There is a strong and continual demand for students with knowledge of wood as a material and how it is used throughout commercial and consumer markets. Students in the Department of Wood Science and Forest Products acquire a thorough knowledge of the properties and uses of wood and the various technologies used in converting wood into useful products. Students learn the use and application of wood in industrial and consumer markets, ranging from shipping materials to housing and furniture markets. From fiber-based products to engineered lumber products, and from manufacturing to sales, this field of study offers an exciting curriculum focusing on wood as a material and its use, supplemented with course work from other important disciplines such as engineering, chemistry, business, and management. There are six options within this major:

• Adhesion Science
• Manufacturing Systems
• Forest Products Marketing and Management
• Non-Timber Forest Products
• Packaging Science
• Wood Structures and Materials

Additional emphasis is placed on problem-solving, quantitative and communication skills, team work, leadership, innovation and creativity.

Each option consists of a minimum of 15 credit hours of specialized coursework that supplement the common course work requirements for all students in the major. Each option is an identifiable career track and provides the student with a focused area of study. There are strong employment opportunities locally and globally in each of these career tracks. The department also offers a minor in packaging science for students in other majors seeking to augment their courses of study. Successful graduates of this program typically move into management and leadership roles throughout the industry.