Forestry — Graduate Certificate, MNR, MS, PhD

Degree Programs

Graduate study in forestry leads to the Master of Natural Resources (MNR), Master of Science (MS), or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. In addition to meeting Graduate School admission requirements, applicants are evaluated and recommended for admission by the graduate faculty of the College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences based on an examination of scores on the TOEFL tests for international students, previous academic records, experience, and recommendations. While exceptions may be made, the faculty generally expect a minimum GPA of 3.0 in previous academic course work. Course deficiencies are identified by the student’s advisory committee and approved by the GPO with due consideration for the student’s previous training and experience.

Degrees Offered

Master of Natural Resources (MNR) —The MNR is a non-thesis degree.
- Professional Forester option is for individuals with baccalaureate degrees in fields other than forestry and who are interested in becoming Registered Foresters in Alabama. This track is a two-year program which begins with a 10-week summer Field Practicum and requires a minimum of 64 semester hours (34 hours of specified undergraduate course work plus 30 hours of graduate course work).
Master of Science (MS) A research proposal and thesis based on original research are required components for the MS degree. The program normally requires 2 – 3 years for completion and can be tailored for students with interests in forest management, ecology and environmental sciences, economics, engineering, or business. The MS degree program requires a minimum of 30 hours beyond the bachelor's degree at the graduate level, 21 hours of which must be in the major. A minimum of 4 but not more than 6 hours in Research and Thesis (FORY 7990) is required. All MS students are required to take Research Methods (FORY 7510) and Seminar (FOWS 7950).
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) may be tailored for any of the topical areas listed under the M.S. A research proposal and dissertation based on original research are required components for the PhD degree program. The degree requires 60 semester hours beyond the bachelor's degree. There must be a minimum of 30 semester hours in graded coursework at the 7000-level or above. Of the remaining 30 semester hours, 10 hours must be Research and Dissertation (FORY 8990) and 20 hours of 6000-level or above. While some of these 60 hours can be from previous graduate work, such as a MS degree, the majority of hours of graded coursework at the 6000-level or above must be completed at Auburn. All PhD students are required to take Research Methods ( FORY 7510) and Seminar (FOWS 7950). Oral and written preliminary exams are required for advancement to candidacy; The preliminary exams must be completed no less than two academic terms prior to graduation. The written and oral preliminary examinations for PhD students will normally consist of questions from each committee member regarding technical competency and other related issues.

An urban forestry minor, administered in cooperation with the Department of Horticulture, is available for MNR, MS, and PhD degrees.