Jim Rivard
Instructor, Forest Management
Jim Rivard took a career path that is similar to that of many of the students who will enroll in the program. His undergraduate degree was in computer science and, after working behind a desk for nine years, decided it was time for a change. He completed a master’s degree in forestry from Michigan Technological University and immediately started working for a local consulting forester. He eventually started his own consulting forestry business, worked as an instructor at Michigan Tech, and is now working at Michigan State. The best part of his job at Michigan State is working with students in the woods!
Program Overview
The Hybrid Online MS in Forestry is a professional degree tailored to learners with a Bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) in a non-forestry field who would like to pursue a career in forestry. With the majority of courses delivered online to guide field studies, intensive in-person field sessions to learn critical skills, and options for pace of coursework, the program provides maximum flexibility for those with existing personal and professional commitments, regardless of where the student resides.
Forestry students at Michigan State University are part of a 119-year legacy that has shaped vibrant forest ecosystems all over the world. To ensure forests for our future, MSU Forestry provides the education for forestry professionals to optimize the balance between conserving forest ecosystems, the demand for sustainable forest bioproducts, and other forest ecosystem services, guided by leading faculty in a top 10 forestry program globally (QS Rankings, Agriculture & Forestry category).
The structure of the hybrid online MS program includes:
- An intensive, field-based in-person short course to provide foundational skills (nine days)
- A series of asynchronous, online courses, with guided exercises and projects for you to complete in a forest near you
- A final, intensive, in-person capstone project and examination (nine days)
Program Outcomes
While working on your degree, you will learn how to sustainably manage forests while considering landowner and societal values and goals. The topics covered include tree biology/identification, forest measurements/sampling, forest carbon and climate change, silviculture, forest ecology, human dimensions of forestry, GIS (geographic information systems), forest economics and management.
An M.S. in Forestry from MSU presents a wide variety of career paths. Some of the more common job possibilities for students immediately after graduation are
- Forester
- Silviculturist
- Forest restoration manager
- Forestry consultant
- Wildland firefighter/manager
- Carbon analyst
- Forest certification specialist
Career Outlook
The field of forestry is very broad and includes a wide variety of career paths. Some of the more common job possibilities for students immediately after graduation are forester, forest technician, silviculturist, forestry consultant, wildland firefighter, forest ranger, log grader/scaler and forest certification specialist.Many MSU Forestry alumni go on to work at companies that manage millions of acres of forests, growing and managing trees and making wood products to better people’s lives and sustain the natural environment. Working in forest restoration as well as industry like Weyerhaeuser would be immediately available to you.
A Top-Ranked Education
- 29th among Best Public Universities in America — U.S. News & World Report, 2026
- Veteran-Friendly 'Gold Status' 10 Years in a Row — Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, 2025
Tuition & Fees per credit
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
$1012
$1012
Additional costs:
$500 acceptance fee (refundable after completion of FOR 810)
$500 (approx.) to purchase FOR 810 equipment
$1,300 program fee for FOR 810 (in-person course) – lodging and meals included
$1,300 program fee for FOR 898 (in-person course) – lodging and meals included
Cost of Attendance
The university reserves the right to make changes in the types, structures, rates for fees, and tuition. Every effort will be made to give as much advance notice as possible. In addition to tuition and fees, there are other expenses associated with your Cost of Attendance. A breakdown of a graduate student budget can be found on the "Estimate Your Cost of Attendance" page.