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Forest Science—PhD

Ranked one of the top in the nation among Forestry Science graduate programs, our doctorate in forest science students make significant contributions to knowledge in the areas of forest ecology, soils, silviculture, tree improvement, forest wildlife ecology and management, economics, inventory, geographic information systems, growth and yield, wood science, and forest biology. Are you ready?

Program Overview

Our doctorate in forest science program is advanced and intensive. Studies range from forest vegetation dynamics, intensive silviculture, bioinformatics programming, and applied genetics to natural resources policy. Work in our facilities, including 4,609 acres of our nationally recognized model research forest, Ford Center and Forest. Michigan Tech leads the world’s longest study on predator-prey relationships, the 50 year investigation of wolves and moose on Isle Royale National Park.

Delivery Options
- On-Campus: PhD

Forest Science Program Details

Learn more about the forest science program at Michigan Tech. For international students, Forest Science is a designated STEM program.

On-Campus Programs

PhD Requirements: Forest Science

To complete a doctoral degree, students must complete the following milestones:

Complete all coursework and research credits (see credit requirements below)
Pass Qualifying Examination
Pass Research Proposal Examination
Prepare and Submit Approved Dissertation
Pass Final Oral Defense

The minimum credit requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Degrees	Credits
MS-PhD (minimum)	30 Credits
BS-PhD (minimum)	60 Credits

Individual programs may have higher standards and students are expected to know their program's requirements. See the Doctor of Philosophy Requirements website for more information about PhD milestones and related timelines.

Additional Program Information

Want to learn more about forest science at Michigan Tech? Visit the department for more information:

Aerial of two wolves on Isle Royale during winter

Wolf-Moose Study: Isle Royale

Isle Royale is the site of the world’s longest continuous study of any predator-prey system in the world. Every winter, researchers spend seven weeks at Isle Royale observing the lives of these wolves and moose to better understand the ecology of predation and what that knowledge can teach us about our relationship with nature.

Isle Royale illuminates one of the oldest questions in all ecology, “Is Nature best understood as the result of predictable law-like patterns that ecologists take as their task to discover?” Or, is Nature better understood as the result of innumerable contingencies, essentially a historical process that can be explained and understood but not very well predicted.

Contact

Graduate Director

Molly Cavaleri

Graduate Assistant

Marjorie Banovetz

Sample Areas of Interest

Select areas of interest to help customize your forest science PhD. Sample areas include:

Conservation Genetics
Hydrology
Invasive Flora and Fauna
Predator-Prey Relationships

View full listing for this program

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Applications are reviewed on an individual basis using a holistic approach. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, although you will need to upload them later.

Graduate School Admissions Process

Applying to Graduate School is free (no application fees) and fast (no official transcripts or test scores are needed to start). The application process involves three easy steps. International applicants are required to pay a non-refundable $10 processing fee per application.

See Admissions Steps

Graduate School Admissions Options

Michigan Tech offers several admissions options in order to meet the educational needs of students from a variety of backgrounds. Students should review the options available to them and apply for the program that will best help them achieve their personal educational goals.

See Admissions Options

Graduate School Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Graduate School as a degree- or certificate-seeking student, you need to:

have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, and
be prepared for advanced study in your chosen field, as demonstrated by your previous degree and your scholastic record.

See additional application requirements, including required materials:

Student Statements

Official Transcripts

Program Specific Requirements

Program Specific

3 Letters of Recommendation(1 Letter of Recommendation for Michigan Tech students)
Résumé / Curriculum vitae
Admitted applicants typically have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale
Please view our faculty webpage and identify three faculty members that you would like to work with

International Students

TOEFL: Required Score of 79 iBT
IELTS: Required Overall Band Score of 6.5

Michigan Tech requires a minimum overall TOEFL or 6.5 overall IELTS score.

Admissions Decisions

Made on a rolling basis.

Recommended Deadline

Apply at least a semester in advance of projected admission to improve your chances of receiving funding.

International Student Requirements

International Students must apply and be accepted into a degree-granting program in order to earn a graduate certificate. A non-refundable $10 processing fee per application is required.

See International Applicants

Accredited by HLC

Michigan Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1928. Our Graduate School offers over 125 certificates, master's, and PhD programs to provide our students and the world with what tomorrow needs.

Who You'll Work With

From studying sustainable landscapes to peatland and wetland restoration, our faculty are collaborative and interdisciplinary. They work with you to create a program that matches your career goals.

Where You'll Work

We are situated in temperate boreal forest with significant wetland resources as well as the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world. But there are no geographical borders for where you can contribute your knowledge.

Our facilities allow for in-depth studies of forest trees using whole plant, subcellular, and functional genomics approaches. State-of-the-art molecular biology facilities combined with functional genomics instrumentation enable studies in comparative gene expression and genomic analysis.

Our major research facilities include DNA sequencing and microarray labs, metabolome and genome profiling labs, tissue culture and tree transformation labs, and ecological genomics labs. A total laboratory space of 6,500 square feet and 2,000 square feet of greenhouse space provide opportunities for research that make a positive difference in today’s challenged environments.

Faculty Spotlight

Yvette Dickinson

Yvette Dickinson

Adjunct Professor

"We use forests every day. Sustainable forest management affects everyone."

Silviculture applies ecological knowledge to management of forests for wildlife habitat, ecosystem health, timber, and other benefits. Dickinson investigates new techniques for sustainably managing forests so that they will continue to provide benefits for future generations.

Program Faculty