The Department of Forest, Rangeland, & Watershed Stewardship has graduate degree programs in Forestry, Rangeland Ecology, and Watershed Science.

For information on how to apply see the 'Future FRWS Students' page.

General Graduate Degree Information

The Department offers both master's and doctoral programs.

Master of Science

The FRWS Department offers three types of master’s programs: Plan A, Plan B and Plan C.

Plan A programs emphasize research.  In partial fulfillment of degree requirements, the student is required to conduct research approved by their graduate committee and to present the results in a thesis.

Plan B programs emphasize course work and professional preparation.  The student must submit a professional paper based on literature reviews, surveys, and other sources of information to the graduate committee as partial fulfillment of degree requirements.

The Plan C program is a coursework-only, non-thesis, professional master's degree.  The Plan C is designed for mid-career professionals who want to increase their competitive standing in the work force or retool their skills.  The FRWS Department offers one Plan C degree, the Master of Natural Resources Stewardship (MNRS).

Completion of the Plan A and Plan B M.S. degree generally requires at least two years of full-time work beyond the bachelor's degree.  The Plan C Master’s of Natural Resources Stewardship degree can be completed in one year of full-time course work, although three semesters is more common.  All master’s students must take at least 30 credits of formal coursework at the 300 level or higher.  Graduate work may require undergraduate courses as prerequisites.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is the highest graduate degree offered at Colorado State University.  A student working toward a Ph.D. degree is expected to produce independent research that contributes significantly to science and to present the results of such research in a written dissertation.  This program leads to a high degree of specialization.  A Ph.D. program often requires five years of full-time work beyond the bachelor's degree, or three years beyond the master's degree to complete.  It requires a minimum of 72 semester credits beyond the bachelor's degree at the 300-level or higher.  The student’s graduate committee may accept as many as 30 semester credits earned in an M.S. program at an accredited institution towards meeting the Ph.D. credit requirements.

Graduate Research and Teaching Assistantships

Financial support is offered to many qualified students through both graduate research and teaching assistantships.  The student pays student fees, while the assistantship pays tuition and a stipend.  Most assistantships are half time; occasionally, one-quarter- and three-quarter-time appointments are available.  Projects are currently being supported by the National Science Foundation; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Department of Energy; U.S. Agency for International Development; USDA Forest Service; USDI Bureau of Land Management; U.S. Department of Defense; National Park Service; Colorado Division of Wildlife; private oil, coal, and gas companies; and the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station.

More Information

For more detailed information on degree requirements and department procedures and facilities, see the Graduate Student Handbook.