Ph.D. in Silviculture and Harvesting

Overview

The Ph.D. in Silviculture and Harvesting is jointly administered with the Department of Forest Engineering, Resources, and Management. Students who obtain this degree will have expertise in both growing and harvesting trees, and should be competent to teach these subjects at the university level.

Applying for Admission

Applicants for the Ph.D. in Silviculture and Harvesting must meet the standards and requirements of the Departments of Forest Ecosystems and Society and Forest Engineering, Resources and Management, as well as those of the Graduate School. Prospective students may apply through either Department. The degree requires both a biological and quantitative background. Applicants with bachelor's and master's degrees in forestry (or a related biological discipline) must have a strong course background in quantitative sciences. Those with both degrees in engineering must have a strong course background in biological sciences. Applications will be evaluated on the basis of the letter of interest, academic records, letters of reference, and GRE score. Read more »

Program Objectives

The objectives of the program are to:

The purpose of this joint degree is not simply to add silviculture onto an engineering degree or to make an engineer of a silviculturist. Rather, a student with a background in either silviculture or forest engineering would acquire expertise enabling them to operate professionally between the two disciplines. Background in both disciplines is necessary, but the graduate would not be expected to be able to lay out roads, for example, or to know forest biology in depth. Instead, the systems approach, integrating both silvicultural considerations and harvesting technology, will be stressed.

Committee Composition

The committee for each student will be drawn from the graduate faculty of both the Departments. Otherwise, procedures are the same as those for Forest Science Ph.D. students.

Program of Study

The Ph.D. in Silviculture and Harvesting, allows a student to develop expertise in both silviculture and harvesting systems. Students and their committees are responsible for formulating a program of study using the courses below as a core. Some students may be required to complete basic classes before embarking on the course work listed in the core curriculum. Other courses appropriate for each student may be required by the student's committee. The nature of such courses will depend upon the student's specialty within the degree.