5-year BS/MS Program with BS in Natural Sciences with a Polymer Chemistry Concentration and MS in Polymer Science

The Program

Students who are admitted to this year-round program can complete the undergraduate phase of the study in 3 years and then immediately begin graduate studies in polymer science. Students earn a Bachelor's degree in Natural Science 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. The undergraduate studies might not have to be year-round for students who have a substantial amount of post-secondary credit when entering the program. Once the undergraduate degree is completed, students begin studies to earn a Masters of Science from the College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering (CPSPE) that will require two years of courses and research.

Who Should Apply?

Outstanding chemistry majors admitted by the Honors College.

Why Should I Be Interested?

You will earn a BS degree in 3 years and a Master's degree in 2 years with financial support from the Honors College during your undergraduate work and support from CPSPE during your graduate study. The support for the graduate study includes a full tuition waiver and a substantial stipend. Starting from the sophomore year, you will conduct research guided by faculty mentors with international reputations using a world-class polymer research facility.

What are the Admission Requirements?

To be eligible for acceptance into the 3-2 program, a student must have been admitted to the Honors College. However, because the number of students admitted to the program will be limited, admission into this program is not guaranteed, even for Honors students. An admission decision will be made after an interview with the faculty advisors from the Departments of Chemistry and Polymer Science. To advance to the 2-year graduate study, students must have a 3.70 grade point average in all undergraduate science and math classes at the end of the first semester in the third year. A student not proceeding to the graduate program in Polymer Science may complete the degree requirements for the BS Natural Sciences - Polymer Chemistry Concentration.

When Do I Apply?

You should indicate your interest to the Honors Chemistry Advisor at the time when you apply for admission to the Honors College.

When Can I Be Formally Admitted to the Program?

The admission decision will be made within one month of the interview.

How may I obtain more information about the program?

For more information, contact Prof. Tessier at tessier@uakron.edu (330 972-5304) or Prof. Jia at ljia@uakron.edu (330-972-7511).

Click here to download a PDF file containing the Curriculum Requirements.