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