Institute of Land and Food Resources : Guide to courses 17. Bachelor of Forestry/Bachelor of Science

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17. Bachelor of Forestry/Bachelor of Science
    17.1. Course objectives
    17.2. Career opportunities
    17.3. Course outline

17. Bachelor of Forestry/Bachelor of Science

This combined degree takes five years of full-time study to complete and is offered at the Parkville and Creswick campuses. Typically students spend their first, fourth and fifth years at Parkville, and spend their second and third years at Creswick.

The course enables students to combine specialist forestry subjects with a wide range of science subjects including genetics, biochemistry, earth science, anatomy and cell biology.

While students will have the option to pursue any science discipline for which they have the prerequisites, the environmental science major within the BSc course may provide an excellent complement to BFor studies that will enable students both to broaden and deepen their studies as a preparation for careers that relate more to the environmental aspects of forest and park management, such as ecosystem management or environmental pollution management. Similarly, biotechnology in the BSc course provides an excellent complement to BFor students for those pursuing careers in tree breeding.

17.1. Course objectives

Students who complete this course should have acquired:

• an ability to demonstrate a broad knowledge of fundamental scientific precepts across a range of disciplines, with a higher level of achievement in one or more of the biological, chemical, earth, mathematical and physical sciences;

• an understanding of forest biology, diversity and ecosystems;

• an understanding of the structures of Australian forest industries and the principal factors that determine location, environmental impact, sustainability, profitability, and international cost-competitiveness;

• an ability to relate the scientific knowledge gained to the technical and vocational aspects of the students chosen discipline;

• an ability to organise knowledge and ideas systematically, discriminate among relevant data, and generalise safely;

• an ability to demonstrate skills in problem definition and solution, in decision-making and in program design and implementation;

• an ability to design and conduct scientific enquiries, both on an individual basis and as part of a team through application of scientific method and hypothesis teaching;

• an ability to demonstrate initiative and the interpersonal skills necessary for the conduct of such inquiries;

• essential skills in the acquisition and interpretation of forestry data;

• an understanding of principles of sound practice in relation to health, safety, ethical issues, and the environment in forestry and forest industries;

• a capacity for the exchange, acquisition, and dissemination of scientific and industry information and technology transfer;

• an ability to demonstrate leadership skills and an ability to interact effectively with professional colleagues, individuals and the general community;

• have a capacity and motivation for continuing independent learning;

• understand the rights, privileges and responsibilities conferred with the degree and with membership of professional associations and learned societies.

17.2. Career opportunities

The combined degree offers career prospects in research or management in forestry or conservation areas. Graduates can be employed in areas such as forest botany, wildlife ecology, biotechnology, computing and biometrics.

17.3. Course outline

To be eligible to graduate students must obtain 500 credit points. A minimum of 237.5 science points must be achieved and the remaining 262.5 points will be taken from the Bachelor of Forestry. Typically students will spend second and third year of their degrees at Creswick, as in the structure below, but it is possible to spend second year at Parkville taking 100 Science points, then spend third and fourth year at Creswick.

Forestry points must include:

• 19 institute subjects as below

• 25 points of 400 level subjects and 25 points towards 202-401 Industry Research Project.

• 12 weeks of compulsory work experience - 202-001 Industry Placement

Science points must include:

• Between 75 and 125 science points at 100 level

• 50 science points of a prescribed science major at 300 level

202-401 Industry Research Project for combined degree students will be a project with a significant science orientation, and will be supervised jointly by Faculty of Science and ILFR staff. The credit points for this project will contribute 25 points of the required 237.5 science points. The other 25 points will be credited towards the ILFR content of the degrees.

A typical course combination would appear as follows:

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Status:                   Official 2002
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