Specific Courses Required by the Graduate Program for All Master of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences Students

• FOR 601 (Research Methods in Forestry; 3 credits; taught every fall semester)
• FOR 602 (Renewable Natural Resources in a Global Perspective; 3 credits; taught in the fall semesters of odd-numbered years)
• FOR 770 (Forestry Seminar; three (3) credits are required of this 1-credit course; several sections are available most semesters, each with a unique topic and instructor)

Plan A Coursework Requirements of the Graduate School and Council on Postsecondary Education

• At least 30 graduate credits (normally 5XX, 6XX, 7XX courses; FOR 768 credits can be used for 6 credits; 4XXG counts only if prefix is other than FOR) 
• At least 16 graduate credits must be in “regular” courses. “Regular” courses are defined to be those that meet in a classroom at regularly-scheduled times each week. FOR 599, 748, 768, 781, 791 do not count as “regular” courses, except: FOR 599 does count if it has a subtitle and regular weekly classroom meeting pattern. For most students, this requires 7 credits of “regular” courses in addition to the specific courses required by the Forestry and Natural Resources Graduate Program.
• At least 12 graduate credits must be in 600- or 700-level courses. These credits do not have to be in “regular” courses, but thesis, practicum, and internship credits (e.g., FOR 748, 768) do not count toward this requirement. FOR 781 and FOR 791 do count toward these credits. For most students, this requires 3 credits of 600- or 700-level courses in addition to the specific courses required by the Forestry and Natural Resources Graduate Program.
• At least 12 graduate credits must be in the major area (i.e. courses with the FOR prefix). These credits do not have to be in “regular” courses, but thesis, practicum, and internship credits (e.g., FOR 748, 768) do not count toward this requirement. FOR 599, FOR 781 and FOR 791 do count toward these credits. For most students, this requires 3 credits of FOR courses in addition to the specific courses required by the Forestry and Natural Resources Graduate Program.
• At least 9 graduate credits must be in 600- or 700-level courses that have the FOR prefix. This requirement is met automatically by the FOR 601, FOR 602, and FOR 770 credits specifically required by the Forestry and Natural Resources Graduate Program.
• FOR 599, 781, and 791 credits (and combinations thereof) must not exceed allowable semester or lifetime totals (for details, refer to the course descriptions in the UK Bulletin).

Additional Degree Requirements

• Each student must meet with the major professor prior to registering for classes for the first time, to decide on a schedule of coursework that will meet the course requirements for the Master of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences degree (including tentative necessary undergraduate courses for a student who enters the degree program without an undergraduate degree in forestry). The schedule of classes will be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies, before the student registers for classes, for audit to ensure that it meets all Master of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences coursework requirements.
• Each Master of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences student must meet with a faculty advisory committee before the end of the semester for which the student is admitted, to discuss (a) specific coursework required for the student’s degree (including undergraduate courses, if appropriate, for students who lack a forestry degree), and (b) the thesis research project (Plan A) or other project (Plan B). The intention is that this committee would be the student’s examination committee, thereby involving the examination committee in the development of each student’s Master of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences project (of course, the committee could be changed prior to the final examination, if necessary or appropriate). The committee composition must meet all requirements of the Graduate School for composition of a final examination committee for an MS degree (a link to these committee composition requirements is at the bottom of the first page of the Master of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences Advisory Committee Meeting Report). Any changes in the schedule of classes made by the committee will be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies for audit to ensure that all Master of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences coursework requirements will be met. The student must document the first and all subsequent advisory committee meetings by submitting an Master of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences Advisory Committee Meeting Report to the Director of Graduate Studies. These reports will be placed in the student’s academic file in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.
• Regular attendance is expected at the seminar series of the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.
• Instructional experience, under the direct supervision of a Forestry and Natural Resources course instructor.
• A research proposal seminar (normally during the spring semester immediately following the student’s completion of FOR 601).
• An exit seminar, to report completed thesis research, normally scheduled for the same day as the final oral examination.
• Plan A students must present an acceptable thesis and successfully complete an oral final examination.
• Maximum length of time for completion of the Master's degree and procedures for early termination of a student's enrollment in the Forestry and Natural Resources Graduate Program will comply with guidelines outlined in the Graduate School Bulletin.
• An orientation meeting for new graduate students of the Forestry and Natural Resources Graduate Program is held early each semester to acquaint them with University, Graduate School, Program, and Department of Forestry and Natural Resources policies and procedures. At that meeting, all students receive a printed copy of the current Forestry and Natural Resources Graduate Student Handbook, and have opportunities to inquire about matters of concern. Attendance at this meeting is required of all new graduate students in Forestry and Natural Resources, unless excused beforehand by the Director of Graduate Studies.
• Mandatory orientation meetings are also held by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and the Graduate School for new graduate students and teaching assistants. Contact the Director of Graduate Studies for details regarding times and locations.
• A student who is admitted conditionally due to low GPA must receive no grade lower than B until after the semester when s/he completes nine (9) cumulative graduate credits. Graduate credits earned prior to the semester of admission to the Master of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences degree program at the University of Kentucky do not count toward these nine credits.
• A student who is admitted conditionally for other reasons (e.g., lack of an undergraduate forestry degree) must fulfill in a timely manner all requirements stipulated at the time of conditional admission.