As pressure on forests and natural ecosystems grows worldwide, professionals who can secure these resources for future generations are in high demand. This two-year Master of Science programme delivered in English trains graduates to tackle the complex scientific, managerial and societal challenges of sustainable forest and nature management. The curriculum combines rigorous theory with applied perspectives to prepare students for both research and practice.
Students gain a solid grounding in the concepts and methods needed to manage natural resources sustainably, together with the cross-cultural skills to work in international settings. The course is designed to develop competencies that enable graduates to pursue careers in research or operational roles across a range of organisations involved in forestry, conservation and natural resource governance.
Key competencies and career opportunities
Curriculum overview
The two-year MSc is organised as a joint, mobility-based programme: all students spend the first year at the University of Copenhagen and complete their second year at one of the programme’s partner institutions. The second year is devoted to a chosen specialisation track, meaning students finish their advanced coursework and usually their master’s thesis at the partner university. Because the programme is explicitly designed for cross‑institutional training, students may not complete both years at the same university.
Key modules and learning pathways
Year 1 at Copenhagen provides the shared, interdisciplinary core training that prepares students for specialised study—this covers the theoretical and methodological foundations needed for sustainable forest and nature management. In Year 2, students follow the curriculum of the selected specialisation at the chosen partner institution; the content therefore varies by track and host university, with each partner offering modules tailored to its thematic strengths. The available partner universities for Year 2 are:
Expected learning outcomes
Graduates can expect to develop competencies common to international MSc programmes in sustainable forest and nature management: the ability to integrate ecological, social and economic perspectives into management decisions; to apply quantitative and qualitative methods for assessment and monitoring; to design and evaluate sustainable management strategies; and to undertake independent research culminating in a master’s thesis. The mobility element also fosters intercultural communication skills and experience working within different national and institutional contexts.
Program-specific requirements (important points)
Many applicants who hold one of the specific Bachelor’s or Professional Bachelor’s degrees listed below automatically meet the academic entry requirements for this Master’s programme. If your degree is not on the list, you may still be eligible provided your prior studies include enough relevant coursework — see the alternative qualification criteria and notes after the list.
Automatic academic qualification (degrees that fulfil the requirement)
Alternative academic qualification (degrees from other universities)
Other important notes for applicants
Winter Semester (International)
15 January 2027
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
1 March 2026
Graduates are prepared for roles in both research and applied forest and nature management. Potential employers include development agencies, environmental consultancies, non-governmental organisations, international organisations, ministries, governmental agencies and local or district forest offices. The programme’s international mobility and project-based training also suit graduates seeking careers in transnational or policy-focused positions related to natural resource sustainability.
The combination of theoretical grounding, field experience and cross-cultural collaboration equips students to work in multi-disciplinary teams, pursue PhD research, or take on technical and managerial roles in conservation, sustainable forestry, ecosystem management and related sectors.