Wood Products is an applied science, engineering, and manufacturing discipline that focuses on processing sustainable timber and lignocellulosic materials into high-performance, low-carbon building systems, advanced biomaterials, and consumer goods. If you’re innovative, and enjoy engineering and problem solving, Wood Products could be for you. Taught within Canada’s national centre of wood products innovation, this program bridges wood anatomy, computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), industrial robotics, and supply-chain operations to replace carbon-intensive concrete and steel with renewable structural solutions.
Gain a comprehensive understanding of wood science, business, and advanced manufacturing operations. You will develop deep expertise in wood physics, chemical structure, biomaterials science, and primary and secondary processing technologies. Later in the program, you’ll focus on analyzing, designing, and optimizing industrial manufacturing operations.
Breakthroughs in modern timber engineering and material design require applied fabrication experience, machine operation, and field observation. As a Wood Products student, you’ll:
Canada’s national centre of excellence in wood products education, the Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) features digital fabrication tools, industrial robotics, precision CNC machinery, and high-performance material stress-testing suites
Home of UBC FES, the Forest Sciences Centre (FSC) features over 240,000 square feet of classrooms, study spaces, and faculty research hubs inside a stunning glass-and-timber atrium.
UBC FES manages two forests, Malcolm Knapp Research Forest and Alex Fraser Research Forest, each situated in unique biomes. Together, they total more than 60,000 acres of living laboratory space dedicated to education, research, and experimentation.
As Wood Products student, you’ll study directly inside CAWP and the Department of Wood Science, internationally recognized as global leaders in wood products science, advanced processing, and bio-composite design.
Unlike other science or engineering programs, Wood Products integrates applied mechanics with operations management, supply-chain logistics, and commercial strategy, and students will benefit from deep ties to manufacturers, mass-timber producers, and researchers working directly in wood science and innovation.
Pair your degree with a Minor in Commerce from UBC’s Sauder School of Business. Master foundational topics in financial accounting, marketing, organizational behavior, and business development.
Stand out in a competitive job market with a Certificate in Geomatics for Environmental Management. Develop highly marketable GIS and spatial analysis skills to turn data into actionable insights in environmental consulting, urban planning, conservation, forestry, and natural resources management.
Earn a Master of Management from UBC Sauder and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources simultaneously in only 4.5 years with the Dual Degree Program.
Receive a diploma from the Canadian Operational Research Society (CORS). This non-UBC diploma is an additional credential for those interested in pursuing a career in operational research, modelling, data analytics and related fields.
As a Wood Products student in the FES Co-operative Education Program, you can integrate up to 5 paid work terms (20 months) into your degree, earning an average of $64,680. Receive resume, cover letter, interview preparation skills, and personalized career development and support
Work placements span companies, provincial and federal ministries, and research institutions in fields like environmental consulting, forest engineering, woodland operations, ecosystem restoration and conservation.
There are many courses you can take in the Wood Products program. Here are a few you might like.
Explore fundamental physics topics such as kinematics including curvilinear motion, forces and Newton’s laws of motion, collisions, torque, rotational dynamics, oscillations and waves.
Build in-demand technical skills by applying programming concepts to industrial wood products manufacturing applications.
Explore how trees grow, examine wood structure from the cellular level up, and learn to identify major hardwood and softwood species.
Explore how marketing, customer insights, product development, and design drive success in the modern wood products industry.
As an Urban Forestry graduate, you’ll have the knowledge and skills required to meet the growing demand for urban forest managers and urban forest planners. Apply what you’ve learned to help manage urban forests, make cities more livable, and make informed city planning decisions. You will find work in areas such as:
Job titles for Wood Products graduates include:
“The degree really spoke to me because it’s a combination of engineering, business, and science. I didn’t find another degree that could fuse them all together the way this program does. It’s unique.”
English is the language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students must demonstrate English-language competency prior to admission. There are numerous ways to meet the English Language Admission Standard.
IB Diploma Programme
IB Certificate Courses
Note: Grade 11 Biology, Chemistry and Physics requirements listed above are only relevant to students who are not completing the equivalent IB Diploma Biology, Chemistry and/or Physics courses. For students studying outside of Canada, some examples of courses that may be accepted as Grade 11 equivalents are junior-level courses for American students, and IGCSE and O Level for those following British-patterned curricula.
The following subject categories are particularly relevant for this degree. Consider taking courses in these areas in Grade 11 and Grade 12.
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Visit the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship website to learn more about Wood Products.
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