Program Code: AG651
Degree Requirements
Numerous opportunities await prospective graduates in municipal arboriculture/urban forestry, commercial and utility arboriculture, consulting, and land-use management. The objectives of the Urban Forestry/Arboriculture program are to provide a comprehensive urban forestry/arboriculture curriculum for students interested in entering this green industry field; to provide students in allied fields such as biology, environmental science, ecology, landscape management and maintenance, and turfgrass management additional training in urban forestry/arboriculture; to provide returning students and currently employed green industry workers with a curriculum that will prepare them for obtaining the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Tree Worker, Certified Arbories (CA), Utility Arborist (UA), and Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA) credentials.
In addition, for individuals already working the urban forestry/arboriculture field, this program of study will provide opportunities for continuing education units (CEU’s), short courses, and training modules for credentialed green industry workers, professionals, and volunteers (i.e. Master Gardeners). Horticulture students enrolled in the Student Occupational and Educational Program (SOEP) will be afforded the opportunity to participate in urban forestry/arboriculture internships with local arboriculture firms, government agencies, and private not-for-profit concerns. At the pre-college level, Urban Forestry and Arboriculture will expose members of youth groups and clubs, and other interested high school students with potential career choices and the opportunity to take coursework in urban forestry/arboricultre utilizing a dual-enrollment format and/or to provide them with a knowledge base by which to initiate, develop, and complete arboriculture and urban forestry projects.
Partnerships are developed with the Illinois Arborist Association (IAA), International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), local commercial, municipal, and consulting arborists, land managers, The Morton Arboretum, and other allied green industry members as a source for classroom and on-the-job (OT) training, and internships. In addition to their broad base of study, students will complete 19 weeks of internship training at a related business as part of their program of study*.
For further information from the US Department of Labor, go to: www.bls.gov/oco/ocos172.htm
*Students are placed in these work experience programs.
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