Environmental Science

Master of Science in Forestry

The Master of Science in Forestry is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in forest management, silviculture, forest conservation, and natural resource management. The programme combines forestry theory with practical field work, laboratory sessions, and research application.

Core areas include silviculture, forest management, forest ecology, agroforestry, forest mensuration, forest policy, watershed management, forest biotechnology, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, field work, laboratory sessions, and research.

The programme is offered by the University of Eldoret as MSc in Forestry or Agroforestry through the School of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Karatina University as MSc in Forestry, and Egerton University as MSc in Natural Resources Management with forestry specialisation. All are public universities offering programmes over two academic years through full-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in silviculture, forest management, forest ecology, agroforestry, and forest conservation. The programme includes coursework, examinations, field work, and a supervised research thesis.

Egerton University charges approximately KES 143,000/year for MSc in Natural Resources Management. University of Eldoret and Karatina University fees not independently verified. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in forestry, agroforestry, agriculture, biological sciences, environmental sciences, or related fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as forestry officers, forest managers, silviculturists, agroforestry specialists, conservation officers, and lecturers in forestry across Kenya Forest Service, government ministries, conservation NGOs, research institutions, timber companies, and universities.

Skills Required

Silviculture and Forest Management
Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation
Forest Mensuration and Inventory
Agroforestry and Farm Forestry Systems
Forest Policy and Governance
Watershed and Catchment Management
Forest Biotechnology and Tree Improvement
Forest Fire Management and Protection
Research Methods in Forestry Science
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Silviculture and Forest Management
Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation
Forest Mensuration and Inventory
Agroforestry and Farm Forestry Systems
Forest Policy and Governance
Watershed and Catchment Management
Forest Biotechnology and Tree Improvement
Forest Fire Management and Protection
Research Methods in Forestry Science
Thesis Research

Certifications

KFS Forester Registration
IUFRO Research Certification

Specializations

Silviculture

Focuses on silviculture, covering establishment, tending, regeneration, thinning, and managing forest stands.

Forest Management

Examines forest management, covering planning, harvesting, sustainability, yield, and managing forest operations.

Agroforestry

Covers agroforestry, covering tree-crop, tree-livestock, systems, integration, and managing agroforestry systems.

Forest Conservation

Focuses on forest conservation, covering biodiversity, protected areas, restoration, and managing forest conservation.

Forest Mensuration

Examines forest mensuration, covering inventory, measurement, volume, biomass, and managing forest assessment.

Watershed Management

Covers watershed management, covering catchment, hydrology, soil, conservation, and managing watersheds.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 191,900
Private, up to: Ksh 0
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Silviculture and Forest Management
Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation
Forest Mensuration and Inventory
Agroforestry and Farm Forestry Systems
Forest Policy and Governance
Watershed and Catchment Management
Forest Biotechnology and Tree Improvement
Forest Fire Management and Protection
Research Methods in Forestry Science
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Advanced Silviculture and Tree Establishment
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines establishment, tending, regeneration, thinning, nursery, and managing forest stands.
Forest Ecology and Biodiversity
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers ecosystems, biodiversity, succession, disturbance, conservation, and managing forest ecology.
Research Methods in Forestry Science
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, forestry research methods, and conducting research, preparing students for their thesis.
Forest Mensuration and Inventory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines inventory, measurement, volume, biomass, carbon, and managing forest assessment.
Agroforestry Systems and Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers tree-crop, tree-livestock, systems, integration, economics, and managing agroforestry.
Forest Management and Planning
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines planning, harvesting, sustainability, yield, rotation, and managing forest operations.
Forest Policy, Law and Governance
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers policy, law, governance, tenure, community, and managing forest policy.
Watershed and Catchment Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines catchment, hydrology, soil, conservation, rehabilitation, and managing watersheds.
Forest Biotechnology and Tree Improvement
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers breeding, tissue culture, genetics, improvement, propagation, and managing tree improvement.
Forest Fire Management and Protection
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines prevention, detection, suppression, ecology, and managing forest fires.
GIS and Remote Sensing in Forestry
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers GIS, remote sensing, mapping, monitoring, analysis, and managing spatial forest data.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a forestry topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and forestry knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Silviculture
Focuses on silviculture, covering establishment, tending, regeneration, thinning, and managing forest stands.
Forest Management
Examines forest management, covering planning, harvesting, sustainability, yield, and managing forest operations.
Agroforestry
Covers agroforestry, covering tree-crop, tree-livestock, systems, integration, and managing agroforestry systems.
Forest Conservation
Focuses on forest conservation, covering biodiversity, protected areas, restoration, and managing forest conservation.
Forest Mensuration
Examines forest mensuration, covering inventory, measurement, volume, biomass, and managing forest assessment.
Watershed Management
Covers watershed management, covering catchment, hydrology, soil, conservation, and managing watersheds.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Forestry programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, field work, practical workshops, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover silviculture, forest management, forest ecology, agroforestry, and forest mensuration. Silviculture sessions examine establishment, tending, regeneration, thinning, and managing forest stands. Forest management sessions cover planning, harvesting, sustainability, yield, and managing forest operations. Forest ecology sessions cover ecosystems, biodiversity, succession, disturbance, and managing forest ecology. Agroforestry sessions cover tree-crop, tree-livestock, systems, integration, and managing agroforestry. Forest mensuration sessions cover inventory, measurement, volume, biomass, and managing forest assessment. Forest policy sessions cover policy, law, governance, tenure, and managing forest policy. Watershed sessions cover catchment, hydrology, soil, conservation, and managing watersheds. Forest biotechnology sessions cover breeding, tissue culture, genetics, improvement, and managing tree improvement. Fire management sessions cover prevention, detection, suppression, and managing forest fires. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with wood analysis, soil testing, and plant identification. Field work provides hands-on experience with forest inventory, silvicultural operations, and ecological surveys. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with GIS, remote sensing, and forest measurement tools. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in forestry and presenting research findings. Guest lectures from experienced foresters, conservationists, and researchers provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a forestry topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing demand for forestry professionals with Kenya's commitment to increasing forest cover and climate change mitigation.
Programme offered by three public universities (UoE, Karatina, Egerton), providing institutional choice.
Egerton offers competitive fees at approximately KES 143,000/year for MSc in Natural Resources Management.
Graduates are eligible for KFS registration and IUFRO certification, enhancing career prospects.

Against it

University of Eldoret and Karatina University specific forestry fees not independently verified.
No private university confirmed offering this programme.
Career opportunities may be limited compared to more mainstream science programmes.
Programme requires forestry, agriculture, or environmental science background, limiting access for non-related graduates.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 181 environmental science courses

Public186k to 192k

186k at Egerton University192k at Egerton University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

Egerton FOA fees: Yr1 191,900 Yr2 185,400/yr. No private confirmed.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KFS may offer training grants for forestry professionals. IUFRO may offer research fellowships for forest research. Some conservation NGOs may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KFS Training Grant
IUFRO Research Fellowship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
KFS Training Grant
ScholarshipKsh 300,000Kenyan
KFS may offer training grants for forestry professionals pursuing postgraduate study.
IUFRO Research Fellowship
ScholarshipKsh 500,000
IUFRO provides research fellowships for forest research internationally.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: University of Eldoret requires Upper Second in BSc Forestry, Agroforestry, or relevant field, or Lower Second with two years of forestry or agroforestry experience. Students from agriculture, biological sciences, or other fields may be admitted but must satisfy forestry prerequisites. Egerton requires Upper Second in Natural Resources Management or related discipline, or Lower Second with two years of experience. Karatina requires relevant Bachelor's degree. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, laboratory reports, field reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering silviculture, forest management, ecology, and agroforestry.
Practical and Field Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through field work, forest inventory, laboratory work, and demonstrating forestry skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a forestry topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and forestry knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). University of Eldoret, Karatina University, and Egerton University (all public) offer MSc programmes in forestry and natural resources management. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in forestry and natural resource management. Graduates are eligible for KFS forester registration and IUFRO research certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. University of Eldoret, Karatina University, and Egerton University (all public) offer MSc programmes in forestry and natural resources management. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in forestry. Graduates are eligible for KFS forester registration and IUFRO research certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Forestry Officer
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages forest resources, overseeing operations, conservation, enforcement, and managing forestry.
Forest Manager
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages forest operations, overseeing planning, harvesting, sustainability, and managing forest operations.
Silviculturist
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages silviculture, overseeing establishment, tending, regeneration, and managing forest stands.
Agroforestry Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages agroforestry systems, overseeing integration, tree-crop, extension, and managing agroforestry.
Conservation Officer
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages forest conservation, overseeing biodiversity, protected areas, restoration, and managing conservation.
Forestry Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Teaches forestry at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

ArcGIS
SoftwarePrimary
ArcGIS for spatial analysis, covering mapping, monitoring, inventory, and managing spatial forest data.
R Studio
Software
R Studio for data analysis, covering experimental design, statistics, biometrics, and managing forestry data.
Forest Measurement Instruments
Equipment
Forest measurement instruments for mensuration, covering calipers, hypsometers, diameter tapes, and managing forest measurement.
Remote Sensing Software
Software
Remote sensing software for forest monitoring, covering satellite, imagery, classification, and managing remote sensing.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Forestry is just about planting trees.
Forestry covers comprehensive silviculture, management, ecology, conservation, policy, and biotechnology beyond just planting trees.
This programme is only for forest rangers.
Forestry skills are valuable for managers, researchers, consultants, conservationists, and educators beyond just forest rangers.
Agroforestry is just about farming with trees.
Agroforestry covers comprehensive tree-crop-livestock systems, integration, economics, and sustainability.
Forest management is just about logging.
Forest management covers comprehensive planning, sustainability, yield, conservation, and multi-use management.
Forest conservation is just about protecting forests.
Forest conservation covers comprehensive biodiversity, restoration, protected areas, community, and policy management.
Forest mensuration is just about counting trees.
Forest mensuration covers comprehensive inventory, measurement, volume, biomass, and carbon assessment.