The Hybrid Online MS in Forestry is a professional degree tailored to learners with a Bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) in a non-forestry field who would like to pursue a career in forestry. With the majority of courses delivered online to guide field studies, intensive in-person field sessions to learn critical skills, and options for pace of coursework, the program provides maximum flexibility for those with existing personal and professional commitments, regardless of where the student resides.
Forestry students at Michigan State University are part of a 119-year legacy that has shaped vibrant forest ecosystems all over the world. To ensure forests for our future, MSU Forestry provides the education for forestry professionals to optimize the balance between conserving forest ecosystems, the demand for sustainable forest bioproducts, and other forest ecosystem services, guided by leading faculty in a top 10 forestry program globally (QS Rankings, Agriculture & Forestry category).
The structure of the hybrid online MS program includes:
- An intensive, field-based in-person short course to provide foundational skills (nine days)
- A series of asynchronous, online courses, with guided exercises and projects for you to complete in a forest near you
- A final, intensive, in-person capstone project and examination (nine days)
While working on your degree, you will learn how to sustainably manage forests while considering landowner and societal values and goals. The topics covered include tree biology/identification, forest measurements/sampling, forest carbon and climate change, silviculture, forest ecology, human dimensions of forestry, GIS (geographic information systems), forest economics and management.
An M.S. in Forestry from MSU presents a wide variety of career paths. Some of the more common job possibilities for students immediately after graduation are forester, silviculturist, forest restoration manager, forestry consultant, wildland firefighter/manager, carbon analyst, and forest certification specialist.
Please contact Jim Rivard to apply for this program, and to ensure it is a good fit for you and aligns with your career goals.
We evaluate applications on a rolling basis and encourage applicants to submit applications no later than May 1 if starting FOR 810 in August (recommended program start time – summer semester) which will ensure full consideration and likely capacity for enrollment. If space allows, we will continue to review applications until June 30. Applications are due November 30 for those taking initial courses in spring semester. If starting in spring semester, students are only permitted to enroll in FOR 419.
The Hybrid Online MS program can be started in the summer semester or spring semester. You cannot begin the program in the fall semester. The recommended start time is summer semester. If you start the program in the summer semester you are eligible to enroll in FOR 810 ONLY. If you start the program in the spring semester you are eligible to enroll in FOR 419 ONLY.
The tuition rate for the Hybrid Online MS in academic year 2024-2025 is $938/credit hour. This rate does not include books and course fees, which will vary. More information on tuition rates.
The Hybrid Online MS has achieved ‘candidacy status’ – the first milestone in the accreditation process – by the Society of American Foresters under the forestry standard.
Many MSU Forestry alumni go on to work at companies that manage millions of acres of forests, growing and managing trees and making wood products to better people’s lives and sustain the natural environment. Current job openings in forestry.
CONTACT
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James Rivard
Instructor, Forest Management
rivard12@msu.edu
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