Renewable Natural Resources, Ph.D.

Fisheries and Aquaculture
Forest Products
Forestry and Forest Resources

Watershed Science
Wildlife

(PRNR)

The school offers the PhD degree in Renewable Natural Resources with areas of concentrations in Fisheries and Aquaculture, Forest Products, Forestry and Forest Resources, Watershed Science, and Wildlife. This degree program requires a minimum of 34 hours of coursework beyond the BS degree, 20 hours of dissertation research (RNR 9000 ), a qualifying exam taken during the first semester, a general exam (written, oral, or both) taken upon completion of coursework specified in the program, and defense of a completed dissertation. A departmental-level academic course plan must be approved by the student’s committee during the first year in residence. The committee must include four members of the graduate faculty, plus a representative appointed by the dean of the Graduate School. Regulations on committee membership and the inclusion of credits earned from courses at other institutions in the departmental-level academic course plan can be found in “The Graduate School ” section.

The School of Renewable Natural Resources also offers graduate minors in Renewable Natural Resources. Please visit www.rnr.lsu.edu for details on the requirements for these 12-credit hour minors.

As part of the 54-hour post-baccalaureate departmental-level academic course plan (34 hours of coursework, 20 hours of dissertation research), each student will be required to take the following 13 hours of courses:

RNR 7001 Research Methodology (3)
(may be waived by the graduate committee)
RNR 7070 Graduate Seminar in Fisheries (1)
or
RNR 7071 Graduate Seminar in Forestry (1)
or
RNR 7072 Graduate Seminar in Wildlife (1)
(two semesters required)
EXST 7003 Statistical Inference I (4)
or
EXST 7004 Experimental Statistics I (4)
or
EXST 7005 Statistical Techniques I (4)
EXST 7013 Statistical Inference II (4)
or
EXST 7014 Experimental Statistics II (4)
or
EXST 7015 Statistical Techniques II (4)

No more than six total hours of RNR 7029 Advanced Topics in Renewable Natural Resources (1-4) and RNR 8900 Research Problems in Natural Resources (1-3) may be included in the departmental-level academic course plan, with no more than four hours taken in any one semester. Specific curricular requirements for the five AOCs include:

Doctor of Philosophy in Renewable Natural Resources (PRNR), Fisheries and Aquaculture AOC (FAQP)

The Fisheries and Aquaculture AOC will require a minimum of 15 hours of coursework in addition to the general course requirements for all PhD students in the school. The following courses, or demonstration to the student’s graduate committee of proficiency in one or more of these courses from previous coursework and experience, are required, and may be included in the 15 hours required for this AOC:

Note:

Depending on prior coursework and experience, additional courses determined in consultation with the advisory committee will be required to satisfy the 34-hour course requirement for the PhD degree. Examples of potential courses that could contribute to the educational goals of the student and satisfy course requirements in the Fisheries and Aquaculture AOC are available on the SRNR website (www.rnr.lsu.edu).

Doctor of Philosophy in Renewable Natural Resources (PRNR), Forest Products AOC (FDPP)

The Forest Products AOC will require a minimum of 15 hours of coursework in addition to the general course requirements for all PhD students in the school. Depending on the research area, the following courses, or demonstration to the student’s graduate committee of proficiency in one or more of these courses from previous coursework and experience, may be included in the 15 hours required for this AOC.

Coursework for a doctoral student conducting research in marketing and business development:

Coursework for a doctoral student conducting research in wood chemistry:

Note:

Depending on prior coursework and experience, additional courses determined in collaboration with the graduate committee will be required to satisfy the 34-hour course requirement for the PhD degree. Examples of potential courses that could contribute to the educational goals of the student and satisfy course requirements in the Forest Products AOC are available on the SRNR website.

Doctor of Philosophy in Renewable Natural Resources (PRNR), Forestry and Forest Resources AOC (FRSP)

The Forestry and Forest Resources AOC will require a minimum of 15 hours of coursework in addition to the general course requirements for all PhD students in the school. The required courses will be tailored to the student’s area of research by the graduate committee. It is anticipated that these 15 hours will come from the following courses in the school:

Note:

Examples of potential courses that could also contribute to the educational goals of the student and satisfy course requirements in the Forestry and Forest Resources AOC are available on the SRNR website (www.rnr.lsu.edu).

Doctor of Philosophy in Renewable Natural Resources (PRNR), Watershed Science AOC (WSCP)

The Watershed Science AOC will require a minimum of 15 hours of coursework in addition to the general course requirements for all PhD students in the school. In particular, RNR 4900 Watershed Hydrology (3) , or demonstration to the student’s graduate committee of proficiency in watershed hydrology from previous coursework and experience, is part of the required 15 hours. The remaining 12 hours will be determined by each student’s committee depending on the needs of the student and the committee-approved dissertation project. Depending on prior coursework and experience, additional courses will be required to satisfy the 34-hour course requirement for the PhD degree. Potential courses that could contribute to the educational goals of the student and satisfy course requirements in the Watershed Science AOC are available on the SRNR website (www.rnr.lsu.edu).

Doctor of Philosophy in Renewable Natural Resources (PRNR), Wildlife AOC (WLDP)

The Wildlife AOC will require a minimum of 15 hours of coursework in addition to the general course requirements for all PhD students in the school. The following courses, or demonstration to the student’s graduate committee of proficiency in one or more of these courses from previous coursework and experience, are required, and may be included in the 15 hours required for the Wildlife AOC:

Note:

Depending on prior coursework and experience, additional courses will be required to satisfy the 34-hour course requirement for the PhD degree. Additional courses required for each student’s departmental-level academic course plan will be determined by the graduate committee. Potential courses that could contribute to the educational goals of the student and satisfy course requirements in the Wildlife AOC are available on the SRNR website (www.rnr.lsu.edu).