2024-25 Academic Catalog

College of Forest Resources

Loren W. Burger, Dean
107 Thompson Hall
Telephone: (662) 325-2953

Steven Bullard, Associate Dean
115 Thompson Hall
Telephone: (662) 325-1379

Mailing Address: Box 9680
Mississippi State, MS 39762-9680

Introduction

The College of Forest Resources (CFR) was founded in 1954 as the School of Forest Resources to provide teaching, research, and service opportunities about forests and associated renewable natural resources for the state, region, and nation. Since then, the CFR has earned a national and an international reputation as a center for science and education programs in natural resources management and conservation. The vision of the CFR is to be recognized as preeminent in research, teaching, service, and outreach in forest products, forestry, wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture in the United States.

The CFR has unique responsibilities to fulfill the goals of Mississippi State University through programs focused on Mississippi’s most important renewable natural resources: forests and their products, fisheries and aquaculture, wildlife, and water. In doing so, the CFR’s mission is to promote the professional and intellectual development of its students; expand through research the fundamental knowledge upon which the natural resource disciplines are based; and assist with development and utilization of the natural resources of the state and nation through research, teaching, service, and technology transfer.

General Information

Organization. The CFR is composed of the Departments of Forestry; Sustainable Bioproducts; and Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture. The CFR is a part of the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine.

Graduates receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry; Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation; Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture; or Sustainable Bioproducts. Within the Forestry major, there are curricular concentrations in Forest Business, Forest Products, Forest Management, Environmental Conservation, Urban Forestry, and Wildlife Management. Each of the curricular concentrations in the forestry major meets the requirements for the professional degree in Forestry. Within the Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture major, there are curricular concentrations in Conservation Biology, Conservation Law Enforcement, Human-Wildlife Interactions, Wildlife Agriculture Conservation, Wildlife, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, and Wildlife Veterinary Medicine.. Each of the curricular concentrations meets requirements for the professional degree in Wildlife by The Wildlife Society or in Fisheries by the American Fisheries Society. Within the National Resource and  Environmental Conservation major, there are curricular concentrations in Natural Resource Law and Administration, Resource Conservation Science, and Natural Resource Technology.

Graduate Programs in Forest Resources. Graduate programs leading to an M.S. and Ph.D. degree are offered in the CFR’s Departments of Forestry, Sustainable Bioproducts, and Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture. For detailed information about graduate study, see the Graduate Bulletin. Copies of the Graduate Bulletin may be secured by contacting the Office of the Graduate School, P.O. Box G, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762-5726, or by going online to the Graduate School, Mississippi State University.

Research. Research is conducted within the Forest and Wildlife Research Center by the Department of Forestry; the Department of Sustainable Bioproducts; and the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture. Faculty members generally are employed jointly as educators and scientists. There is opportunity for students to gain valuable professional experience by working part-time as research assistants. The experimental work often provides valuable demonstrations for the teaching program. Forestry-related research also is conducted in other departments of the University, and there are cooperative research arrangements with federal agencies, notably the Southern Forest Experiment Station of the USDA Forest Service, which operates research programs in Mississippi. Wildlife and Fisheries research also is conducted by a USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit which is located in Thompson Hall. All these activities enrich the teaching program.

Facilities. The classrooms and many laboratories and offices of the CFR are located in Thompson Hall, a building with excellent facilities for teaching and research in forestry, sustainable bioproducts, and wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture. The facilities used for research— instruments, apparatuses, literature, experimental forests and lands, greenhouses, captive animal facilities and fish ponds—also are valuable for the teaching program. Additional classroom and laboratory facilities are available within the Sustainable Bioproducts building complex, including the Franklin Center for Furniture Manufacturing and Management. The John W. Starr Memorial Forest of 8,200 acres is conveniently located close to campus and managed and regularly used for demonstration and research. Adjoining the Starr Memorial Forest are the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge and Tombigbee National Forest, which also are used for student instruction and research. The Sharp Forest, 1,600 acres in Tishomingo County, was given to the University by Jack, Mollie, and Kate Sharp to be used for forest resources education and research with part of the income designated for scholarships.

Academic Unit Administrators

Donald L. Grebner
Forestry
Department Head
105 Thompson Hall

Courtney M. Siegert
Forestry
Undergraduate Program Coordinator
347 Thompson Hall

Rubin Shmulsky
Sustainable Bioproducts
Department Head
203 Franklin Center

C. Elizabeth Stokes
Sustainable Bioproducts
Undergraduate Program Coordinator
5102 Sustainable Bioproducts Lab (Building 5)
201 Locksley Way

Andy Kouba
Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Department Head
A205 Thompson Hall

Leslie Burger
Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Undergraduate Program Coordinator
229 Thompson Hall

Lanna Miller
Student Services Coordinator
CFR Student Services
129 Thompson Hall

Cory Bailey
Admissions Coordinator
116 Thompson Hall

Undergraduate Student Services

CFR Student Services
129 Thompson Hall
662.325.9376

CFR Recruiting
116 Thompson Hall
662.325.7873

Prospective Students. The CFR encourages prospective students to visit the college and MSU to learn more about our programs. A visit to campus can include, but is not limited to, appointments with current students and faculty, tours of campus and facilities, attending lecture classes, talks with other academic units, and visits with financial aid and MSU housing. A prospective student should contact the CFR Recruiting Office two weeks ahead of a planned visit to ensure a productive visit. New students are encouraged to complete the online scholarship application after being admitted to MSU.

Entrance Requirements. Transfer students with less than a 2.0 quality point average may not be admitted automatically to the College of Forest Resources’ degree programs. Permission to enroll will be granted on an individual basis, depending on specific circumstances and requirements of the major for which the student seeks to enroll.

Student Academic Responsibility. The ultimate responsibility for meeting graduation requirements and decisions on course selection resides with the student. Specifically, responsibilities of the student are to:

  • be aware of and understand degree requirements of the chosen major and concentration;
  • be aware of and understand the MSU, CFR, and departmental policies, procedures, and academic calendar and meet all relevant deadlines;
  • meet all requirements of the degree program for the curriculum year being pursued; and
  • maintain regular contact with the student's faculty advisor.

The responsibility of the faculty advisor is to provide effective counsel to the student on academic matters regarding curriculum and career decisions.

The CFR Undergraduate Handbook is available at www.cfr.msstate.edu and contains curricula, policies, and other important information for a student to use to progress toward graduation. This handbook may include changes or requirements not found in the MSU Bulletin. Each student should retain a copy of the MSU Bulletin and the CFR Undergraduate Handbook that contains the curriculum year he or she is following.

The CFR Student Services Office provides academic services to students and faculty. Official academic records of CFR students are maintained in the office. The Student Services Coordinator represents the Dean and Associate Dean on all academic paperwork such as graduation clearance, coursework evaluation, change of majors, off-campus requests, withdrawals, drop/adds, and registration overrides and overloads.