The College of Forestry and Conservation invites you to study and work in the challenging arena of International Conservation and Development (ICD). The ICD Option, formerly known as International Resource Management, provides opportunities for graduate students to develop an integrated understanding of ecological and social aspects of global environmental change, conservation and management, and to apply that knowledge to resource management through international professional work. The ICD curriculum and overseas work experience emphasize the integration of biophysical and social dimensions of resource management, and their application towards ecological sustainability and social justice. Defining features of ICD include:
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Combining graduate coursework with international field-based learning
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Flexibility and diversity of resource questions addressed and approaches used
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Committed interdisciplinary faculty
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Close collaboration among a cohort of graduate students
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Complete an M.S. degree in Resource Conservation with an Option in International Conservation and Development
ICD students and faculty address a wide range of issues around the world. Previous ICD students have worked on protected area management, community conservation, watershed management, non-timber forest products, agroforestry systems, reduced impact logging and wildlife conservation. Students utilize a variety of approaches and generate diverse products based on their fieldwork, including extension education materials, field guides and peer-reviewed journal articles. To date, 37 students have completed ICD studies, nine are currently on international assignments in South America, Africa and Asia, and seven are on campus completing M.S. degrees or preliminary coursework.
The ICD program is well known nationally and graduates have secured professional employment with international and domestic organizations in both the public and private sectors. ICD graduates are currently employed with international non-governmental conservation and development organizations; federal agencies, including the US National Park Service, the US Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service; and in private consulting.
The ICD Option involves completion of an interdisciplinary core curriculum (total of 14 credits), additional coursework in a specific area of academic and professional interest, and completion of an international assignment with either the Peace Corps or an international conservation and development organization.
The core curriculum includes coursework in ecology (FOR 532: Forest Ecosystem Analysis), sociology (FOR 474: Sociology of Environment and Development), tropical ecosystems (FOR 582: Tropical Ecosystems and Management), research methods (quantitative and/or qualitative methods) and a year-long seminar (FOR 571: International Conservation and Development). Specialized coursework is available in any of the fields of study available in the College of Forestry and Conservation. This includes forest management, protected area management, rural and environmental sociology, watershed management, wildlife biology, range management, recreation management, and remote sensing/geographic information systems. Students can also complete coursework in any other unit on the UM campus (e.g., Biological Sciences, Anthropology, Environmental Studies, Business Administration, etc.). ICD courses are small, seminar in format and provide opportunities to pursue independent projects in preparation for international assignments. Students work with faculty advisors to identify and develop specific projects and benefit from interacting with other graduate students pursuing similar studies.
ICD students can pursue either the M.S. professional paper option (36 credits) or the M.S. thesis option (30 credits); the professional paper option is recommended due to its greater flexibility. Students are expected to complete two semesters of coursework prior to their international assignments (24 credits), and one semester afterwards to complete the professional paper or thesis. Academic credit (1 credit/semester) is available for international work. Individuals who have already served in the Peace Corps or have other international experience may build upon aspects of their previous international work as the basis for M.S. studies. Approximately 2/3 of ICD students have completed international assignments with the Peace Corps; the remainder have worked with international conservation or development organizations.
ICD Graduates and M.S. Projects
Student Publications
Admission to ICD requires demonstrated interest in international resource conservation, management and service; an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better; GRE scores of 500 verbal and 600 quantitative; and three letters of recommendation. Applications are accepted to begin in the Fall semester only due to the sequential nature of some courses and are due the previous January 31. Prospective students should review faculty expertise and interests, and to correspond with faculty members whose interests are similar. College of Forestry and Conservation Faculty Students are accepted into the ICD program only if a faculty member is willing and able to serve as a graduate advisor.
The University of Montana seeks to provide funding support for ICD students through teaching assistantships. Applicants interested in financial assistance should indicate an interest in serving as a teaching assistant (awarded on a competitive basis) when submitting their application materials. Applicants who have completed Peace Corps service (RPCV) are encouraged to apply to serve as the UM
campus Peace Corps recruiter. This position includes a tuition and fee waiver, and a monthly stipend.
Students interested in the Peace Corps should simultaneously apply through
their regional recruiting office (Tel. 800-424-8580)
Masters International, Peace
Corps Fellows. Married couples are welcome to apply (three married couples
have completed ICD studies), but both must qualify individually to be volunteers.
Peace Corps benefits include: a readjustment allowance of $6,075 after successful
completion of two years training and service, a monthly living allowance for
food, housing and incidentals that will permit you to live at the level of host
country co-workers, medical and dental care, all local transportation and one
year of noncompetitive eligibility for positions with the federal government
(upon successful completion of service).
College of Forestry and Conservation Faculty
Jill
Belsky, Professor – rural and environmental sociologist
Don Bedunah, Professor – range resources management
Bill Borrie, Associate Professor - parks and recreation management
Jim
Burchfield, Associate Dean - forest social scientist
John Goodburn, Assistant Professor – silviculture
Neil Moisey, Associate Professor - nature-based tourism
Mike
Patterson, Associate Professor – wildlife biology and recreation management
Don
Potts, Professor – watershed management
Stephen
Siebert, Professor – tropical forest conservation and management
Laurie Yung, Director Wilderness Institute - conservation policy
ICD studies can be undertaken with any faculty in the College of Forestry and
Conservation. We encourage you to review faculty research and teaching interests
and to correspond with faculty whose interests are most similar to your own.
Stephen Siebert, Professor
College of Forestry and Conservation,
The University of Montana,
Missoula, MT 59812
Tel: (406) 243-4661, Fax: (406) 243-6656
Email:
steve.siebert@cfc.umt.edu
ICD Coordinator Steve Siebert has worked on forest conservation and agricultural
issues in Southeast Asia for 20 years. His recent work has focused on the ecology
and management of rattan palms, and biodiversity implications associated with the
transition from shade to sun-grown coffee and cacao.