Forest Pedagogy Certificate
Since 2017, Göttingen bachelor students of forest sciences have been able to acquire a certificate for forest pedagogy during their studies. The program lasts two semesters and was developed by the University of Göttingen in cooperation with the Lower Saxony State Forests (NLF). In addition to the forestry basics included in the course, the participants acquire pedagogical and didactic tools to communicate forest topics to different target groups.
FOREST EDUCATION AS A BASIS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT!
Forest pedagogy aims to bring ecological and social contexts closer through practical learning and experience, and to lead people to act and think responsibly in a holistic way. Essential elements of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) are integrated into this concept. As a result, forest pedagogy opens up new areas of activity. Certified forest educators can work both in the forest service and as freelance environmental educators. On this page you will also find frequently asked questions about registration and access requirements under FAQ as well as information on current dates.TARGET GROUP
The forest education certificate program is primarily aimed at bachelor students of forest sciences and forest ecology, as it is linked to the content of the compulsory courses in this course. It is intended that students in their 5th/6th Forest bachelor's are admitted. Due to the high demand, there have not been any free places that could have been filled by other semesters.SIGN UP
Registration for the Forest Pedagogy certificate program takes place via Stud.IP. The activation date for registration will be announced in the forest blog: Forst BlogHOW DO I OBTAIN THE CERTIFICATE?
The issuance of the certificate requires successful participation in the compulsory courses of the Bachelor's degree program in Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology as well as in the following two elective modules: Module B.Forst.1215: Forest pedagogic certificate module (4 SWS) In this module, the students should acquire special skills for planning, implementing and conducting forest pedagogical events. The module is specially designed for the acquisition of the forest education certificate, consists of three parts and extends over two semesters. You can find more detailed information on the content of the individual courses in the module handbook or in the UniVZ. Module B.Forst.1208: Deepening forest education and public relations (4 SWS) This module consists of two parts in the summer semester. More information in the module handbook or in the UniVZ. Attendance at these events is a prerequisite for admission to the final certificate examination. Additional credits for the bachelor's elective area can be generated through separate performance records in the form of a written exam and an oral exam in the certificate module or a term paper and a presentation in the advanced module. Furthermore, the following must be proven:- A forest education internship (40 hours)
- A first aid course
- An extended police clearance certificate
- Participation in further forest education measures (module D)
FAQ
The offer of the forest education certificate is aimed exclusively at students of the faculty. The certificate course is intended for the forestry bachelor semesters 5 and 6, so students from these semesters will be given priority. Unfortunately, students of other subjects and external students cannot participate in the course. The demand for participant places is currently exceeding the capacities of the faculty, so unfortunately not everyone who is interested can get a place.
The forest pedagogic certificate module extends over 2 semesters (5th/6th Bachelor semester), beginning in the winter semester. The final certificate examination with examiners from the Lower Saxony State Forests takes place at the end of the summer semester in late summer / autumn of the following year.
In order to obtain the certificate, the final examination must be passed "with success" or "with particular success". The certificate is issued upon presentation of the bachelor's certificate.
Forest pedagogy certificate courses are now offered by a number of state forest companies. In Lower Saxony, the certificate course of the Lower Saxony State Forests usually begins in March / April and ends in October of the same year. In principle, anyone interested can apply for this course, which is subject to a fee, and there is a selection process. Further information can be found here.
A list of all public providers can also be found on the website of the Federal Working Group on Forest Education.
No. The internship usually takes place before the beginning of the forest education certificate module and is usually not explicitly tailored to forest education topics. A prerequisite for the internship in the forest pedagogy module is the prior attendance of the sub-module "Pedagogical Basics".
- 40 hours of internship in a forest education center or a comparable institution (can be split and completed with different providers).
- First aid course
- Extended Police Clearance Certificate (since May 1, 2010). According to §30a of the Federal Central Register Act for people who work in child and youth care.
- Participation in three additional seminar days (module D), which can be freely selected according to certain criteria and in which further in-depth study of forest educational topics takes place.
Coordination and contact person:
Dr. Sabine Ammer
Theresa Hofacker
Büsgenweg 1 | Room 0.115, ground floor | Phone. +49 551 / 39-23625