Thirteen States have mandatory licensing or registration requirements which a forester must meet in order to acquire the title professional forester. Becoming licensed or registered usually requires a 4-year degree in forestry, a minimum period of training time, and passing an exam. Curriculums stress science, mathematics, communications skills, and computer science, as well as technical forestry subjects. Courses in forest economics and business administration supplement the student's scientific and technical knowledge. Prospective foresters should also have a strong grasp on policy issues and on the increasingly numerous and complex environmental regulations which affect many forestry-related activities.
Many colleges require students to complete a field session in a camp operated by the college.
All schools encourage students to take summer jobs that provide experience in forestry or conservation work. A number of other schools offered some courses in range management or range science. Specialized range management courses combine plant, animal, and soil sciences with principles of ecology and resource management. Desirable electives include economics, forestry, hydrology, agronomy, wildlife, animal husbandry, computer science, and recreation. Very few colleges and universities offer degrees in soil conservation.