Co-op Required
Salary and Career Info
Packaging Science BS
An innovative packaging science degree where you’ll design product packaging for food, cosmetics, electronics, retail, and consumer goods.
Program skills
The program emphasizes the application of fundamental concepts, theory, innovation, critical thinking and communication on practical problems. Studies in packaging science include examining the procedures for developing new, improved packages; testing the physical and chemical properties of materials; and learning structural design by making and testing sample containers in the department’s advanced testing facility. Students also learn the industry’s legal aspects, as well as economic, energy and environmental considerations in packaging development and production.
Program facilities equipment
The extensive facilities include a state-of-the-art packaging dynamics lab, modern computer lab, packaging attribute assessment lab, and the American Packaging Corporation Packaging Innovation Center. Students learn to perform packaging evaluations and report results.
Program job titles
Associate Specialist - Packaging Operations; Packaging Engineer; Packaging Designer; Package Developer; Product Engineer; Packaging Scientist; Package Engineering Technician; Packaging Sales; Structural Designer; Packaging and Display Sales; Packaging Development Engineer; Packaging Project Management Engineer; Sustainable Packaging Manager
Select program hiring partners
AeroSafe Global; American Packaging Corporation; Colgate-Palmolive; Henkel; CooperVision; GlaxoSmithKline; Hammer Packaging; Hasbro; Milwaukee Tool; Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies; Menasha Corporation; Merck & Co., Inc.;
100%
Outcome Rates for Packaging Science BS
Total percentage of graduates who have entered the workforce, enrolled in full-time graduate study, or are pursuing alternative plans (military service, volunteering, etc.).
96.67%
Knowledge Rate
Total percentage of graduates for whom RIT has verifiable data, compared to national average knowledge rate of 41% per NACE.
| Outcome | % of Students |
|---|---|
| Employed | 96.43% |
| Full-time Graduate Study | 3.57% |
| Alternative Plans | 0% |
Experiential Learning
Cooperative Education
What’s different about an RIT education? It’s the career experience you gain by completing cooperative education and internships with top companies in every single industry. You’ll earn more than a degree. You’ll gain real-world career experience that sets you apart. It’s exposure–early and often–to a variety of professional work environments, career paths, and industries.
Co-ops and internships take your knowledge and turn it into know-how. Your engineering co-ops will provide hands-on experience that enables you to apply your engineering knowledge in professional settings while you make valuable connections between classwork and real-world applications.
In the packaging science degree, you'll complete two required blocks of co-op. You'll gain extensive career experience through full-time, paid co-op positions in companies that design and develop packaging for cosmetics and health products, pharmaceuticals and medical products, food and beverages, tools and equipment for manufacturing, toys, and other consumer goods, and more. You’ll also develop your professional skills and broaden your industry contacts.
Companies that employ our packaging science students for co-ops include Colgate-Palmolive, CONMED, CooperVision, GlaxoSmithKline, Hammer Packaging, Hasbro, Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc., Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, Merck & Co., Inc., Milwaukee Tool, PepsiCo, Revlon, and Stanley Black & Decker, to name a few.
Jobs for Packaging Engineers and Packaging Designers
RIT’s packaging science degree prepares you for employment in areas such as package development, packaging design, sales, purchasing, structural design, production, research, and marketing. The major was developed as a result of a close and long-established relationship between the packaging industry and RIT. This multi-billion-dollar industry is experiencing dynamic growth and packaging engineers and packaging designers with wide-ranging skills and expertise are in demand.
Packaging Science Career Fair
RIT hosts a packaging science-specific career fair that connects packaging science majors with corporations, organizations, design firms, and more, who hire packaging professionals. During this day-long event, you’ll be able to network with company representatives and interview directly for open co-op and permanent employment positions.