Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science
Nature of the Program
Accredited by the Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST), the Wood Science and Technology curriculum prepares students in key skill sets using hands-on cutting-edge technology, innovation in new product development, marketing, and manufacturing to directly work in an ever-growing the U.S. forest products industry (biorefining, renewable materials, and sustainable construction). According to the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA), the U.S. forest products industry is one of the top ten manufacturing sector employers, which employs about one million workers and accounts for approximately six percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP. Some examples of products include: energy efficient green building construction materials, lignocellulosic materials for packaging, pharmaceutical and catalysis applications, highly advanced carbon materials for adsorption and electrochemical applications, energy and fuels applications from lignocellulosic materials, green fibers for textile and paper applications, and sporting goods. One of the most sensible alternatives to reduce global warming is the use of wood as a raw material in manufacturing of various products, which enables an environmentally friendly method to store atmospheric carbon in various wood products for prolonged periods. The Wood Science and Technology curriculum is highly focused on these aspects of the forest products industry.
Professional Areas of Emphasis
Students may choose a specialized professional area of emphasis in:
- Processing
- Utilization
- Sustainable Low-Rise Residential Construction
Processing Area of Emphasis
The Area of Emphasis in Processing provides flexibility within the context of a fundamental wood science and renewable materials-based curriculum by requiring that students complete a minor plus specialized wood processing courses and restricted electives. Students transferring into wood science and technology from a related discipline may use the previous major instead of a minor as the area of emphasis provided the student has passed at least fifteen semester hours of core coursework from the previous discipline as indicated by a common course prefix (i.e., FMAN) with a C grade or better and has received approval from the wood science and technology faculty. Potential careers include, but are not limited to production of wood products and other renewable plant-based materials (including residential construction materials and components, furniture and cabinets, and engineered wood products); marketing of building and related products; and research.
Utilization Area of Emphasis
The Area of Emphasis in Utilization consists of forestry, wood science, restricted electives, and related courses. The Utilization area of professional emphasis prepares graduates for careers in timber harvesting, forest engineering, primary processing of wood products, and timber procurement.
Sustainable Low-Rise Residential Construction Area of Emphasis
The Sustainable Low-Rise Residential Construction Area of Emphasis prepares students for careers in management, supervision, and specifying of materials for single family and multi-family, low-rise residential (i.e. town houses and 2-3 story apartment buildings) construction.
Special Opportunities
A regional center for development of the wood products industry, the Appalachian Hardwood Center, is allied with the Wood Science and Technology Program. The center's staff frequently provides opportunities for educational and professional development of wood science and technology students. Students sometimes find part-time employment in the research program of the center as well as with the faculty's teaching and research program.
Career Opportunities
The U.S. forest products industry employs about one million workers. West Virginia University is one of the nine American universities, which provide accredited programs specifically designed to educate professionals to manage and provide technical expertise to the industry. The unique manufacturing sector focus of the program and the large base of potential employers result in an excellent job market for wood science and technology graduates. Career opportunities are quite diverse. The jobs span the spectrum from standing timber through manufacture of products to their marketing, distribution, and end use. Graduates may work in sawmills as production managers or as timber procurement foresters, buying timber and planning harvesting operations in accordance with sound forest management and environmental practices. They may also gain employment as quality assurance managers, production supervisors, and process engineers for companies that manufacture furniture, cabinets, state-of-the-art engineered wood products, renewable construction and bioproducts. Graduates may become product designers and estimators, purchasers and sellers of materials and services, or supervisors and managers of residential construction projects. Some of our graduates go on to graduate school in wood science or related disciplines, including forestry, business administration, and engineering. They work in all parts of the nation and in both rural and urban communities, yet approximately half find employment in West Virginia. Many of the leaders in the nation's wood products industry are WVU graduates.
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
Students seeking the B.S. in Wood Science and Technology must select from one of four Areas of Emphasis.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 7 | |
| Wood Science and Technology Major Requirements | 113 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 6 and 7 | 6 | |
| ANRD 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| Total Hours | 7 | |
Wood Science and Technology Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following (GEF 1): | 6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| BIOL 101 & 101L | General Biology 1 and General Biology 1 Laboratory (GEF 2) | 4 |
| Select one of the following (fulfills Writing and Communication Skills requirement): | 3 | |
| Business and Professional Writing | ||
| Technical Writing | ||
| Select one of the following (GEF 8): | 4 | |
| Survey of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry 1 and Survey of Chemistry 1 Laboratory | ||
| Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory | ||
| MATH 150 | Applied Calculus (GEF 3) | 3 |
| PHYS 101 & 101L | Introductory Physics 1 and Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| STAT 211 | Elementary Statistical Inference (GEF 8) | 3 |
| ARE 150 | Introductory Agricultural and Agribusiness Economics (GEF 4) | 3 |
| or ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| FNRS 203 | Careers in Natural Resources Management 2 | 1 |
| FNRS 205 | Dendrology | 2 |
| FNRS 205L | Dendrology Laboratory | 1 |
| FNRS 240 | Introduction to Computing in Natural Resources | 3 |
| FNRS 240L | Introduction to Computing in Natural Resources Laboratory | 0 |
| FNRS 438 | Human Dimensions Natural Resource Management | 3 |
| FNRS 222 | Forest Mensuration | 4 |
| FNRS 222L | Forest Mensuration Laboratory | 0 |
| FNRS 100 | Forest Resources in United States History | 3 |
| FNRS 223 | Wood Anatomy and Structure | 3 |
| FNRS 223L | Wood Anatomy and Structure Laboratory | 0 |
| FNRS 232 | Wood Grading and Procurement | 3 |
| FNRS 232L | Wood Grading and Procurement Laboratory | 0 |
| FNRS 340 | Physical Properties of Wood | 3 |
| FNRS 340L | Physical Properties of Wood Laboratory | 0 |
| FNRS 341 | Wood Mechanics | 3 |
| FNRS 341L | Wood Mechanics Laboratory | 0 |
| FNRS 362 | Forest Product Decision-Making | 4 |
| FNRS 413 | Wood Chemistry | 3 |
| FNRS 413L | Wood Chemistry Laboratory | 0 |
| FNRS 422 | Harvesting Forest Products | 3 |
| FNRS 422L | Harvesting Forest Products Laboratory | 0 |
| FNRS 465 | Wood-Based Composite Materials | 3 |
| FNRS 465L | Wood-Based Composite Materials Laboratory | 0 |
| FNRS 491 | Professional Field Experience | 3 |
| Capstone Experience: | 4 | |
| Senior Projects 1 | ||
| Senior Projects 2 | ||
| Area of Emphasis * | 34 | |
Processing | ||
Renewable Materials Marketing | ||
Sustainable Low-Rise Residential Construction | ||
Utilization | ||
| Total Hours | 113 | |
- *
For advanced students transferring into wood science and technology from a related major to qualify, the area of emphasis must:
- Include a core consisting of at least fifteen semester hours of coursework from the student's previous major
- Must all be from a single discipline as indicated by the course prefix (i.e., FNRS)
- Must have been passed with a C grade or better, and
- Must be approved by the Wood Science and Technology Faculty
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | ARE 150 or ECON 201 (GEF 4) | 3 | ||
| ANRD 191 | 1 | FNRS 240 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 100 | 3 | FNRS 240L | 0 | ||
| BIOL 101 & 101L (GEF 2) | 4 | MATH 150 (GEF 3) | 3 | ||
| FNRS 223 | 3 | GEF 6 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 223L | 0 | GEF 7 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| CHEM 111 & 111L (GEF 8) | 4 | FNRS 232 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | FNRS 232L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 205 | 2 | PHYS 101 (GEF 8) | 4 | ||
| FNRS 205L | 1 | FNRS 203 | 1 | ||
| AoE Requirement | 6 | STAT 211 (GEF 8) | 3 | ||
| AoE Requirement | 3 | ||||
| 16 | 14 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| FNRS 341 | 3 | FNRS 340 | 3 | FNRS 491 | 3 |
| FNRS 341L | 0 | FNRS 340L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 413 | 3 | FNRS 222 | 4 | ||
| FNRS 413L | 0 | FNRS 222L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 422 | 3 | WRIT 304 or 305 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 422L | 0 | AoE Requirement | 6 | ||
| AoE Requirement | 6 | ||||
| 15 | 16 | 3 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| FNRS 438 | 3 | FNRS 465 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 362 | 4 | FNRS 465L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 480 | 2 | FNRS 481 | 2 | ||
| AoE Requirement | 6 | AoE Requirement | 7 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||||
Areas of Emphasis
- Processing
- Sustainable Low-Rise Residential Construction
- Utilization
Processing Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FNRS 333 | Wood Machining | 3 |
| FNRS 337 & 337L | Wood Adhesion and Finishing and Wood Adhesion and Finishing Laboratory | 3 |
| FNRS 351 & 351L | Forest Products Protection and Forest Products Protection Laboratory | 3 |
| University Approved Minor * | 15 | |
| Restricted Electives * | 10 | |
| Total Hours | 34 | |
- *
Credit hours for the minor and restricted electives are estimates and are dependent upon selected minor. A minimum of 34 credit hours is needed under the area of emphasis. Restricted electives must contribute to the student's professional development and must be approved by the student's advisor.
Suggested Plan of Study for The Processing Area of Emphasis
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | ARE 150 or ECON 201 (GEF 4) | 3 | ||
| FNRS 223 | 3 | FNRS 240 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 223L | 0 | FNRS 240L | 0 | ||
| ANRD 191 | 1 | MATH 150 (GEF 3) | 3 | ||
| FNRS 100 (GEF 5) | 3 | GEF 6 | 3 | ||
| BIOL 101 & 101L (GEF 2) | 4 | GEF 7 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| Select one of the following (GEF 8): | 4 | FNRS 203 | 1 | ||
| PHYS 101 (GEF 8) | 4 | ||||
| FNRS 232 | 3 | ||||
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | FNRS 232L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 205 | 2 | STAT 211 (GEF 8) | 3 | ||
| FNRS 205L | 1 | Approved Restricted Elective | 3 | ||
| Approved Restricted Elective | 3 | ||||
| Approved Restricted Elective | 3 | ||||
| 16 | 14 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| FNRS 333 | 3 | WRIT 304 or 305 | 3 | FNRS 491 | 3 |
| FNRS 341 | 3 | FNRS 222 | 4 | ||
| FNRS 341L | 0 | FNRS 222L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 413 | 3 | FNRS 340 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 413L | 0 | FNRS 340L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 422 | 3 | FNRS 351 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 422L | 0 | FNRS 351L | 0 | ||
| Minor Requirement | 3 | Minor Requirement | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | 3 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| FNRS 438 | 3 | FNRS 465 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 337 | 3 | FNRS 465L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 337L | 0 | FNRS 481 | 2 | ||
| FNRS 362 | 4 | Minor Requirements | 6 | ||
| FNRS 480 | 2 | Approved Restricted Elective | 1 | ||
| Minor requirement | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 12 | ||||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||||
Sustainable Low-Rise Residential Construction Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ID 205 | Introduction to Architectural Building Technologies | 3 |
| or ID 305 | Architectural Interior Building Systems and Construction | |
| SAFM 470 | Managing Construction Safety | 3 |
| DSGN 340 | Design for Energy Efficiency | 3 |
| FNRS 320 | Sustainable Construction | 3 |
| Select one of the following minors: * | 15 | |
Agribusiness Management | ||
Entrepreneurship | ||
General Business | ||
Sustainable Design | ||
| Restricted Electives * | 7 | |
| Total Hours | 34 | |
- *
Credit hours for the minor and restricted electives are estimates and are dependent upon selected minor. A minimum of 34 credit hours is needed under the area of emphasis. Restricted electives must contribute to the student's professional development and must be approved by the student's advisor.
Suggested Plan of Study for Sustainable Low-Rise Construction Area of Emphasis
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | ARE 150 or ECON 201 (GEF 4) | 3 | ||
| FNRS 223 | 3 | FNRS 240 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 223L | 0 | FNRS 240L | 0 | ||
| ANRD 191 | 1 | MATH 150 (GEF 3) | 3 | ||
| FNRS 100 | 3 | GEF 6 | 3 | ||
| BIOL 101 & 101L (GEF 2) | 4 | GEF 7 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| Select one of the following (GEF 8): | 4 | FNRS 203 | 1 | ||
| PHYS 101 (GEF 8) | 4 | ||||
| FNRS 232 | 3 | ||||
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | FNRS 232L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 205 | 2 | Minor Requirement | 3 | ||
| FNRS 205L | 1 | STAT 211 (GEF 8) | 3 | ||
| Restricted Elective | 3 | ||||
| Restricted Elective | 3 | ||||
| 16 | 14 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| FNRS 341 | 3 | FNRS 340 | 3 | FNRS 491 | 3 |
| FNRS 341L | 0 | FNRS 340L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 413 | 3 | FNRS 222 | 4 | ||
| FNRS 413L | 0 | FNRS 222L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 422 | 3 | WRIT 304 or 305 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 422L | 0 | FNRS 320 | 3 | ||
| Minor Requirement | 3 | ID 205 or 305 | 3 | ||
| Minor Requirement | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 16 | 3 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| DSGN 340 | 3 | SAFM 470 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 438 | 3 | FNRS 465 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 362 | 4 | FNRS 465L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 480 | 2 | FNRS 481 | 2 | ||
| Minor Requirement | 3 | Minor Requirement | 3 | ||
| Restricted Elective | 1 | ||||
| 15 | 12 | ||||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||||
Utilization Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FNRS 444 | Watershed Management | 3 |
| FNRS 212 | Forest Ecology | 3 |
| FNRS 212L | Forest Ecology Laboratory | 1 |
| FNRS 311 | Silvicultural Systems | 4 |
| FNRS 311L | Silvicultural Systems Laboratory | 0 |
| FNRS 330 | Principles of Forestry Economics | 4 |
| FNRS 330L | Principles of Forestry Economics Laboratory | 0 |
| FNRS 326 | Remote Sensing of Environment | 3 |
| FNRS 445 | Bio-based Energy Systems | 3 |
| WMAN 150 | Principles of Conservation Ecology | 3 |
| Restricted Electives * | 11 | |
| Total Hours | 35 | |
- *
Restricted electives must contribute to the student's professional development and must be approved by the student's advisor.
Suggested Plan of Study for The Utilization Area of Emphasis
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | ARE 150 or ECON 201 (GEF 4) | 3 | ||
| ANRD 191 | 1 | FNRS 240 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 100 | 3 | MATH 150 (GEF 3) | 3 | ||
| BIOL 101 & 101L (GEF 2) | 4 | GEF 6 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 223 | 3 | GEF 7 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 223L | 0 | ||||
| 14 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| Select one of the following (GEF 8): | 4 | FNRS 232 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 232L | 0 | ||||
| PHYS 101 & 101L (GEF 8) | 4 | ||||
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | FNRS 203 | 1 | ||
| FNRS 205 | 2 | STAT 211 (GEF 8) | 3 | ||
| FNRS 205L | 1 | Approved Restricted Elective | 3 | ||
| FNRS 212 | 3 | ||||
| FNRS 212L | 1 | ||||
| Approved Restricted Elective | 3 | ||||
| 17 | 14 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| WRIT 304 or 305 | 3 | FNRS 222 | 4 | FNRS 491 | 3 |
| FNRS 341 | 3 | FNRS 222L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 341L | 0 | FNRS 326 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 413 | 3 | FNRS 340 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 413L | 0 | FNRS 340L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 422 | 3 | WMAN 150 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 422L | 0 | Approved Restricted Elective | 3 | ||
| FNRS 445 | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 16 | 3 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| FNRS 311 | 4 | FNRS 465 | 3 | ||
| FNRS 311L | 0 | FNRS 465L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 438 | 3 | FNRS 330 | 4 | ||
| FNRS 362 | 4 | FNRS 330L | 0 | ||
| FNRS 480 | 2 | FNRS 444 | 3 | ||
| Approved Restricted Electives | 2 | FNRS 481 | 2 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||||
| Total credit hours: 121 | |||||
Major Learning Outcomes
Wood Science and Technology
The Wood Science and Technology program established specific expected learning goals as part of the program’s assessment plan. The plan was approved by the West Virginia University administration and the West Virginia Higher Education Board of Governors in 2007. The Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST) Accreditation Standards were adopted as the stated expected learning goals of the plan, and include the following:
- Graduates will demonstrate a fundamental background in preparatory and general education courses in compliance with the requirements established by West Virginia University, the West Virginia Board of Governors, and the Accreditation standards of the Society of Wood Science and Technology.
- Graduates will demonstrate a firm understanding of basic wood sciences, including anatomy and biology of wood formation; wood identification; physical properties; mechanical properties; chemical characteristics and properties; wood degradation and deterioration; and composite materials.
- Graduates will demonstrate knowledgeable related to wood processing and manufacturing, including mechanical reduction of the raw material, drying processes, manufacture of solid wood products, manufacture of composite materials, chemical wood processing, and wood protection and enhancement.
- Graduates will be able to compare and contrast a variety of complex contemporary issues of wood use, including demand, use, and impact of use on society and the environment; applications of wood and wood-based materials; choosing and specifying appropriate wood-based products; policy, regulation, environmental and other societal issues; professional ethics; and health, safety, and security issues.
- Graduates will demonstrate competence in an area of professional emphasis that compliments their wood science and technology education.