Career Opportunities
The College of Forestry and Conservation at The University of Montana gives students a leg up in their professional careers. The emphasis on applied skills and problem solving throughout coursework is attractive to employers, since CFC graduates can “hit the ground running.” The classroom and laboratory experiences are designed so that students build confidence in their abilities, allowing them to adapt to whatever turns their future career path might take.
The Forest Management and Recreation Management curricula are each accredited by the major professional associations of the United States, the Society of American Foresters and the National Parks and Recreation Association, respectively. Further, emphasis areas within the Wildland Restoration, Wildlife Biology, and Resource Conservation curricula supply the coursework and rigor to fulfill the Civil Service Requirements for most of the federal professional series engaged in natural resources management.
With a baccalaureate degree from The University of Montana’s College of Forestry and Conservation, there is no limit on the options available for a student’s career. Some might chose to pursue graduate degrees, but many enter directly into the workforce, into careers such as a National Forest District Ranger, a Wildlife Manager with a state or federal division of Fish and Wildlife services, a manager of a protected area or park, an owner/operator of an outdoor recreation business, a woodlands manager for a land-holding company, a policy analyst for a conservation organization, a fire suppression specialist, a private consultant, or a land-use planner, to name just a few.
The College of Forestry and Conservation also helps students prepare for entering the workforce via support to summer employment while enrolled as an undergraduate. The College’s Student Employment Placement Office (SEPO) serves as a clearinghouse for work opportunities, especially for paid summer employment, but also for internships and part time work that can occur at any time during the year.