Sustainable Forest and Nature Management (SUFONAMA) (M.Sc.)
Features
The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Program in Sustainable Forest and Nature Management (SUFONAMA) is a two-year, world-class integrated programme aimed at preparing graduates to address the enormous challenges of sustainable natural resource management, specifically in managing forests and natural areas within an integrated landscape context.
This degree programme qualifies students for international careers in sustainable forest and nature management, as well as in environmental protection and conservation.
- Name:
- Sustainable Forest and Nature Management (SUFONAMA)
- Degree:
- Master of Science (M.Sc.), Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree
- Language of the programme:
- English
- Standard period of study:
- 4 semesters
- Start of studies:
- Winter semester
- Admission:
- Restricted (Application to the consortium office in Copenhagen)
- Orientation events:
- Orientation events are offered
- Special features:
- Chargeable; own Fee Schedule
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Details
As the global demand for forest and nature resources and the pressures on the natural environment continue to increase, the need to ensure the sustainability of natural resources for future generations has never been greater.
This two-year MSc programme in Sustainable Forest and Nature Management (SUFONAMA) qualifies graduates to deal with the complex aspects of the challenges in sustainable management of natural resources.
The two-year Masters Course builds on the expertise of five European universities:
The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) programme SUFONAMA provides the students with:
- a firm theoretical foundation
- ability to function on the international scene, and openness to foreign cultures
- all competencies needed for working as a researcher or in forest practices, e.g. development agencies, consultancies, NGOs, international organisations, ministries, governmental agencies, district forest offices, International business in multinational companies
Related and consecutive/graduate programmes
Consecutive/graduate programmes
Structure
SUFONAMA comprises of a first year of study at the University of Copenhagen. For the second year of study, students choose a specialisation to be completed at a different partner institution. The choice of mobility tracks are made at the time of application. This choice is binding.
During the first year at University of Copenhagen, all students get a thorough introduction to sustainability in forest and nature management. The first year ends with a joint summer module, conducted as a two-week excursion. In the second year, students can specialise in one of the following topics:
- Conservation and Land Management (Bangor, Wales)
- Forest and Nature Management in a Changing Climate (Göttingen, DE)
- Sustainable Forestry in the Boreal and Temperate Zones of Northern Europe (Alnarp, SE)
- Sustainable Forest and Land Protection (Padua, IT)
Students must complete 120 ECTS through their chosen mobility tracks:
- 60 ECTS at University of Copenhagen during the first year of studies
- 60 ECTS at their second-year institution (incl. 30 ECTS for the Master’s thesis)
Each specialisation is based on the partner universities’ research strengths. The specialisation includes a master thesis based on research and fieldwork inside or outside Europe.
As SUFONAMA is an integrated study programme, graduates obtain a double degree fully recognised in all the participating countries. This means that graduates receive two national degrees – one degree from each university where they have completed 60 ECTS.
Semester 1 (30 C)
Compulsory:
- International Forest Policy and Economics
- Monitoring of Forest Resources
- Forest Management under Different Climatic Conditions
- Contemporary Temperate Forest and Nature Management
Compulsory Elective (1 out of 3):
- Bioclimatology and global changes
- Remote Sensing Image Processing with Open Source Software
- Ecological functions of wildlife: implications for conservation and management
Semester 2 (30 C)
Compulsory:
- Forestry in Germany
- Location Specific Knowledge in Forest and Nature Management
Compulsory Elective (1 out of 3):
- Project planning and evaluation
- Biometrical research methods
- Modern concepts and methods in macroecology and biogeography
Compulsory Elective (1 out of 2):
- Joint Summer Module
- Forest research project
For more details click here.
Semester 1 (30 C)
Compulsory:
- Monitoring of Forest Resources
- Forest Management under Different Climatic Conditions
- Bioclimatology and global changes
- Research Planning
Compulsory Elective (1 out of 3):
- International Forest Policy and Economics
- Remote Sensing Image Processing with Open Source Software
- Ecological functions of wildlife: implications for conservation and management
Semester 2 (30 C)
Master’s Thesis
For more details click here.
Regulations and module directory
Application
Application portal opens
- For citizens from a country outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland: 15 November
- For citizens from a country within the EU, EEA, or Switzerland: 16 January
Application deadlines
- For citizens from a country outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland: 15 January
- For citizens from a country within the EU, EEA, or Switzerland: 1 March
Previous studies
- If you have completed or are in your final semester of a relevant Bachelor’s degree programme (forestry, biology, ecology, natural resource management, nature management, physical geography) from a recognised/accredited university, you are eligible to apply. Click here to read about Bachelor’s degrees that automatically fulfil the academic requirements.
Language requirements:
-
English language proficiency must be documented in one of two ways:
- completing a full degree in English from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, or USA
- documenting that you have passed one of the accepted tests (IELTS Academic, TOEFL, CAE, CPE). Click here for more details about documenting language proficiency.
Required documentation
- Transcript of grades
- Self-assessment
- Course descriptions of courses from your self-assessment
- CV
- GPA
- Proof of English language proficiency
- Passport/national ID
- Letter of motivation (only if you apply for an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship)
- Letter of recommendation (only if you apply for an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship)
- Proof of your current country of residence
- Official diploma
Contact
Academic Advising
Christian Beuter
Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology
Büsgenweg 5
37077 Göttingen
Tel. +49 551 39 21488
christian.beuter@uni-goettingen.de
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