Sustainable Bioproducts
Department Head: Dr. Rubin Shmulsky
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Hamid Borazjani
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 following degrees
- Master of Science in Forest Products, thesis option
- Master of Science in Forest Products, non-thesis option
- 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 (79 iBT) or IELTS score of 6.5 or better in order to be considered. Interviews, certifications, etc. are not applicable.
Provisional Admission
A student who has not fully met the GPA or other requirements stipulated by the University may be admitted on a provisional basis. The provisionally-admitted student is eligible for a change to regular status after receiving a 3.00 GPA on the first 9 hours of graduate courses at Mississippi State University (with no grade lower than a C). The first 9 hours of graduate courses must be within the student's program of study. Courses with an S grade, transfer credits, or credits earned while in Unclassified status cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. If a 3.00 is not attained, the provisional student shall be dismissed from the graduate program. Academic departments may set higher standards for students to fulfill provisional requirements; a student admitted with provisional status should contact the graduate coordinator for the program’s specific requirements. While in the provisional status, a student is not eligible to hold a graduate assistantship.
Academic Performance
The Department of Sustainable Bioproducts 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 coursework | 12 | |
| 8000-level coursework | 12 | |
| FP 8000 | Thesis Research/Thesis in Forest Products | 6 |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
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 coursework | 15 | |
| 8000-level coursework | 12 | |
| FP 7000 | Directed Individual Study in Forest Products | 3 |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
A comprehensive examination is required.
Doctor of Philosophy in Forest Resources with a Concentration in Forest Products
The Ph.D. program generally requires three academic years beyond the bachelor's degree as a full-time student. The total number of course credit hours will vary based on the specific doctoral program, the student's needs, and the student's academic history. A written preliminary examination, an oral examination, and a dissertation are required. 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 6353 Forest Products Marketing: 3 hours.
(Prerequisites: FP 3012 and junior standing). Marketing and practices used by forest products and furniture producing companies as related to differentiated vs non-differentiated products by consumers
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