College of Agriculture & Natural Resources School of Packaging

Mission Statement

The mission of the School of Packaging at Michigan State University is to educate packaging professionals and to create innovative solutions that enhance or maintain product quality, increase efficiency, and reduce waste. In doing so, we contribute to the economic development and quality of life of citizens within the State of Michigan and across the world through highly relevant educational experiences and cutting-edge research.

Program Introduction

The School of Packaging offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science in Packaging and PhD in Packaging. The MS program offers both Plan A: Thesis (residential) and Plan B: Non-Thesis (residential or online). For the PhD and Plan A residential programs, all or most of the coursework and research will be carried out on-campus.

From the moment of product design and development, through final use by a consumer, packaging makes a product convenient to transport, protects the product from physical, chemical, and biological hazards, and conveys instructions that are easy to understand. It is a goal of packaging to use the most effective and economical materials to accomplish these functions.

Packaging materials and systems are constantly changing to meet today’s needs. Packaging professionals use modern technology and innovative approaches to develop or modify packaging.

The graduate student population is characterized by a global perspective. There is a substantial representation of international students from a variety of countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Many students, both international and domestic, have completed undergraduate degrees in a discipline other than packaging. Engineering and science-related degrees are most prevalent, but business degrees are not uncommon, and other degrees have included printing technology, product design, and many more. Special courses are provided for graduate students without packaging B.S. degrees to acquire the core undergraduate-level knowledge of packaging.

Graduates of the MSU School of Packaging are sought after by employers in the United States and internationally. Few graduate students leave the program without at least one job offer in hand. Graduates with advanced degrees are more likely to go into education, research, or management positions than those with B.S. degrees, and less likely to go into production positions. A wide variety of types of companies employ graduates with advanced degrees, as well as those with bachelor’s degrees.

Students engage in a combination of formal coursework as well as, independent efforts that result in a MS Plan A: Thesis or PhD Dissertation. A coursework-only plus Capstone Paper is available for the MS Plan B: Non-Thesis level. Programs of study and research are flexible and are designed to meet the needs of individual students. Emphasis is placed on a broad education in packaging and specialized training in one of the above areas of study.

Facilities

Facilities and instrumentation are available for advanced study and research in the following areas: 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, distribution packaging, packaging systems development and optimization, medical/pharmaceutical packaging, human factors in packaging, various aspects of packaging in business and marketing, recycling, environmental impacts of packaging, and related areas.

Student Life

Master’s and PhD students, visiting scholars, and post-doctoral students in the School of Packaging are welcome to join the Packaging Graduate Association. PGA provides members with regular professional development, academic and personal support, social events, and community service opportunities. To learn more about upcoming events, watch for email blasts, attend the monthly meeting, or visit us on LinkedIn.

The Application Process

This website is designed to guide you through the application process, including programs of study, required documents, and information for both domestic and international applicants. We recommend reviewing each page in the menu on the right. Most questions can be answered by exploring these links.

1. Degree Programs
2. Application Information
3. Domestic Applicants
4. International Applicants
5. Graduate Admission FAQs
6. Admitted Students