Ecology (Wildland Resources) - PhD

S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources

Department of Wildland Resources

The Department of Wildland Resources offers a Ph.D. degree in Ecology administered by the interdepartmental Ecology Center. Ecology majors who are housed in the Department of Wildland Resources have the option of adding a specialization in Forest Ecology and/or Climate Adaptation Science to their degree program. For the optional specialization in Forest Ecology, please see below. For the optional specialization in Climate Adaptation Science, please see the Climate Adaptation Science Specialization Program Page .

Interdepartmental Program in Ecology

Director: Dr. Peter Adler
Location: Natural Resources 208B
E-mail: peter.adler@usu.edu

Correspondence for catalog questions should be sent to the Ecology Center/CAS Program Coordinator:

Program Coordinator: Dr. Lexi Turano
Location: Natural Resources 208
Phone: (435) 797-2555
E-mail: alexandra.turano@usu.edu

Graduate Program in Ecology

The Ecology degree programs at Utah State University are administered by the interdepartmental Ecology Center. The Ecology Center aims to promote research and graduate education in ecology and to provide expert, professional information and advice for decision-makers. The research carried out by the center’s associates covers the full spectrum of ecology. Students earn their degrees in Ecology while maintaining residence in one of the participating home departments (BIOL, ENVS, PSC, WATS, WILD); the Ecology Center itself does not grant degrees. The candidate must select a major professor from their home department, appropriate to their interests.

Ecology (Wildland Resources) – Ph.D. Requirements

Requirements for graduate degrees in Ecology include the graduate school, home department, and Ecology Center program requirements, outlined below. Please also visit your home department catalog page to confirm that all degree requirements have been met.

Graduate School and Home Department Requirements:

Submission of dissertation to the School of Graduate Studies and library for review and approval.
Completion of academic forms required by the WILD Program and the School of Graduate Studies
- Supervisory committee approval form
- Program of Study form
- Application for Candidacy
Completion of academic forms required specifically by the School of Graduate Studies
- Appointment for Examination
- Record of Examination
- Graduation Check Form
- Application for Graduation
Completion of required trainings
A cumulative GPA of 3.0
No grades of C- or lower

Wildland Resources and Ecology Center Credit Requirements:

Ph.D. (post-master’s)
- 30 required credit hours (minimum), including:
  - 1 credit of WILD 7800 - Wildland Resources Departmental Seminar
  - 3 credits of BIOL /ENVS /PSC /WATS /WILD 6870 - Ecology Seminar
    - Ph.D. students must pass this 1-credit course at least three times during their program of study
  - 12 credits of WILD 7970 - Dissertation Research
  - 9 credits of a demonstrated breadth of knowledge in Ecology
    - - Ph.D. students must take 3 credits from at least three of the five Ecology Blocks (see below)
        
        Block #1: Biophysical Ecology
        
        Block #2: Organismic, Population, and Evolutionary Ecology
        
        Block #3: Community, Ecosystem, and Landscape Ecology
        
        Block #4: Quantitative Ecology
        
        Block #5: Human Ecology
Students are advised to discuss course options with their Graduate Program Coordinator to fulfill block requirements.
- Remaining credits to reach 30 credit hours (minimum)
  - Fulfilled via:
  - Graduate level course work (6000 and above)
  - No more than 12 credits of 5000-5990 level courses
Ph.D. (post-baccalaureate)
- 60 required credit hours (minimum) including:
  - 1 credit of WILD 7800 - Wildland Resources Departmental Seminar
  - 3 credits of BIOL /ENVS /PSC /WATS /WILD 6870 - Ecology Seminar
    - Ph.D. students must pass this 1-credit course at least three times during their program of study
  - 18 credits of WILD 7970 - Dissertation Research
  - 9 credits of a demonstrated breadth of knowledge in Ecology
    - Ph.D. students must take 3 credits from at least three of the five Ecology Blocks (see below)
      - Block #5: Human Ecology
      - Block #4: Quantitative Ecology
      - Block #3: Community, Ecosystem, and Landscape Ecology
      - Block #2: Organismic, Population, and Evolutionary Ecology
      - Block #1: Biophysical Ecology
Students are advised to discuss course options with their Graduate Program Coordinator to fulfill block requirements.
- Remaining credits to reach 60 credit hours (minimum)
  - Fulfilled via:
    - Graduate level course work (6000 and above)
    - No more than 12 credits of 5000-5990 level courses

Optional Forest Ecology Specialization:

Ecology majors who are housed in the Department of Wildland Resources have the option of adding a specialization in Forest Ecology to appear on their transcript upon completion. To opt for this specialization, students must declare this to their home department (Wildland Resources). Please use specialization code FOEC.

Required elements for this specialization include:

4 courses (credits vary) approved by the Forest Ecology Specialization Committee for their relevance to Forest Ecology
1 additional course (credits vary) from any of the Ecology Center blocks (see above).

Optional Climate Adaptation Science Specialization:

Ecology majors who are housed in the Department of Wildland Resources have the option of adding a specialization in Climate Adaptation Science to appear on their transcript upon completion. To opt for this specialization, students must declare this to their home department (Wildland Resources). Please use specialization code CLAD.

For course requirements, please see the Climate Adaptation Science Specialization Program Page .