September's Major Spotlight: Packaging Science

September's Major Spotlight: Packaging Science

Have you ever opened a package and thought, “There HAS to be a better way to design this?” Maybe it was impossible to open, way too big for what was inside, or filled with what seemed like an unnecessary amount of plastic. Believe it or not, there’s a college major devoted to solving exactly these kinds of problems: Packaging Science.

Packaging Science brings together engineering, design, materials science, sustainability, and business. Students learn how to create packaging that protects products, survives shipping, appeals to consumers, reduces waste, and works for a wide range of products.

This major could be a great fit for students who:

Enjoy both science and creative problem solving
Like designing, building, testing, and improving things
Are interested in sustainability and reducing waste

Graduates can go on to work as packaging engineers, designers, product developers, sustainability specialists, researchers, and more. They can work in industries ranging from food and healthcare to cosmetics, technology, e-commerce, and consumer products.

Where Can You Study Packaging Science?

Packaging Science is still a relatively uncommon undergraduate major, but there are some fantastic programs for students who want to explore it.

Michigan State University: A great fit for students who want to study packaging at a university with a long history in the field. Michigan State was the first university in the world to offer a bachelor's degree in packaging. Students combine science and materials with business and can explore areas like food packaging, medical packaging, sustainability, distribution, and even robotics.

Clemson University: A great fit for students who love hands-on learning and want to combine science with creativity. Clemson's program blends biology, chemistry, and physics with graphics and marketing, and every Packaging Science student completes a six-month industry co-op.

Rochester Institute of Technology: A great fit for students who want lots of real-world experience. RIT combines engineering, creative design, sustainability, and business, with extensive lab work and two required co-op experiences. Students learn to design and test packaging for a wide range of industries.

Emily's Take

I love Packaging Science because it's one of those majors students rarely know exists, even though packaging is part of almost everything we buy and use. It's an especially interesting option for students who like science but also want to be creative and solve practical, real-world problems. If your student is always looking at something and thinking, "There has to be a better way to design this," this could be a fascinating major to explore.

Have a major you're curious about? I'd love to feature it in a future College Majors You Might Not Know Exist spotlight.