University of the Highlands and Islands
BSc (Hons) Forestry and Treescapes Management
Inverness, United Kingdom
BSc
DURATION
8 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 16,950 / per year
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Fast-track counseling
By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
What is special about this course?
If you're looking for a rewarding career, where you can provide professional advice to the land-based forestry sector and help secure our forests for future generations to enjoy, then this course is for you. Being involved in the forestry sector is one of the best ways of helping the fight against climate change, while working in environments that provide recreational and well-being spaces for all. Our BSc (Hons) Forestry and Treescapes Management is a highly practical course that will give you all the skills and knowledge you need to become a successful forest manager, environmental manager or arboriculturist/urban forester.
Study at the Scottish School of Forestry campus, Inverness, situated within 10 hectares of woodland and an additional 100 hectares of FLS woodland serving the surrounding communities, providing a beautiful setting to learn about forests, trees and the environment.
This innovative new work-based degree allows you to continue working full/part-time within the forestry/environmental sector while undertaking a full-time degree alongside your role, using work-based learning to fulfil the credit and learning requirements. If you’re not currently working within the sector, you will study scenarios provided by the course team to recreate situations that may be experienced in a work setting.
A significant proportion of your course will be fieldwork-based projects where you will become experienced in the practical aspects of forest management and arboriculture. When you graduate you will have a technical management qualification and be experienced in all aspects of sustainable and current management of forests, trees and wider environment.
Special features
- Innovative worked-based and experiential learning degree routes to help with cost of living and work-life balance
- Varied programme of guest lectures, site visits and study tours
- Access to state-of-the- art technology and forest machinery
- Modern campus situated within a 100 hectare forest
- Emphasis on the development of practical field-based skills
- Opportunities to participate in international student exchange programmes
- Accessible class sizes allowing for focussed and in-depth learning class
- Friendly and supportive campus community
- Study full-time, part-time or whilst in work, to suit your personal circumstances
- Vocational course, perfect for those seeking a career in forest management, arboricultural/urban forestry and wider environmental roles
- Excellent career prospects for graduates, with demonstrable success of gaining managerial posts in industry
- Accredited by Institute of Chartered Foresters
- Staff with rich industry experience and involved in leading forest/tree related research
- A wide range of associate field sites situated in the Highlands and beyond
Year 1 - CertHE
You will study the following core modules:
- Forest harvesting (20) (S1)
- Forest mensuration (20) (S1)
- Forest science (20) (S1)
- Introduction to GIS/technology (20) (S2)
- Woodland establishment (20) (S2)
You will also choose from 3 elective modules equating to 20 credits:
- Nursey production (10) (S2)
- Soil science and management (10) (S2)
- Urban forestry practice (20) (S2)
Year 2 - DipHE
You will study the following core modules:
- Forest health and protection (20) (S2)
- Forest policy and law (20) (S1)
- Silviculture systems (20) (S1)
- Urban forest management (20) (S1)
- Woodland ecology and conservation (20) (S2)
You will choose from the following elective modules equating to 20 credits:
- Forest investment and appraisal (10) (S2)
- Technology and innovation for treescapes (20) (S2)
- Wood science and timber technologies (10) (S2)
Year 3 - BSc
You will study the following core modules:
- Ecology and management of broadleaved woodlands (20) (S1)
- Forest for people: policy and practice (20) (S2)
- Forest resilience in changing environments (20) (S1)
- Landscape design for land management (20) (S2)
- Research skills (20) (S2)
- Sustainable land management (20) (S1)
Year 4 - BSc (Hons)
You will study the following core modules:
- Dissertation (40 credits) (SC)
- International forestry and timber trade (20) (S1)
- Managing biodiversity in upland woodlands (20) (S1)
- Technology for planning and management in forestry and arboriculture (20) (S2)
You will also choose one of the following modules:
- Corporate responsibility in the global environment (20) (S2)
- Innovation and enterprise (20) (S2)
Start date
- August/September
How will I study my course?
- Full-time
- You will study through a combination of face-to-face and video conference lectures and tutorials, as well as individual online study via the university’s virtual learning environment (VLE), supported by your tutors and classmates
- This will be supplemented with field exercises, practical sessions, study visits and tours, and industrial work experience. Key to the work-based and experiential degrees pathways will be the agreed practical and field learning that will be supplied by the employer or provided by the SSF that will offset the learning outcome credits
How long will my course last?
- Full-time: 4 years @ 40 hours per week
Number of hours per week indicates the total number of hours you should dedicate to the course, which includes time spent in lectures, experiential and work-based learning, and your own time spent on individual study and research.
Where can I study my course?
- Inverness - Scottish School of Forestry
EU scholarship
EEA/EU/Swiss nationals living in this region for the past 3 years will receive an automatic scholarship of £4,000 - with the fourth year of study free!
United States - Federal Aid (FAFSA)
Federal Aid can be used to cover tuition fees for American students studying on-campus in Scotland.
Canada - Federal Aid
Federal Aid can be used to cover tuition fees for Canadian students studying on-campus in Scotland, as well as the majority of the Canadian provinces' student aid programmes.
On-campus study - live and learn in Scotland
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- #3 in the UK and #1 in Scotland for postgraduate student satisfaction
- Top 10 most affordable UK universities
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Browse all of the on-campus undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that we offer for international students.
Online study - achieve a UK degree without moving abroad
Courses in health, sustainability, engineering, history, outdoors and more with the University of the Highlands and Islands:
- Flexible study options to fit with your life
- Top 10 most affordable UK universities
- Decades of online teaching experience
Browse all of the online undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that we offer for international students.
What can I do on completion of my course?
Once you have successfully completed your BSc (Hons) Forestry and Treescapes Management course, you might like to consider careers in:
- State forestry sector
- Other public bodies including local authorities
- Forestry and Arboriculture companies
- Private estates/landowners
- Community forestry sector
- Self-employment as an entrepreneur or consultant
- Conservation organisations
- Research scientist
- Educator and interpreter
- Environmental management
- Consultancy
Can I progress into further study?
You can progress from the BSc (Hons) Forestry and Treescapes Management to: