Forestry and Natural Resources, PHD

About the Program

The Forestry and Natural Resources Graduate Program is one of the MS and PhD degree granting departments in Purdue’s College of Agriculture. Graduate students in FNR train alongside award-winning faculty and staff to become the next generation of professionals in the natural resource sciences. The department has well-established partnerships with FNR Industry Partners and offers a wide range of research possibilities. Graduates with advanced degrees in FNR are in demand in higher education, state and national governmental agencies, as well as private industry. Faculty and staff provide expertise in diverse areas, including Aquatic Sciences, Digital Natural Resources, Ecology of Natural Systems, Forest Science, Genetics, Hardwood Products Innovations, Natural Resource Social Science, Quantitative Ecology, and Wildlife Science.

Graduate students in FNR train alongside award-winning faculty and staff to become the next generation of professionals in the natural resource sciences. According to articles in the Chronicle of Higher Education and other literature including Science, broadening experiences in addition to research should be components of graduate education so that students may realize the breadth of potential professional opportunities and diverse interactions. FNR, consistent with the mission of a land-grant institution, strives to build programs that help graduate students realize diverse professional objectives. Graduate Students are the backbone of FNR by supporting all aspects of the land-grant missions of Discovery, Learning, and Engagement. FNR Graduate Students have the unique opportunity to create a Plan of Study that is tailored to their specific learning and professional goals.

Program Website

Program Requirements

90 Credits Required

(30 credits from a Master’s may be applied.)

Concentrations

Departmental concentrations:

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• Forest Biology
• Forestry Measurement and Assessment/GIS
• Natural Resource Social Science
• Wildlife Science

Optional interdisciplinary concentrations:

• Computational Life Sciences Concentration (GR)  
• Computational Science and Engineering Concentration (GR)  
• Interdepartmental Nutrition Program (GR) 
• Interdisciplinary Ecological Sciences and Engineering Concentration (GR)  
• Purdue University Interdisciplinary Life Science (PULSe), MS or PHD 
  • Integrative Plant Science
  • Molecular Evolutionary Genetics
  • Molecular Signaling and Cancer Biology
  • Plant Biology

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will:

• Identify and conduct original research, scholarship, and creative endeavors.
• Effectively communicate their field of study.
• Think critically, creatively, and solve problems in field of study.
• Conduct research in an ethical and responsible manner.
• Demonstrate attributes of professional development consistent with expectations within field of study.

GPA Requirements

Graduate students whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) drops below 3.0 will be notified in writing that they have one semester to re-establish a minimum 3.0 cumulative index. Note, academic standing is not addressed during the summer semester. Should they fail to improve their cumulative index to 3.0 during the probationary semester, they will be dropped from the graduate program.

Additional Information

Preliminary Examination: The objective of the Preliminary Examination is to evaluate the breadth and depth of a student’s knowledge, to ascertain how well they can apply that knowledge, and to determine whether the examinee is qualified to progress to candidacy. The examination should be comprehensive in nature (i.e., the focus should not be exclusively on the student’s area of research). The examination must have a written and oral component.

Final Examination: After research has been completed and the dissertation written and presented to the committee, a final oral examination must be held in which the candidate defends the dissertation and demonstrates to the examining committee the capabilities for which the PhD degree is to be awarded.

Graduate Programs Disclaimer

• The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Students should consult with their advisor/department for more information.
• Not all graduate programs may be actively recruiting students and course modality availability may vary. 
• Please refer to the Explore Graduate Programs website for a list of currently available graduate programs.
• Transfer credit policy: Credits earned for graduate study at other universities (both domestic and international) may be applied toward an advanced degree. Only credit hours associated with graduate courses for which grades of B- or better were obtained will be eligible for transfer. Any additional conditions under which credit transfers may be made are determined by the various departments.
• Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.