About the Program

For detailed information, click the following link to visit the program website at : http://www.emich.edu/cot/progsites/pc

The curriculum is designed to provide a series of courses in polymers and coatings in addition to courses in an area of specialization. The curriculum is interdisciplinary in nature and thus employs courses from various departments. Concentrations leading to the Master of Science are offered in coatings and management.

The polymers and coatings field involves the development of polymers and coatings formulations for various substrates commonly used in industry. Graduates from this program will find employment in research and development laboratories of companies manufacturing paints and coatings, polymers, adhesives and inks, in companies manufacturing raw materials for these industries, and users of paints, coatings, adhesives and inks.

The spectacular growth of the coatings industry over the past few years, coupled with an increase in government regulations and technology, has dramatically increased the need for highly-skilled scientific personnel to work in the coatings field. Since the demand for graduates far exceeds the supply, starting salaries are approximately 15 to 20 percent higher than the average starting salary for chemists with a Master of Science, as based on recent surveys by the coatings industry and the American Chemical Society.

About the Curriculum