The Department of Forest Industry Engineering started giving education in 1971 and graduated its first students in 1975. With the establishment of the Graduate School of Science in 1982, the Department of Forest Industry Engineering became a part of the Graduate School. The Department of Forest Industry Engineering awarded its first master's degree in 1985 and its first doctoral degree in 1989.

Established in 1971 as the first department of its kind in our country, the Department of Forest Industry Engineering provides an education program that meets the expectations of the forest industry and provides fundamental knowledge related to forest industry sectors. The undergraduate program of Forest Industry Engineering emphasizes communication, problem-solving, and technical skills development. The curriculum created to achieve these goals includes courses in wood mechanics and technology, wood preservation, forest products chemistry and technology, and forest Industry machinery, as well as general courses such as computer applications, behavioral sciences, and business management. In addition to mandatory courses, elective courses are offered to students based on their preferences, adding a versatile feature to the program. Thus, the Department of Forest Industry Engineering will be able to identify and solve forest industry problems through interdisciplinary work, both individually and in groups.

Additionally, as of the 2023-2024 Academic Year, the Department of Forest Industry Engineering at KTU has transitioned to the Industrial Vocational Training (IVT) program. With this training program, our students will participate in an industry internship in the 8th semester in addition to the courses they will take over 7 semesters. With the 7+1 Industrial Engineering Education, we aim to advance Forest Industry Engineering one step further by enhancing the integration of our graduates into the industry and elevating their expertise to a higher level within our field of activity.