2013-2014 GRADUATE BULLETIN - The University of Akron

86 The University of Akron 2013-2014
BS Natural Sciences-Polymer Chemistry/MS
Polymer Science
(987012MS)
In Northeast Ohio there is a growing demand for professionals trained in polymer
chemistry. The polymer industry is one of the major industrial sectors of the economy
of Ohio. The BS/MS Polymer Chemistry program was instituted to prepare
students for jobs in this area. The program provides a quality undergraduate science
degree coupled with a graduate degree from one of the premier polymer programs
in the country.
Students who are admitted to this program can complete the undergraduate phase
of the course of study in three years and then immediately begin graduate studies
in polymer science. Under rare circumstances, a student can complete the undergraduate
phase in four years after approval of his/her advisors. A student not proceeding
to the graduate program in polymer science may complete the degree
requirements for the BS Natural Sciences (Polymer Chemistry Concentration).
Students earn a bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences from the Buchtel College
of Arts and Sciences that is heavily weighted toward chemistry. They will be
assigned an advisor in the Department of Chemistry and a co-advisor in the Department
of Polymer Science, who will advise them throughout their undergraduate program.
Once the undergraduate degree is completed students begin studies to earn
a Master’s of Science from the College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering
that will require two years of courses and research. The graduate degree
requirements for the master’s portion of this accelerated program are the same
requirements as those for the traditional master’s program in polymer science.
BE/MS Program with BE in Polymer Materials
and Engineering at Beijing University of
Chemical Technology and MS Polymer
Science at UA
(987013MS)
This five-year program involves initial completion of three years of BE coursework
in Polymer Materials and Engineering at BUCT followed by two years of graduate
coursework and research in the Department of Polymer Science at The University
of Akron. BUCT will award the BE degree in Polymer Materials and Engineering
to the students of this program after completion of the fourth year of coursework at
The University of Akron.
Students will be admitted in the MS program at The University of Akron after completing
three years of BE coursework at BUCT. Students intending to enroll in the
BE/MS program will consult the faculty counselors both at BUCT and The University
of Akron during their study at BUCT. The Graduate School at The University
of Akron will handle their admission using a special category, and the admission
committe of the Department of Polymer Science will evaluate the applications of
potential students in their third year. The MS degree in Polymer Science is awarded
at the completion of the MS degree requirements, which would typically be at the
end of the fifth year
Requirements for the master’s degree coursework at The University of Akron are
identical to the standard requirements for the MS in Polymer Science.
Master of Science in Polymer Engineering
(984010MSPE)
The major emphases of the graduate program in polymer engineering are in polymer
processing, engineering performance and structural and rheological characterization
of polymers.
Students in Polymer Engineering will earn the degree of Master of Science in Polymer
Engineering. Requirements for the degree are as follows:
• Complete courses as developed in a plan of study approved by the student’s advisor
and the department chair. A minimum of 30 credits of graduate coursework
must be earned. A total of 24 credit hours of lecture courses and 6 credit hours
of research must be completed.
• Polymer engineering core (12 credits):
9841:611 Fundamentals of Polymer Structure Characterization 3
9841:621 Rheology of Polymeric Fluids 3
9841:622 Analysis and Design of Polymer Processing Operations I 3
9841:631 Engineering Properties of Solid Polymers 2
9841:641 Polymer Chemistry and Thermodynamics 3
• Polymer engineering 600-level electives (6 credits):
9841:601 Polymer Engineering Seminar 1
9841:623 Analysis and Design of Polymer Processing Operations II 3
9841:650 Introduction to Polymer Engineering 3
9841:651 Polymer Engineering Laboratory 3
9841:661 Polymerization Reactor Engineering 3
9841:675 Carbon-Polymer Nanotechnology 3
9841:680 Polymer Coatings 3
The Committee recommends 9841:651 to be compulsory for all full-time M.S. students, but it
may be exempted as an elective for part-time students who are currently employed in polymer
and related industries.
Master’s students are also required to take 9841:601 two (2) times. While the one credit earned
in this course will count only one time toward degree requirements, both grades will be counted
and calculated into the student’s GPA.
• Technical electives (6 credits):
3450:xxx Approved Mathematics 3
4300:681 Advanced Engineering Materials 3
4600:622 Continuum Mechanics 3
9841:xxx Approved Polymer Engineering 3
9871:613 Polymer Science Laboratory 3
9871:674 Polymer Structure and Characterization 2
9871:675 Polymer Thermodynamics 2
• Thesis (6 credits):
9841:699 Master’s Thesis 6
• Students will take a Basic Engineering exam after their first Fall semester of study.
The exam will cover heat transfer, fluid mechanics and solid mechanics, as determined
by the department. If a student fails the examination or a portion of the
examination he/she may be asked to take remedial undergraduate courses (at
his/her own expense) or graduate level courses within one year from the date of
the exam. Students for whom the master’s degree is a terminal degree may be
exempted from taking remedial courses with the approval of his/her advisor and
the department chair. NOTE: Any student who successfully completes course
9841:650, Introduction to Polymer Engineering, with a “B” or better grade is
deemed to have satisfied the requirement of the Basic Engineering exam and
does not have to take the exam. Students who achieve a “B-” or lower in the
course would still be required to take the exam.
• Each candidate must pass an oral examination in defense of the thesis.
• Submit the written master’s thesis to the Graduate School by the required deadlines.
BS/MS Program in Applied
Mathematics/Polymer Engineering
(984021MSPE)
This is an accelerated five-year BS/MS program. After successfully completing this
program, a student will receive a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics as well
as a master’s degree in polymer engineering. Under the supervision of faculty advisors
in applied mathematics and polymer engineering, a student in the program
will finish the core course requirements and most of the electives for the bachelor’s
degree in the first three years. During the third year of the baccalaureate degree a
student will formally apply to the program through the Graduate School. Upon
acceptance a student will be cleared to complete the remaining electives of the
bachelor’s degree and 30 credits of graduate work for the master’s degree in the
last two years. A student will be eligible for a graduate assistantship only in these
last two years and must be registered for at least nine graduate credits in each of
those semesters.
Graduate coursework will include:
3450:539 Advanced Engineering Mathematics II* 3
9841:550 Engineering Properties of Polymers* 3
9841:601 Polymer Engineering Seminar** 1
9841:611 Fundamentals of Polymer Structure Characterization 3
9841:621 Rheology of Polymeric Fluids 3
9841:622 Analysis and Design of Polymer Processing Operations I 3
9841:641 Polymer Chemistry and Thermodynamics 3
9841:650 Introduction to Polymer Engineering 3
9841:651 Polymer Engineering Laboratory 3
9841:661 Polymerization Reactor Engineering 3
9841:6xx Electives 3
9841:699 Master’s Thesis 3
*These courses will be applied to the requirements of both the bachelor’s and master’s
degree.
**Master’s students are required to take 9841:601 two times. While the one credit
earned in this course will count only one time toward the degree requirement, both
grades will be counted into the student’s GPA.
A student must maintain a 3.0 or better grade point average to stay in the program. If a
student is not able to do this, then he or she will have the option to complete the regular
bachelor’s degree program in applied mathematics or the Natural Sciences divisional major
instead of the five-year accelerated plan.