LESN Satellite > Credit Options > Master of Engineering/Science in Polymer Science & Engineering

Program Overview

The Center for Polymer Science and Engineering (CPSE) is an interdisciplinary research-oriented center with faculty representatives from the participating Departments of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, and Physics. The CPSE offers graduate studies through the participating departments leading to the degrees of Master of Science, Master of Engineering in Polymer Science & Engineering. Doctorate  degrees in Polymer Science & Engineering are also granted (primarily to on campus students due to residency requirements).

Coming Soon - a graduate certificate in Polymer Science and Engineering! This certificate will likely require 12 credit hours of graduate level polymer courses. At least one of the core courses must be taken (CHE/CHM 393 or 394). Example lectures of such graduate courses can be found on the following links: (Requires RealPlayer and a high-speed Internet connection.)

CHE/CHM/MAT 393 Physical Polymer Science – Professor Les Sperling (View video. / View lecture notes.)
CHE/CHM/MAT 394 Organic Polymer Science – Professor Fran Waller (View video. / View lecture notes.)
CHE/CHM/MAT 482 Engineer Behavior of Polymers – Professor Ray Pearson (View video.)
CHE/CHM/MAT 485 Polymer Blends & Composite – Professor Lloyd Robeson (View video. / View lecture notes.)
ME 485 Polymer Product Manufacturing – Prof. John Coulter (View video.)
CHE/CHM 492 Polymer Nancomposites – Professor Ray Pearson (View video.)

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There are two options for a Master’s Degree in Polymer Science & Engineering through LESN, both requiring a proficiency in polymers:

  • Master of Science Degree in Polymer Science & Engineering requires a total of 24 credits in course work and six credits in research.The research report is directed and signed by a faculty member of the Center for Polymer Science and Engineering and co-signed by the chairman of the Polymer Education Committee or the director of the CPSE.
  • Master of Engineering Degree in Polymer Science & Engineering requires a total of 27 credits of course work and a three credit engineering project. However, a 400 level polymer course may be substituted for the engineering project. This option is intended for those students who do not work in a laboratory setting, or for whom thesis research is not practical, but who wish to obtain an advanced education in polymer science and engineering.

The Master of Engineering and the Master of Science programs both require a similar coursework structure. Courses and areas of research emphasize Polymer synthesis and Characterization, Physical Polymer Science, Organic Polymer Science, Engineering Behavior, Rheology, Polymer Blends and Composites, Polymer Processing, Emulsion Polymers, Polymer Interfaces, and Colloid Science. Both degree options require 30 credits for completion and must include not less than 18 hours of 400-level coursework; not less than 18 credits of coursework in the major, of which 15 credits must be at the 400 level. However, instead of six hours of thesis research, the M. Eng. student would take six hours of additional coursework that must include two additional polymer courses at the 300- or 400-level. However, the student may substitute one 300- or 400-level non-polymer elective course in the home department if the major university requirements for the degree have already been met.

Required Courses

  • ChE/Chm/Mat 393 - Physical Polymer Science (3)
  • ChE/Chm 394 - Organic Polymer Science (3)
  • ChE/Chm/Mat 388 - Synthesis and Characterization Lab (3)
  • Research – For those students selecting the M.S. Degree option
  • Three 400-level courses to be selected from the following*:
    ChE 428 - Rheology (3) ChE/Chm/Mat 482-Eng. Behaviors of Polymers (3)
    ChE 486 - Polymer Processing (3) ChE/Chm 483 - Emulsion Polymers (3)
    ChE 487 - Polymer Interfaces (3) ChE/Chm 492 - Topics in Polymer (3)
    ChE 489 – Organic Polymer Science II (3) ChE/Chm/Mat 485 - Polymer Blends and Composites (3)

    *Preceding list of 400-level courses may vary from year to year, please check with Professor Ray Pearson (rp02@lehigh.edu) or Professor Jim Roberts ( jer1@lehigh.edu) for more details. Some courses are offered every other year, and a few may not be available for the distance education program.
  • One course in thermodynamics from the student’s admitting department:
    ChE 400 - Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics (3)            Chm 445 - Elements of Physical Chemistry (4)
  • One other 300- or 400-level polymer-related course (which may be substituted for one of the regular polymer courses):
    ChE/Chm 392 - Introduction to Polymer (3) MAT 401 - Thermodynamics & Kinetics I (3)
    Chm 395 - Colloid and Surface Chemistry (1-4) MAT 420 - Advanced Thermodynamics (3)
    Chm 405 - Organometallic (3) ME 450 - Special Topics (3)
    Chm 487 - Topics in Colloid or Surface Chemistry (3) Phys 442 - Statistical Mechanics (3)
    MAT 309 - Composite Materials (3) Phys 472 - Special Polymer-Related Topics in Physics (3)
    MAT 334 - Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis (4)  

  • One 300- or 400-level non-polymer elective from the student’s admitting department

    M. Eng. students require two additional 300- or 400-level polymer courses (from above list), or one polymer and one non-polymer course from student’s admitting department.

One of the following courses may be used to replace one of the 400 level polymer courses:

  • Mat 309 - Composite Materials (3)
  • Mech 450 - Special Problems (When Polymer Related) (3)
  • Phys 472 - Special Topics in Physics (When Polymer Related) (3)
  • Chm 405 - Organometallic Chemistry (3)
  • ChE and Chm 391 - Colloid and Surface Chemistry (3)
  • Chm 487 - Topics in Colloid or Surface Chemistry (3)
  • Mat 334 - Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis (4)

Academic Standards and Grades
Course grades are defined as for undergraduates except that no grade lower than C may be counted toward a polymer degree (i.e. a C - (C minus) will not count towards graduation). Pass-fail registration for graduate students is not permitted. An average GPA of 3.0 (a B average) must be obtained for the three required courses ChE / Chm / Mat 393 and 388, and ChE / Chm 394. Note that part-time and Distance Education students are excused from 388 and thus their 393 and 394 grades must be an average of B.

Admission Procedure
Students wishing to enroll in one of the above distance education degree programs will be admitted through either the Department of Chemistry or the Department of Chemical Engineering and must meet that department’s entrance criteria. On the admission application form, the area of specialization should be noted as Polymer Science and Engineering. Students will transfer into the Polymer Science and Engineering interdisciplinary master’s degree program after enrollment in or after completion of at least one polymer course. The Office of Distance Education will assist with transfer information and forms.

Program Advisor: Professor Ray Pearson, 610-758-3857, or e-mail: rp02@lehigh.edu.

For more information, including current course offerings and tuition, please visit our web site at: www.distance.lehigh.edu

 

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