Graduate study is offered in the Department of Forestry leading to the degrees of Master of Science in forestry and Doctor of Philosophy in forest resources. Specialized areas of study include forest business, forest management and economics, forest genetics, forest hydrology and soils, silviculture, forest biometrics, forest photogrammetry and remote sensing, forest tree and seed physiology, forest harvesting and operations, and forest ecophysiology. The department has an extensive research program within the Mississippi Forest and Wildlife Research Center. 

Specialized areas of study include the following:

• Ecohydrology
• Forest biometrics
• Forest business and finance
• Forest ecology
• Forest ecophysiology
• Forest genetics
• Forest harvesting and operations
• Forest hydrology and soils
• Forest management and economics
• Forest recreation
• Forest restoration
• Silviculture
• Spatial technologies in natural resource management
• Urban and community forestry
• Wildlife and other natural resource economics

Graduate teaching and research assistantships are available to qualified students.

Master of Science in Forestry - Thesis
Graded graduate-level Forestry courses    12
Graded 8000-level coursework    12
FO 8000    Thesis Research/ Thesis in Forestry    6
Total Hours    30
In addition to passing all courses on the approved program of study with a GPA of 3.00 or higher, requirements include passing a comprehensive oral examination on coursework taken, completion of a thesis, passing a final comprehensive defense of the thesis, and securing final approval of the thesis.

If a minor is chosen in another field, at least 9 hours in the minor area must be taken, and a committee member from the minor area is required (refer to individual departmental requirements for minors). In conjunction with the student, the student’s graduate committee will determine what courses are best suited for the program of study.

Master of Science in Forestry - Non-Thesis
Graded graduate-level Forestry courses    12
Graded 8000-level coursework including FO 8293 Professional Paper    18
Total Hours    30
In addition to passing all courses on the approved program of study with a GPA of 3.00 or higher, requirements include passing a comprehensive oral examination on coursework taken, completion of a professional paper, passing a final comprehensive defense of the professional paper, and securing final approval of the professional paper.

If a minor is chosen in another field, at least 9 hours in the minor area must be taken, and a committee member from the minor area is required (refer to individual departmental requirements for minors). In conjunction with the student, the student’s graduate committee will determine what courses are best suited for the program of study. 

Admission

M.S. in the Department of Forestry

Admission to the M.S. program in the Department of Forestry requires:

1. a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university;
2. a grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or higher for the last 60 hours of undergraduate study (for regular admission) or a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99 (for provisional admission);
3. a TOEFL score of 550 PBT (79 iBT) or IELTS score of 6.5 or higher for regular admission of international students or a TOEFL score between 477 and 549 (or IELTS equivalent) for conditional admission; and
4. acceptance by a faculty member who will serve as the student’s major professor. 

In addition, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores may be requested of applicants who do not meet regular admission requirements or international students applying from non-accredited universities or colleges.

Ph.D. in the Department of Forestry

Admission to the Ph.D. program in the Department of Forestry requires:

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and an M.S. degree in a related field (or approval for exceptions to the Master’s requirement);
2. GPA of 3.10 or higher on prior graduate courses or 3.25 or higher for the last 60 hours of undergraduate study (for exceptions to the Master’s requirement);
3. TOEFL score of 550 PBT (79 iBT) or IELTS score of 6.5 or higher for regular admission of international students or a TOEFL score between 477 and 549 (or IELTS equivalent) for conditional admission; and
4. Acceptance by a faculty member who will serve as the student’s major professor. 

In addition, GRE scores may be requested of international students applying from non-accredited universities or colleges. There is no provisional admission to the doctoral program.

Tuition fee-2 years$50,000

Total fee-2 years$92,000