Academic Programs Catalog

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

School of Packaging

Matthew Paul Daum, Director


Undergraduate Programs


Packaging

The School of Packaging offers a program of instruction leading to the Bachelor of Science degree. The program combines basic principles of physics, chemistry, mathematics, and materials science with specialized courses to prepare students for rewarding careers in industry. Career  opportunities are plentiful since some form of packaging is involved in the production and movement to market of nearly every item of consumption in today’s economy. In addition to careers in companies that use packaging, attractive opportunities are also available in the package supply industries. Package supplier industries include companies that print and convert paper and flexible plastic materials as well as manufacturers of such diverse items as bottles, cans, folding cartons, corrugated boxes, drums, wooden containers, pallets, pails, tubes, vials, and jars. Packaging impacts most functions in manufacturing firms so graduates may work in package development, production, quality control, research, sales, purchasing, marketing, testing, distribution, or technical services.

In its flexibility, the program allows students to leverage their personal skills and interests and to make individualized choices. 

Admission as a Junior

Enrollments in the School of Packaging are limited. To be considered for admission to the major, the student must have:

  1. Completed at least 56 credits.
  2. Completed the following courses with a minimum grade of 2.0 in each course:
    1. Chemistry 141.
    2. Mathematics 133.
    3. Physics 231.

The student's cumulative grade–point average for all courses completed is considered in the admission decision.

For additional information about admissions criteria and procedures, students should contact the School of Packaging.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Packaging

  1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Packaging.

    The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Packaging major is met by completing Packaging 485. That course is referenced in item 3. below.

    Students who are enrolled in the Packaging major leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in the School of Packaging may complete an alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that consists of the following courses:  Chemistry 141,143 and 161; or Food Science 342 or Microbiology and Molecular Genetics 201.  The completion of Chemistry 143 and 161 satisfies the laboratory requirement.  Chemistry 141, 143 and 161; Food Science 342 or Microbiology and Molecular Genetics 201 may be counted toward both the alternative track and the requirements for the major referenced in item 3. below.

    The completion of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources mathematics requirement may also satisfy the University mathematics requirement.
  2. The requirements of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the Bachelor of Science degree.

    Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
  3. The following requirements for the major:
    a. All of the following courses (58 credits):
    CEM 141 General Chemistry 4
    CEM 143 Survey of Organic Chemistry 4
    CEM 161 Chemistry Laboratory I 1
    MTH 132 Calculus I 3
    MTH 133 Calculus II 4
    PKG 101 Principles of Packaging 3
    PKG 102 Introductory Packaging Seminar 2
    PKG 221 Packaging with Glass and Metal 2
    PKG 315 Packaging Decision Systems 3
    PKG 322 Packaging with Paper and Paperboard 4
    PKG 323 Packaging with Plastics 4
    PKG 410 Distribution Packaging Dynamics 4
    PKG 411 Package Development Technology 3
    PKG 432 Packaging Processes 4
    PKG 465 Packaging Value Chain 3
    PKG 485 Packaging Development (W) 4
    PHY 231 Introductory Physics I 3
    PHY 232 Introductory Physics II 3
    b. One of the following courses (3 credits):
    FSC 342 Food Safety and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Program 3
    MMG 201 Fundamentals of Microbiology 3
    c. One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
    STT 200 Statistical Methods 3
    STT 201 Statistical Methods 4
    STT 315 Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Business 3
    STT 351 Probability and Statistics for Engineering 3
    d. One of the following courses (3 credits):
    MKT 327 Introduction to Marketing 3
    SCM 304 Survey of Supply Chain Management 3
    e. Completion of 9 credits of electives in packaging. Enrollment in a packaging internship completed under PKG 493 (up to 3 credits) and enrollment in a packaging overseas study program completed under PKG 491 (up to 3 credits) may be used towards this requirement with advisor approval.


Graduate Study

The School of Packaging offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in packaging. Facilities and instrumentation are available for advanced study and research areas such as  product and/or package damage in the physical distribution environment, barrier characteristics of packaging systems and materials, quality preservation and storage stability of packaged products, mechanical properties of packaging materials and systems, medical packaging, automatic identification, logistics, environmental impact and recycling of packaging materials, human factors in packaging, and packaging systems development and optimization. Programs of study and research are flexible and are designed to meet the needs of individual students.


Packaging - Master of Science

Emphasis is placed upon a broad education in packaging that includes an area of study referenced above. Student participation in seminars and in the teaching program, where appropriate, is designed to broaden the student's background for future career activities.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

Entering graduate students are expected to have a bachelor's degree in packaging or a related undergraduate field. Students lacking the equivalent of a bachelor's degree in packaging may be admitted provisionally and be required to complete collateral courses to make up any deficiencies. These collateral courses will not count toward degree requirements.

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree in  Packaging

The master’s degree program in packaging is available under either Plan A (with thesis) or Plan B (without thesis). A total of 30 credits is required for the degree under Plan A or Plan B. The student’s program of study must be approved by either the student’s guidance committee (Plan A) or the student’s major professor (Plan B).

Requirements for Both Plan A and Plan B

The student must:

  1. Complete 15 credits in Packaging courses at the 400-level or above. More than half of the 30 credits required for the degree must be at the 800-level or above.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of basic statistics.

Additional Requirements for Plan A

  1. Packaging 825 and 860.
  2. Packaging 805 or 815.
  3. An additional 3 credits in 800-900 level Packaging courses excluding Packaging 888, 890, and 899.
  4. At least six, but not more than eight, credits of Packaging 899.

Additional Requirements for Plan B

  1. Packaging 805, 815, and 825.
  2. An additional 6 credits in 800-900 level Packaging courses excluding Packaging 888, 890, and 899.
  3. Pass a final Plan B examination. 


Packaging - Doctor of Philosophy

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the student must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

To be considered for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in packaging, an applicant must submit scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test.

To be admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in packaging on regular status, a student must have:

  1. Completed a master's degree program in packaging, or in a related science or engineering area, for which a thesis was required, or a completed bachelor's degree in packaging or related science or engineering area with significant intensive research experience such as having peer-reviewed journal publications as the main author, or conducting several semesters of research work.  
  2. A grade–point average of at least 3.40 for the bachelor's or master's degree program.
  3. Acceptable scores on the GRE General Test.

Provisional admission may be granted to an applicant who does not meet the above requirements but shows outstanding potential.

Guidance Committee

At least three members of the student's guidance committee must be faculty members in the School of Packaging, and at least one member must be a faculty member from outside the school.

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Packaging

The student must:

1. One of the following courses (3 credits):
PKG 805 Advanced Packaging Dynamics 3
PKG 815 Permeability Shelf Life 3
2. Both of the following courses (7 credits):
PKG 825 Polymeric Packaging Materials 4
PKG 860 Research Methods 3
3. An additional 3 credits of 800-level Packaging courses excluding PKG 890.
4. Complete 24 to 36 credits in PKG 999 Doctoral Dissertation Research.
5. Pass both a written and an oral comprehensive examination.
6. Complete a dissertation in one of the following areas of packaging:  material science applications in packaging, food packaging, healthcare packaging, mass transport applications, or the dynamics and physical distribution aspects or human factors in packaging.
7. Successfully defend the dissertation.