University Series Issue #12

Stephen F. Austin State University College of Forestry and Agriculture

Published December 14, 2023

by Amy Neal | External Communications Specialist | Stephen F. Austin State University College of Forestry and Agriculture

Located in the piney woods of East Texas, Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture proudly provides students with in-field experiences, state-of-the-art equipment, and access to 12 million acres of forests.

The education students receive at SFA is backed by a rigorous curriculum taught by nationally recognized faculty members. We offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees encompassing the areas of forestry, environmental science, and geospatial science.

Our Bachelor of Science degrees in forestry, environmental science, and geospatial science each include unique concentration areas, specializations, and tracks that meet the interests and career goals of graduates.

Within the undergraduate forestry program, students choose between six concentration areas: agroforestry, fire ecology and management, forest management, forest wildlife management, human dimensions in natural resources, and urban forestry. Regardless of their concentration area, graduates earn a Society of American Foresters-accredited degree from SFA and are trained in how to sustain forestlands and meet management goals. After graduation, 95% of students are employed by both public and private industries within six months.

Beyond the undergraduate level, graduate degrees in forestry and environmental science propel students to advance their careers. The college also offers an online Master of Science in resource communications, which expands students’ research, communication, and resource interpretation skills. Graduates of the program have gone on to hold leadership positions within multiple renowned national parks. Moreover, SFA offers the only doctoral program in forestry in the state of Texas.

The foundation of the forestry program centers around practical experience and hands-on learning opportunities. In the introductory course, forestry students participate in Root Camp, a one-day, in-the-field experience that introduces concepts, practices, and activities they will continue to utilize throughout their education. Between their sophomore and junior years, these students are also immersed in a six-week field station in forests and natural resource ecosystems across East Texas.

Additionally, SFA has one of the largest forestry programs in the country, with over 250 students enrolled in the undergraduate program. These students have the opportunity to take part in more than 20 professional and student organizations within the college, including the student chapters of the Society of American Foresters and The Wildlife Society. The Sylvans, SFA’s timber sports team, is another organization that’s well known both on campus and throughout the south. The team has won the Southern Forestry Conclave eight years in a row and 17 times overall.

With thriving alumni and business connections, the Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture awards more than $450,000 in scholarships annually to its students. These college-specific scholarships reduce the educational cost to students and allow them to interact with industry professionals.