Students enter the university through one of the five participating departments listed below, for graduate study. On the application forms, please indicate The Center for Polymer Science and Engineering as the program of study. Students seeking admission should not write to the CPSE, but should submit their application (using one of the links) to one of the home departments: Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics and Physics.

How to get a Degree in Polymer Science and Engineering if already enrolled at Lehigh in another program

Petitions (Green graduate petition forms from the Bursar or other places) for entering the Polymer Science and Engineering degree program should be worded something like, "...I wish to change academic programs from _______ Department to the Center for Polymer Science and Engineering." A statement should also be included that the student is in good standing as defined by the University Regulations and have not failed the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination in the home department. The petition should be signed in the following order: (1) The research advisor, if known; (2) Chairperson of the home department or his/her designated person (for Chemical Engineering, both the Chairperson of the Graduate Committee and the Department Chairperson will sign); and (3) either the Director of the Center for Polymer Science and Engineering, or the Chairperson of the Polymer Education Committee. The petition should then be sent to the appropriate dean for processing. Copies of the green form must be sent to the department and to Anne Marie Lobley, CPSE Graduate Coordinator

Students and prospective students who have made up their minds to enter the Polymer Science and Engineering degree program are urged to fill out the petition as soon as possible, so as to simplify proposed course work, take the Ph.D. qualifying examination as soon as possible, etc. It should be stressed that the polymer degree program will not accept transfer students who tried, and could not meet the requirements of his/her admitting department. Thus, it is imperative that students make their decision with respect to which degree (departmental vs. polymers) they will seek early on, preferably upon arrival on campus.

It must be noted that a student may work in the Center for Polymer Science and Engineering, and take a regular departmental degree. In that case, the student is identified as part of the Center for Polymer Science and Engineering, and several polymer courses are recommended, but all of the degree requirements of the department must be met. However, the formal petition mentioned above is not required. It is the student's choice as to which degree is sought.

(At the present time, there are some 70 graduate students carrying out research in the Center for Polymer Science and Engineering. About half of these are departmental degree students, and half are polymer science and engineering degree students. About three quarters of all of these students will earn their Ph. D. degrees, the remainder stopping at the M.S. level. The average length of time from the B.S. degree entry to the Ph.D. degree is 4 1/2 to 5 years.)

Students who are working in the polymer area, whether formal Polymer Science and Engineering degree students or Departmental degree students, are urged to contact Anne Marie Lobley, Ext. 84222, Graduate Coordinator for the Center for Polymer Science and Engineering, Iacocca Hall, as she keeps academic records of all polymer students. In addition, Dr. J. Roberts, Ext. 84841 has information which polymer-oriented students should have. Questions can also be directed to Dr. R. Pearson, Director of the Center for Polymer Science and Engineering, Ext. 83590. Please note that there is pre-registration twice a year, fall and spring, for the following semester. All polymer science and engineering degree candidates must pre-register with the Pearson/Roberts/Lobley  pre-registration group at the announced time.