Program Overview

Master of Urban Forestry Leadership

The Master of Urban Forestry Leadership (MUFL) is a 13-month, full-time, in-person course-based degree program consisting of 30 credits. The program starts in July.

Program Overview

• The program includes 8 core urban forestry courses taught by experts in the Faculty of Forestry.
• 2 intra-program courses cover transdisciplinary communication and diverse knowledge systems.
• The final 6-credit capstone course is completed in the final Summer, based on individual student interests and/or their employer’s needs.
• The course includes field experiences to visit world-leading urban greening programs.

Course Schedule

The program begins in July with UFOR 500 (3 credits). This is followed by three terms, consisting of 21 credits of courses.

Summer Term

• UFOR 500 (3 credits): Developing Green and Resilient Cities – The Urban Forestry Approach
  • Course Objectives: Focuses on the importance of urban green space and urban trees for cities.
  • Learning Outcomes: Understand the role and benefits of green space and trees in cities, discuss different approaches to city greening, and describe key aspects of urban forestry.

Winter Term 1

• UFOR 521 (3 credits): Advances in Arboriculture and Urban Ecology
  • Course Objectives: Provides an overview of the field and current state-of-art of arboriculture.
  • Learning Outcomes: Understand how trees grow in urban areas, analyze arboricultural approaches, and discuss the role of arboriculture in urban forest action planning.
• UFOR 512 (3 credits): Urban Forest Governance
  • Course Objectives: Introduces students to governance theory with a strong emphasis on Canadian and Western democratic traditions.
  • Learning Outcomes: Understand governance theories and models, apply different governance theories to urban forestry, and discuss examples of urban forest governance.
• UFOR 511 (1.5 credits): Geomatics Principles and Applications
  • Course Overview: Covers the use and application of remote sensing, GIS, GPS, and spatial data analysis.
  • Learning Outcomes: Demonstrate an understanding of geospatial data, understand concepts of position and scale, and develop conceptual designs for GIS databases.
• FCOR 511 (1.5 credits): Working with Diverse Knowledge Systems in Sustainable Natural Resources Management
  • Course Overview: Enhances awareness of diverse knowledge systems and their implications for decision-making and policy.
  • Learning Objectives: Distinguish how knowledge is contingent and shaped by social, historical, and values-based elements, appraise distinct forms of knowledge, and reflect on your own worldviews and ethical and political values.

Winter Term 2

• UFOR 522 (3 credits): Urban Forest Resources and Benefits Assessment
  • Course Objectives: Provides an overview of the state of the art of urban forest resources and benefits assessment.
  • Learning Outcomes: Understand current approaches and tools used in urban forest resources and benefits assessment, critically assess the trade-offs associated with different approaches, and discuss the role of urban forest inventories.
• UFOR 523 (1.5 credits): Strategic Urban Forest Planning and Management
  • Course Objectives: Applies the urban forestry skills and concepts learned to the theory and practice of strategic urban forest planning and management.
  • Learning Outcomes: Apply a strategic mindset to urban forest planning and management, understand the principles and process of planning, and apply different perspectives and tools across a range of contexts.
• FCOR 510 (1.5 credits): Professional Communication
  • Course Overview: Provides students with applied opportunities to engage in and hone their cross-boundary communication skills.
  • Learning Objectives: Identify, analyze, and investigate diverse audiences, demonstrate communication of specialized topics, and develop a core message to communicate consistently through multiple communications and/or media.

Winter Term 1 & Winter Term 2

• FCOR 599 (6 credits): Project Proposal Development and Proof of Concept
  • Course Overview: Students learn how to develop, write, and deliver an effective project proposal.
  • Learning Outcomes: Develop a project proposal around a topic of interest, present both a written proposal and oral presentation for assessment.

Program Details

• Program Length: 13 months, full-time
• Apply By: February 15
• Program Start: July
• Tuition (2025/26):
  • Canadian students: $22,081.60 CAD
  • International students: $42,980.28 CAD

At a Glance

• The MUFL program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of urban forestry, including its principles, practices, and governance.
• The program includes a mix of core courses, intra-program courses, and a capstone project, providing students with a well-rounded education in urban forestry.
• The program is full-time and takes 13 months to complete, starting in July.
• Tuition fees vary depending on the student's residency status, with Canadian students paying $22,081.60 CAD and international students paying $42,980.28 CAD for the 2025/26 academic year.