"Through setting up timber harvests, running chainsaws, tapping trees for maple syrup,
riding in the cab of harvesters, and working with other students, I have grown both
as an individual and a natural resources professional."Tilly Behrmann, FERM student
Rock fords. Timber bridges. Bird boxes. Fish cribs. Installing wildlife cameras. Preserving
side-stream vegetation. Protecting streambeds and banks. Timber cruising and marking.
The FERMTM, our trademarked Forestry and Environmental Resource Management program, is applied
learning by doing, stressing professional development. Student teams plan, act, and
oversee conservation-oriented management in our forests—and for the community. Instructors
accompany, at first. Once teams have the lay of the land, they're on their own. The
brainchild of then-School dean Glenn Mroz, who went on to be Michigan Tech's president,
FERM has been putting students in for-credit, real-life forestry and wildlife management
situations since 2002. Students appreciate the preparation. So do employers.
"We have them out doing all sorts of things—the Tech Trails bridges, testing timbers
and sawing to size. Swedetown. Calumet. The Nature Conservancy. It goes on and on.
And the revenue helps our program be self-supporting."Jim Schmierer, FERM Advisor
You can re-enroll in FERM as often as you'd like. Register for one of the courses
listed here. Plan on at least three hours of field time—maybe more—per credit hour
per week in a normal 14-week semester. For example, if you sign up for 2 FERM credits,
count on a minimum six hours of field time per week.

FERM Course Numbers
FW 3376 - Forest & Environmental Resource Management (The FERM) I
Application of forest and environmental management practices by teams of students with the assistance of faculty, staff and local and regional partners.
- Credits:
2.0;
May be repeated
- Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-1-3)
- Semesters Offered:
Fall, Spring, Summer
- Pre-Requisite(s): FW 2010 and FW 2051
FW 5376 - Advanced Forest and Environmental Resource Management I
Application of forest and environmental management practices and topical investigations by teams of students with the assistance of faculty, staff and representatives of state, federal and corporate land management groups as well as non-governmental organizations.
- Credits:
1.0;
May be repeated
- Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-3)
- Semesters Offered:
Fall, Spring, Summer
- Restrictions:
Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s): Graduate
ENT 2950 - Enterprise Project Work I
Interdisciplinary teams work as part of an enterprise to address real-world design projects or problems. Second-year students are responsible for achieving some prescribed objectives, as defined by their Enterprise team.
- Credits:
1.0
- Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-3)
- Semesters Offered:
Fall, Spring, Summer
- Restrictions:
May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman
ENT 2960 - Enterprise Project Work II
Interdisciplinary teams work as part of an enterprise to address real-world design projects or problems. Second- year students are responsible for achieving some prescribed objectives, as defined by their Enterprise team.
- Credits:
1.0
- Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-3)
- Semesters Offered:
Fall, Spring, Summer
- Restrictions:
May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman
ENT 3950 - Enterprise Project Work III
Interdisciplinary teams work as part of an enterprise to address real-world design projects or problems. Third-year students will practice designing approaches to solve problems and develop procedures to achieve specified project objectives.
- Credits:
1.0
- Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-3)
- Semesters Offered:
Fall, Spring, Summer
- Restrictions:
Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Junior, Senior
ENT 3960 - Enterprise Project Work IV
Interdisciplinary teams work as part of an enterprise to address real-world design projects or problems. Third-year students practice designing approaches to solve problems and develop procedures to achieve specified project objectives.
- Credits:
1.0
- Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-3)
- Semesters Offered:
Fall, Spring, Summer
- Restrictions:
Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Junior, Senior
ENT 4900 - Senior Enterprise Project Work V Non-Capstone
Interdisciplinary teams work as part of an enterprise to address real-world projects or problems of significance to industry, government and communities. Fourth-year students gain experience in defining project objectives and planning strategies to achieve these objectives, and leading teams to accomplish project goals. This course is for students who are not participating in Enterprise to fulfill their capstone requirements.
- Credits:
2.0
- Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-6)
- Semesters Offered:
Fall, Spring, Summer
- Restrictions:
May not be enrolled in one of the following College(s): College of Engineering;
Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Senior
ENT 4910 - Senior Enterprise Project Work VI Non-Capstone
Interdisciplinary teams work as part of an enterprise to address real-world projects or problems of significance to industry, government and communities. Fourth-year students gain experience in defining project objectives and planning strategies to achieve these objectives, and leading teams to accomplish project goals. This course is for students who are not participating in Enterprise to fulfill their capstone requirements.
- Credits:
2.0
- Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-6)
- Semesters Offered:
Fall, Spring, Summer
- Restrictions:
May not be enrolled in one of the following College(s): College of Engineering;
Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Senior
ENT 4950 - Enterprise Project Work V Capstone
Interdisciplinary teams work as part of an enterprise to address real-world design projects or problems, taking constraints into account and applying relevant standards. Fourth-year students gain experience in defining project objectives, planning strategies to achieve these objectives, and leading technical teams to accomplish project goals. Must be project ready as defined by major.
- Credits:
2.0
- Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-6)
- Semesters Offered:
Fall, Spring, Summer
- Restrictions:
Permission of department required;
Must be enrolled in one of the following Major(s): Biomedical Engineering, Engineering, Civil Engineering, Geospatial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geological Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science and Engrg, Robotics Engineering, Software Engineering, Construction Management, Computer Network & System Admn, Electrical Eng Tech, Mechanical Engineering Tech, Surveying Engineering, Information Technology;
Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Senior
- Pre-Requisite(s): (BE 3350 and BE 3700 and BE 3800 and BE 4900 and ENT 3950 and ENT 3960) or (CEE 3620 or CEE 3810) or CM 4855(C) or (CS 3712 or CS 4711 or CS 4760) or (ENT 3960 and EE 3131) or (EE 3280 and EE 3261(C)) and EE 3910 and (EE 3174(C) or EE 3171(C) or EE 3173(C)) or (GE 3890 and GE 3880) or (ENT 3950 and ENT 3960) and (MA 3710(C) or MA 2710(C) or MA 2720 or MA 3715) and (MEEM 3750 or ME 3750) and (MEEM 3201 or ME 3201) and (MEEM 3901 or ME 3901) and (MEEM 3911 or ME 3911) and EE 3010(C) and (MEEM 3400 or ME 3400) and (MEEM 3600 or ME 3601(C)) or MSE 3190 or (CMG 3250 and CMG 4120(C) and CMG 4210 and CMG 3200) or (EET 3281 and EET 4253(C)) or SAT 3812(C) or SU 4100(C) or ENG 3505(C) or (ENT 3950 and ENT 3960) or (MET 4200 and MET 3500(C) and MET 3451(C)) or MET 4210
ENT 4960 - Enterprise Project Work VI Capstone
Interdisciplinary teams work as part of an enterprise to address real-world design projects or problems, taking constraints into account and applying relevant standards. Fourth-year students gain experience defining project objectives, planning strategies to achieve these objectives, and leading technical teams to accomplish project goals.
- Credits:
2.0
- Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-6)
- Semesters Offered:
Fall, Spring, Summer
- Restrictions:
Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Senior
- Pre-Requisite(s): ENT 4950 and (BE 4900 or CEE 3620 or CEE 3810 or CM 4855 or CS 3712 or CS 4711 or CS 4760 or (EE 3174 or EE 3171 or EE 3173) or GE 3890 or GE 3880 or MSE 4141(C) or CMG 4210 or (EET 4253 and EET 3281) or (MET 4460 and MET 4210) or (SAT 4541 and SAT 3812) or SU 4100 or ENG 3830(C) or (ENG 3505 and ENG 4505) or (MEEM 3750 or ME 3750) and (MEEM 3201 or ME 3201) or (EE 3280 and EE 3261))