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Forestry and Environmental Resources Doctoral Program

Our Forestry and Environmental Resources doctoral program encourages candidates to explore a variety of advanced challenges faced in a variety of fields today, including highly-focused scientific inquiry into basic cellular issues, broader inquiries into forestry or natural resource factors that affect specific plant or animal species, certain environments, entire ecosystems and the planet as a whole. Our outstanding research facilities, extensive outreach and industry activities and faculty expertise make NC State an ideal place to pursue a Ph.D.

Our doctoral degrees are available in a number of concentrations, including:

  • Tree improvement and biotechnology
  • Forest management and operations
  • Forest economics, business and taxation
  • Biometrics
  • Bioremediation
  • Forest nutrition
  • Hydrology
  • International forestry
  • Landscape ecology
  • Natural resource and environmental policy
  • Restoration ecology
  • Silviculture
  • Spatial information systems
  • Browse past program dissertations from the NC State Library.

PhD Requirements

  • PhD students are required to complete 72 credits beyond their undergraduate degree.  Students with a  masters in a related field can count a minimum of 18 credits from their masters towards the 72 credits, following Graduate School policies. See https://grad.ncsu.edu/students/rules-and-regulations/handbook/3-1-graduate-school-minimum-requirements/ for a complete description of these policies.
  • Students must take FOR 801 (Seminar) and FOR 803 (research methods).
  • Students must also declare a minor as part of the Ph.D.-Forestry program. A minor consists of at least 12 graduate credits approved by the student’s advisory committee and faculty member. Courses must be taken during the degree program and all must be within an established NC State curriculum or among appropriate departments to satisfy a logical interdisciplinary minor.