2014-15 Academic Catalog

Sustainable Bioproducts

This is an archived copy of the 2014-15 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.msstate.edu.

Department Head and Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Rubin Shmulsky
201 Locksley Way
Box 9820
Mississippi State, MS 39762-9820
Telephone: 662-325-2116
E-mail: rs26@msstate.edu

The Sustainable Bioproducts field is concerned with extending our knowledge of wood as a material and applying this knowledge to the manufacture of useful products. It requires knowledge of the chemical, physical, botanical, and engineering sciences and how they impinge on wood.

Graduate study in the Department of Sustainable Bioproducts leads to

  • the Master of Science in Forest Products, thesis option, and
  • Master of Science in Forest Products, non-thesis option, or
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Forest Resources with a concentration in Forest Products.

Major areas of study include composite wood products, environmental biotechnology, wood preservation, business and production systems, wood chemistry, and furniture.  Research assistantships are available for Ph.D. students and for M.S. students in the thesis option.  For additional information, write to the Departmental Graduate Coordinator.

Admission

An applicant to the program is not required to have the GRE or GMAT test scores unless his/her grade point average is below 3.00.  An international applicant is required to have a TOEFL score of 550 PBT (213 CBT or 79 iBT) or IELTS score of 6.5 or better in order to be considered. Interviews, certifications, etc. are not applicable.

Provisional Admission

A provisional student must receive a 3.00 GPA on the first 9 hours of graduate level courses on his or her program of study taken at Mississippi State University (courses with an S grade, transfer credits, or credits earned while in Unclassified status cannot be used to satisfy this requirement) in order to achieve regular status. If a 3.00 is not attained, the provisional student may be dismissed from graduate study.  While in the provisional status, a student is not eligible to hold a graduate assistantship.

Academic Performance

Department of Forest Products will accept a C grade; however, the student’s overall GPA must be 3.00 or above.

The M.S. thesis-option program requires 24 hours of coursework, 6 hours of thesis research/thesis, and a comprehensive examination.  The M.S. non-thesis option program requires 27 hours of coursework, 3 hours of independent study, and a comprehensive examination.  The Ph.D. program may entail approximately 60 hours of course and research work, a written preliminary examination, an oral examination, and a dissertation.

Master of Science in Forest Products - Thesis

Graduate-level coursework12
8000-level coursework12
FP 8000Thesis Research/Thesis in Forest Products6
Total Hours30

 A comprehensive examination is required. The M.S. student is encouraged to present one professional paper to a referred journal.

Master of Science in Forest Products - Non-Thesis

Graduate-level coursework15
8000-level coursework12
FP 7000Directed Individual Study in Forest Products3
Total Hours30

A comprehensive examination is required.

Doctor of Philosophy in Forest Products

The Ph.D. program requires approximately 60 hours of course and research work, a written preliminary examination, an oral examination, and a dissertation. In lieu of the foreign language requirement, the Ph.D. candidate is required to take 6 hours of research skill courses from the departmental list.  The Ph.D. student is encouraged to submit two professional papers to referred journals.  The student must meet all the necessary guidelines to complete thesis/dissertation requirements set by the department, college, and the University in order to graduate.  Types of qualifying and exit examinations are required by the department (doctoral preliminary).

FP 6013 Wood Anatomy: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: FP 1103 or consent of instructor). Two hours lecture. Three hours laboratory. Anatomy of commercial timber species; elements of botanical microtechnique, fundamentals of microscopy, and fundamental properties: gross and minute structural characteristics of wood leading to identification

FP 6023 Wood Chemistry: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: CH 1053 and CH 1223). Three hours lecture. Introduction to the distribution, chemical structure, reactions, and uses of the chemical components of wood including cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and extractives

FP 6113 Adhesives and Finishes for Wood: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: CH 1053, FP 1103, or consent of instructor). Two hours lecture. Three hours laboratory. Theory and technology of adhesion; adhesive types, application equipment; fundamentals of coating technology; wood finishes; finishing systems; evaluation of glued, finished products; market volumes

FP 6123 Lumber Manufacturing: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: Consent of instructor). Two hours lecture. Three hours laboratory. Raw materials, production methods and product specifications for sawn wood products. Machinery and plant layout. Operation, control, and analysis of lumber manufacturing systems; markets

FP 6143 Composite Wood Products: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: FP 4113 or consent of instructor). Two hours lecture. Three hours laboratory. Study of physical and chemical parameters affecting reconstituted wood products; laboratory investigation of processing methods; industrial standards and quality control; markets

FP 6213 Wood Deterioration and Preservation: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: Consent of instructor). Two hours lecture. Three hours laboratory. Thermal, biological, and mechanical agents of wood products deterioration; biological control; design considerations; wood preservatives, preservation systems; treatability; preservative effectiveness; standards, pollution control

FP 6223 Furniture Production I: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: FP 1103 or consent of instructor). Two hours lecture. Three hours laboratory. The theory of furniture production; materials for furniture; manufacturing machines and their functions; wood machining and sanding; finishing; industrial processes; marketing

FP 6233 Furniture Production II: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: FP 1103 or consent of instructor). Two hours lecture. Three hours laboratory. General principles of upholstered furniture design; frame construction and analysis; material selection; fasteners; joint construction; and testing standards

FP 6253 Quantitative Methods in Forest Products and Furniture: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: MA 1613 or MA 1713, BIS 1013, or concurrent). Three hours lecture. Application of economic principles to the production and marketing of forest products; production theory of single and multiproduct firms; computer applications

FP 6313 Environmental Principles: 3 hours.

(Prerequisites: FP 3012 or Consent of instructor). Three hours lecture. Environmental regulations pertaining to Forest Products industries. Handling and transport of hazardous compounds. Sources of environmental problems, fate in the environmental, and common control technologies

FP 6323 Physical Properties of Wood: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: FP 1103, MA 1613, PH 1113, or consent of instructor). Two hours lecture. Three hours laboratory. Equation derivation; dimensional behavior; psychometry; thermal properties; electricity; moisture movement; case studies/problems

FP 6423 Mechanical Properties of Wood: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: FP 1103, MA 1613, PH 1113, or consent of instructor). Two hours lecture. Three hours laboratory. Strength and elasticity of wood and wood composites; variation in properties as function of structure, moisture, temperature and time; derivation of working stresses; structural design

FP 6990 Special Topics in Forest Products: 1-9 hours.

Credit and title to be arranged. This course is to be used on a limited basis to offer developing subject matter areas not covered in existing courses. (Courses limited to two offerings under one title within two academic years)

FP 7000 Directed Individual Study in Forest Products: 1-6 hours.

Hours and credits to be arranged

FP 8000 Thesis Research/Thesis in Forest Products: 1-13 hours.

Hours and credits to be arranged

FP 8111 Research Seminar: 1 hour.

Review of current research work in wood science and technology; the scientific method; philosophy of research

FP 8121 Research Seminar II: 1 hour.

One hour seminar. Review of current research work in wood science and technology; the scientific method; philosophy of research. This course focuses on oral communication skills

FP 8123 Advanced Lignocellulosic Biomass Chemistry: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: Consent of instructor). Three hours lecture. Carbohydrate chemistry; chemistry of cellulose and cell- ulosics, hemicelluloses, lignins, extractives, and bark; pulping and bleaching chemistry; analysis of lignocellulosic materials; biodegradation of lignocellulosics; biomass products

FP 8133 Environmental Issues in Forest Products: 3 hours.

(Consent of instructor). Three hours lecture. Environmental impact, regulations, management of wood treatment by-products and chemical wastes; biodegradation microorganisms; bioremediation; biomass residues; soil, sediment, water, air contaminations; current clean-up technologies

FP 8213 Advanced Wood Mechanics: 3 hours.

(Prerequisite: Consent of instructor). Two hours lecture. Three hours laboratory. Study of elastic and viscoelastic behavior of wood composites; fracture in wood; stress analysis; current topics in wood mechanics

FP 8990 Special Topics in Forest Products: 1-9 hours.

Credit and title to be arranged. This course is to be used on a limited basis to offer developing subject matter areas not covered in existing courses. (Courses limited to two offerings under one title within two academic years)

FP 9000 Dissertation Research /Dissertation in Forest Products: 1-13 hours.

Hours and credits to be arranged