MSc in Life Sciences International Management of Forest Industries or Regional Management in Mountain Areas School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL
Specialists for new challenges 2 Forest and mountain regions have become more important in recent years. Forests play an important role in the green economy and in strategies to fight climate change. Mountain areas offer protective forests, recreational possibilities, alpine farming, etc. But at the same time, they are facing serious challenges: nature conservation, economic interests and land-use planning often seem irreconcilable. Furthermore, they are under threat from climate change and depopulation. International management of forest industries and regional management of mountain areas need specialists who are well-qualified to deal with the challenges and trends in these new professional fields. The MSc in Life Sciences programme specialising in Applied Agricultural and Forestry Sciences at the School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Bern University of Applied Sciences therefore offers the two majors, International Management of Forest Industries and Regional Management in Mountain Areas, in cooperation with Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT) in Munich. This is why our programme is unique Both majors are unique in their own way and offer HAFL students the chance to earn a double Master s degree: an MSc in Life Sciences from Bern University of Applied Sciences and an MSc in International Management of Forest Industries or MSc in Regional Management in Mountain Areas from Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences. HAFL s remarkably practical orientation towards teaching, research and service projects ensures state-of-the-art specialist knowledge and a proximity to your future professional life. You will benefit from HAFL s core competencies. The programme will give you valuable insights into agricultural and forestry research and practice. You will work with experienced, solution-oriented experts who are active nationally and internationally and are well known in their industry. This will enable you to quickly build your own network. The Master s programme also offers you: flexibility in both content and time interdisciplinary education outstanding career prospects an attractive campus near the Swiss capital, Bern, with swimming pool, beach volleyball court, barbeque area, etc.
3 Collecting data by a kapok tree: Master s student in Ivory Coast. Career prospects: research and management During your studies you will develop scientifically sound knowledge in a specialised area of your choice. Both the taught modules and your thesis are application-oriented. You will become a specialist who is well able not only to deepen his/her knowledge of an area quickly and independently but also to transform this knowledge into practice. By the time you graduate from this programme, you will have the skills required by employers in the industry for management positions. You will be a practically-oriented specialist who can work scientifically and manage complex projects. During the programme, you will have excellent opportunities to prepare yourself for international work if that is where your interests lie. HAFL will support you with its network in the national and international agricultural and forest industries, be it in public administration, the private sector, NGOs or research institutes.
International Management of Forest Industries 4 You will deepen your forestry-related policy and business management skills, and deal with the interests, actors and mechanisms of the international forest and timber industry. Central topics are: forests and global change processes international treaties (climate, biodiversity, trade) and international law sustainable production management of international forest enterprises and companies in the timber-processing industry logistics, supply chain management and network management markets for timber, wood products and non-wood products, certification bioenergy assessment of forest products and services Master s thesis from Eastern Europe to the Andes Typical topics for the Master s thesis in this major are issues relating to global forest politics, forest management in the tropics and boreal regions, the role of forestry in climate strategies, REDD+, biodiversity and landscape management (e.g. agroforestry). Geographical foci are West Africa, the Andean region, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. Your career prospects After your studies, you can expect to find a challenging management position in a large forestry operation or an internationally active company in the wood-processing industry, or in an international environmental, development or industry organisation. You will also be qualified to take on senior positions in international management consultancies and technical advisory firms or to undertake applied research and development.
Regional Management in Mountain Areas During your studies, you will combine your knowledge of ecological and socio-economic issues with the management of regional development in mountain areas. You will therefore be studying how nature, land use, society and politics interact. 5 In particular, you will be concerned with: agricultural and forest production in the Alpine region specific natural hazards and risk management current methods for geospatial analysis, such as GIS project management and regional planning nature reserves tourism public relations and conflict management The content is specifically oriented to mountain areas and will be illustrated by examples from the Alps. Master s thesis your future specialism The Master s thesis is generally embedded in a HAFL or HSWT research project, but you can also do your thesis in cooperation with a research or industry partner, for example with your employer. Your career prospects On completion of this programme, you will be well qualified to take on challenging management positions in regional development, nature reserves, protected areas and natural hazard management. You will be active at the interfaces between nature, society and the economy, working in associations, environmental organisations, in tourism or you will take a management position in the agricultural or forestry departments of mountain cantons.
Structure and Methods 6 For both majors, you will spend one semester at HAFL in Zollikofen, near Bern, and one semester at Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT) near Munich. In the third semester you work on your Master s thesis. You choose whether you begin the programme in autumn or spring. The programme runs in close cooperation with partners from research, the economy and society. In the taught modules, you have the chance to make contact with research and industry representatives through case studies, round tables and excursions. There is also a considerable amount of self-study, which enables you to structure your studies flexibly. Studying the Alps: mountain landscape in the Lötschental ( Andreas Ryser - Fotolia.com)
Overview Target audience The major in International Management of Forest Industries is aimed at graduates with a forestry or timber industry background. The major in Regional Management in Mountain Areas is aimed at graduates of Agriculture, Forestry, Geography, Landscape Architecture, Environmental Sciences or similar disciplines. 7 Admission Graduates from a Swiss university of applied sciences in the abovementioned disciplines with a minimum grade average of 5. Students with other types of degrees or lower grade average may be admitted on the basis of an aptitude assessment. Degree You will earn 90 ECTS credits and the degree Master of Science in Life Sciences specialising in Applied Agricultural and Forestry Sciences from the School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Bern University of Applied Sciences and the degree Master of Science in International Management of Forest Industries or Regional Management in Mountain Areas from the Department of Forestry, at Weihenstephan- Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT). Length 1.5 years full-time study; for part-time study please ask. Teaching languages English in the modules taught at HAFL; German in the modules taught at HSWT. A good knowledge of German is required for the modules in Weihenstephan-Triesdorf. HAFL Master s theses may be written in English, German, French, Italian or Spanish. Tutorial fees CHF 750.- per semester plus registration and examination fees. Registration and deadline for registration The programme may be started in spring or autumn. The deadline is the September or March before, respectively. Registration: www.hafl.bfh.ch.
Further Information Bern University of Applied Sciences School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL Länggasse 85 CH - 3052 Zollikofen www.hafl.bfh.ch Contact Dr. Urs Scheidegger Head of Programme Telephone +41 31 910 21 11 E-Mail msc-af.hafl@bfh.ch Urs Scheidegger, Head of Programme klimaneutral