MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN FORESTRY

The School of Renewable Natural Resources is proud to offer an array of forestry and forest products related research areas for students to explore during their pursuit of an advanced degree. The faculty listed below look forward to working with dedicated, high quality students to address research problems and increase scientific information useful in managing, sustaining, and protecting our forest ecosystems and their productivity.  We invite you to e-mail or call  faculty members in your areas of interest and ask questions that are important to you.  Renewable natural resource research, as related to forest ecosystems, their productivity and the associated social and economic need is changing dramatically. Our state and nation need students interested in helping to resolve problems and expand our knowledge of these ecosystems and their products.  We hope you will join us in "making a difference".  Below is information and the general requirements for students seeking a Master of Science in Forestry.

Forestry and Forest Products
 

Quang V. Cao

Mensuration, forest biometrics -

email: qcao@lsu.edu / phone - (225) 578-4218
 

Jim L. Chambers

Forest ecology, tree physiology, silviculture -   
email: jchamb@lsu.edu /phone - (225) 578-4222
 

S. Joseph Chang

Forest economics, wood products utilization and marketing -
email: xp2610@lsu.edu / phone - (225) 578-4167
 

Thomas J. Dean

Quantitative silviculture, production ecology, stand dynamics -
email: fwdean@lsu.edu / phone - (225) 578-4216
 

Hallie Dozier

Forest and natural resource ecology, ecology and management of biological invasions, urban forestry, extension -
email: hdozier@agctr.lsu.edu /
phone: (225)-578-7219
 

Cornelius de Hoop

Environmental safety and business in forest products -
email:cdehoop@lsu.edu / phone - (225) 578-4242

 

Richard Keim

Hydrology of forested wetlands and watersheds; management of bottomland and coastal forests -
email:rkeim@lsu.edu / phone:(225) 578-4169
 

Zhijun Liu

Tree physiology, cultivation of medicinal plants, and micropropagation -

email: zhiliu@lsu.edu  / phone - (225) 578-4214
 

Todd F. Shupe

 

Wood science, silvicultural and genetic influences on the properties and qualities of wood -

email: tshupe@lsu.edu / phone - (225) 578-6432

 

Michael Stine

 

Genetic improvement, molecular biology, and tissue culture of southern trees -
email: mstine@lsu.edu / phone - (225) 578-4137

 

Richard Vlosky

 

Domestic and international wood products marketing, technology applications to improve wood products business competitiveness  -

email: vloksy@lsu.edu / phone - (225) 578-4527

 

Qinglin Wu

 

Wood drying, wood moisture relationships, hygroscopic shrinkage and swelling of wood, wood composite materials to economic development, value-added opportunities - 
email: wuqing@lsu.edu / phone - (225) 578-3869

 

Yi - Jun Xu

Hydrologic and biogeochemical processes and modeling -
email:  yjxu@lsu.edu / phone -(225) 578-4168
 


Coursework

 

The minimum requirement for the Master's degree is 30 semester hours of graduate credit, although many students will accumulate significantly more credit hours before completing degree requirements. The 30-hour requirement includes 6 semester hours of thesis research and 24 hours in coursework, chosen by student with approval of graduate committee, 9 hours of which must be at or above the 7000 level. Graduate credit is not allowed for courses numbered below 4000 or for correspondence courses. The minimum standard for grades in courses completed for the degree is a 3.0 average with no grade below "C."

 

Up to 9 hours of coursework completed at another institution, or during post-baccalaureate work at LSU, can be transferred and applied to the coursework requirement. Transfer credit can not be used for the 7000-level course requirement.

 

Programs for the Master's degree must be completed within five years of entrance into the program.  

 

M.S. Program in Forestry- required courses:

 

EXST 7005 - Statistical Techniques 1 (4 hrs)

RNR 7001 - Research Methodology (3 hrs; to be taken in the first semester it is available to   

                  the student)

RNR 7072 - Seminar (1 hr; two semesters required)
 

The advisory committee will determine whether a student can demonstrate adequate knowledge or needs additional coursework in the areas of wildlife population dynamics, wetlands habitat management, or uplands habitat management.

 

Courses taken by a student are generally tailored to the student's area of research and career aspirations.

 

Some specialty areas in forestry at the Master's level require a background in forestry. Therefore, students who do not have an undergraduate degree in forestry may be directed by their committee to include some basic, undergraduate forestry courses in their program of study, or through independent study, to demonstrate an acceptable knowledge of forestry practices in the southern United States at their final examination.

 


For more detailed information checkout the  Graduate Handbook or to request an application package, contact:

Dr. Allen Rutherford

Professor and Coordinator of Graduate Studies and Research

119 Renewable Natural Resources Bldg
(225) 578-4187
druther@lsu.edu