M.F.R. students will complete a series of courses selected from a pre-determined list of coursework offered at the School for Environmental Sciences. Each student is also required to complete a capstone project.

Please see our degree webpage for the Master of Forest Resources (M.F.R.) Forest Management Degree which provides details regarding all aspects of this program.

Coursework Specifics

M.F.R. students complete 3 required courses, and a series of electives to fulfill specific areas of knowledge.  Requirements include:

• Required Courses for all M.F.R. students:
  • SEFS 500 Graduate Orientation Seminar
  • SEFS 550 Graduate Seminar (a section specific for MFR Students)
  • SEFS 526 Seminar in Advanced Silviculture
• Required Areas of Knowledge, coursework is selected from M.F.R. Restricted Electives course list:
  • Ecology and Biology (9 credits minimum)
  • Measurement of Forest Resources (10 credits minimum)
  • Management of Forest Resources (10 credits minimum)
  • Forest Resource Policy, Economic, Administration (7 credits minimum)

Coursework to choose from to fulfill requirements for the various areas of knowledge are listed as ‘MFR Restricted Elective Courses’ on the last page of the M.F.R. Program of Study.

To review details regarding program requirements, the best resources are:

• M.F.R. Program of Study Form (see the last page for the Restricted Electives list)
• SEFS Graduate Programs Forms and Resources web page

Note: GRE Scores are not required for your SEFS application
 

English Proficiency for Non-Native English Speakers

SEFS follows the Graduate School’s English proficiency policies. Please read through this full section if you are a Non-Native English speaker.

General UW Admissions Language Proficiency Requirements
For general admissions requirements, see Graduate School Policy 3.2 Graduate School English Language Proficiency Requirements. This policy determines what is required for a student to be admitted to the UW and to SEFS.

For anyone required to submit English Proficiency scores, send your scores to UW as soon as possible.

Test scores will only attach to your application package once you have officially submitted it to UW/SEFS and paid the application fee. Do not wait for your English Proficiency test scores to show up as they will sit in a database on our end until you submit your application. Once your application is submitted, your official test scores will become part of your record to be considered.

Do make sure to order your scores well in advance if at all possible; details are below:

• If submitting official test scores, you must fill in the Self-Reported test scores as part of the application process. And you also need to send your Official Scores. SEFS requires both of these reports (self-reported, and official scores sent).

Language Requirements for Teaching Assistants
If you want to be able to apply for Teaching Assistantships immediately, or for us to be able to provide Teaching Assistantships as a funding assignment in your admissions package, you will need to qualify for Graduate School Policy 5.2: Conditions of Appointment for TAs who are not Native Speakers of English.  Please note the following:

• Policy 5.2 requires a higher standard of spoken English than is required for general Admissions purposes – and is something you can qualify for in advance of matriculating, or after you are on campus.
• Many non-native English speakers will try hard to qualify at the Policy 5.2 level, even as an applicant.  And a few, for various reasons may not be able to do that. For these individuals they will do the qualification after they have matriculated on campus.

SEFS graduate faculty review applications and admit students annually, with the expectation that students begin in the autumn quarter.

We begin accepting applications after August 1st.
Our application deadline is November 15th.

Unfortunately, MFR applicants are not eligible for funding considerations for admissions.

A complete application includes all the materials you are asked to submit (see list of specifics in the Application Checklist), and your recommendation letters. Recommendation letters also have a November 15 deadline!

We begin accepting applications after August 1. Our deadline is November 15.

Go here to apply: Online Application for Graduate Study at the University of Washington

SEFS Application Checklist:

• Statement of Professional Goals and Interests:
  Submit your Statement, up to two pages, single-spaced, using one-inch margins and 12-point font that addresses the following:
  • Why are you interested in graduate studies at the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences?
  • What research areas are you interested in pursuing?
  • What are your plans after earning your graduate degree?
  • Describe how your graduate training at the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences will help you contribute to your profession, community, and society.
• Personal Statement:
  Submit your Personal Statement, up to one page, single spaced, using 1-inch margins and 12-point font that addresses the following:
  • What cultural, economic, educational, extracurricular, geographic, research, social, or other experiences have shaped your academic journey and decision to apply for graduate studies? If applicable, describe any barriers that you have faced in your pursuit of higher education, and how you overcame them.
  • The School of Environmental and Forest Sciences strives to create an inclusive and welcoming environment that recognizes and encourages individual differences and fosters the constructive expression of ideas. Describe how you would contribute to these efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Submit a Resume/CV:
  Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) listing a summary of your education, accomplishments, and experiences including:
  • (a) awards and scholarships (prizes, honors upon graduation, honorary society membership, etc.) and dates awarded;
  • (b) relevant employment and professional experience (description and dates);
  • (c) special skills (computer/software, specialized instruments, etc.).
  • If you have research experience or publications (including papers that have been submitted or are in preparation), you may include these items on your CV. Note that these types of experiences are not a requirement for the MFR program if you have not had the opportunity to participate in research in this way.
  • You may use any format you like.
• Designate Recommendation Providers:
  SEFS requires a minimum of three letters of recommendation. You may submit up to five letters maximum.
  • The application system will immediately email recommendation writers after their information is entered into the application; further instructions for uploading and transmitting their recommendations will be included in that email.
  • Highly Recommended: follow up with your recommendation providers and make sure they locate the email sent from the application system. Due to spam filters, this email may end up in their spam folder. The email itself will be coming from this email address: applygrad@uw.edu
  • If it is offered in the online system, do not select the “postal mail” option; we only accept electronic recommendations.
  • Recommendations could be from faculty or scientists familiar with the applicant’s academic achievements and/or professional experience.
  • Recommendations can also be submitted by recent employers, colleagues or peers. These types of recommendations can be particularly useful for an MFR application.
  • Deadline to Submit: Recommendation Providers should submit their recommendations by the 11/15 deadline (the same deadline as the application deadline itself).
• Unofficial Transcripts:
  Scan and submit unofficial transcripts from all colleges or universities attended (later, official sealed copies will be required if you are accepted into the program). For admission, applicants are expected to have maintained a minimum 3.0 GPA in the 90 most recent quarter credits, or 60 most recent semester credits. Be sure to include unofficial transcripts for colleges from which you later transferred the credits to a different school.
• English Proficiency for ALL Non-Native English Speakers:
  A detailed description of this process is in the English proficiency section above.  SEFS uses the requirements as provided by Policy 3.2: Graduate School English Language Proficiency Requirements. Our school considers test scores valid for two years and submitted scores on your application must be valid on the date of the application deadline, November 15.
  • See Policy 3.2: Graduate School English Language Proficiency Requirements for instructions regarding fulfilling the basic Admissions English Proficiency requirements, and how to submit your proof of proficiency.
  • If you have questions about this procedure and policy, you will need to contact the Graduate School, and please also contact our Graduate Advisor:
    • Graduate School Email: uwgrad@uw.edu
    • Graduate Advisor for SEFS: sefsgpa@uw.edu
  • Note: If you are submitting official test scores, please be sure to submit self-reported scores as part of your admissions application!
  • If you are hoping to obtain Teaching Assistantships as part of your financial support immediately upon entry to the UW, you will need to meet the score and testing criteria of Graduate School Policy 5.2: Conditions of Appointment for TAs who are not Native Speakers of English. This is a more stringent requirement whereby you will need to meet these minimums:
    • TOEFL Overall score of 92 with a minimum TOEFL Speak score of 26.
    • IELTS Overall score of 7.0 with a minimum Speak score of 7.0.
    • Note that the University of Washington is considering increasing the speak score requirements by  one or two points. If this occurs, the Graduate School Policy 5.2 web page will reflect the correct score requirements.
    • Or one of the other methods as described in Policy 5.2.1 Requirements.
• GRE scores:
  GRE scores are not required as part of your application to SEFS .

• Select Your Graduate Program
• Review Requirements and Deadlines
• Review Checklist of Application Materials
• Report Prior Schools and Submit Unofficial Transcripts
• Provide required materials for the SEFS Application
• Provide Recommendation Contacts
• Pay Fee and Submit Application
  • Fee Waivers are not available through SEFS.
  • Fee Waivers are implemented by the Graduate School.
  • Go to this webpage to access the Graduate School information on waivers.
  • You will need to submit your application before the 11/15 deadline; see the Graduate School page for details.

MFR applicants are reviewed by a panel of faculty designated by SEFS.

Every application for SEFS graduate study is reviewed by at least three faculty members, who strive to use a holistic review approach to recognize a broad set of achievements including academic achievement, potential for success in conducting research, and evidence of motivation, persistence, and leadership. In addition to traditional measures of academic excellence and growth (evidenced by transcript, letters of recommendation, writing quality), and relevant research experience, other considerations include:

• Strong work ethic and ability to progress toward a goal
• Perseverance in the face of academic or other life challenges
• Experience with diverse cultures/ecological/socioeconomic environments
• Potential for or demonstrated experience with positively contributing to a community that values equity, inclusion, and diversity

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Admissions is a process that takes time for SEFS to complete. Offers will come out possibly as early as February, and continue through March. SEFS will do our best to provide all applicants an admission decision by April 15. The schedule shown below approximates the SEFS process for admissions. There can be variations to this timeline depending on individual applications and faculty discussions.

Please do not email us asking for the status of your application. We will send everyone an admissions decision. Thank you.

• August 1: SEFS Online application system opens.  Please note, due to the Graduate School moving to a new application software system, there might be delays.  We will do everything we can to open by 8/1.  While you are waiting for our application please prepare your materials and recommendation contacts.  You can see everything you need in our checklist (section above).
• November 15: Deadline for submission, including Recommendation Letters
• November 16 – April: Faculty members review and evaluate all applications
• February – April: applications will receive an answer regarding your application.

April 15: Applicant deadline to accept or decline an admission offer from SEFS

Here are key Graduate School pages regarding Admissions:

• https://grad.uw.edu/
  Note the “PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS” tab in the menu that runs across the top of the page.  Links below are only a few of the key items available at the Graduate School.
• https://grad.uw.edu/prospective-students/how-to-apply/
• https://grad.uw.edu/prospective-students/how-to-apply/apply-now/
• https://grad.uw.edu/prospective-students/how-to-apply/international-applicants/
• https://grad.uw.edu/prospective-students/how-to-apply/application-fee-waivers/

The general UW Graduate School web page has lots of other useful information, such as:

• Graduate Education: Policies, Guidelines, Goals and Initiatives
• Finances: Support, Aid, Work
• Life: UW living for TAs, Academic Student Employee Unionization, Employees, Parents
• GPSS: The Graduate and Professional Student Senate
• Career Development: Life after Graduate School