Paper Science and Engineering (BS)
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The Paper Science and Engineering curriculum prepares students for careers in the paper industry, which ranks as the fifth-largest manufacturing industry in the United States. Science, engineering, and mathematics form the basis for a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the fundamental aspects of materials science and engineering of these complex renewable materials. Students study the technology and engineering of wood pulping processes, chemical and energy recovery systems, and pulp bleaching. In addition, various papermaking operations, such as refining, sizing, coating, and drying are studied. These topics, along with the chemical and biological modification of wood, papermaking, and the physics of paper based materials form a fundamental set of core courses that all students in the curriculum take.
Two concentrations are available emphasizing the different engineering aspects of pulping and paper making. The Paper Science and Engineering concentration provides an extensive background in the pulp and paper manufacturing processes and elective credit hours for studies in chemistry, marketing, economics, management or other areas of interest to the student. Greater depth in general chemical engineering principles can be obtained from the Chemical Engineering Concentration. Students who have completed the Chemical Engineering Concentration in Paper Science and Engineering can, in cooperation with the College of Engineering and with an additional semester of study, earn a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering as a second degree.
Program Educational Objectives
Within a few years after graduation, alumni of the Paper Science & Engineering Program at NC State ¸£Àû±ÆÕ¾ will be:
- Effective engineers and leaders in the paper, chemical process, and related industries.
- Professionals who act in a safe and ethical manner.
- Learners who acquire, analyze, and apply new knowledge effectively.
Summer Internship
All Paper Science and Engineering majors are required to work one summer in a pulp or paper manufacturing facility. One hour of academic credit is granted after completion of 12 weeks of this work and presentation of an engineering report of professional quality. In addition, students are urged to work in manufacturing facilities the other two summers, as the work provides valuable practical experience. Departmental advisers assist students in locating summer jobs, which are found throughout the US and abroad.
Many Paper Science & Engineering students work at least one co-op rotation, in which they leave school for one semester and work in the industry. The resulting experience adds significantly to a student’s desirability upon graduation.
Accredited Program
The Paper Science and Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET,Ìý.
Regional Program
The Paper Science and Engineering curriculum is a regional program approved by the Southern Regional Education Board as the undergraduate program to serve the Southeast in this field.
Scholarships
Approximately 125 undergraduate academic scholarships worth approximately $380,000 are granted annually to new and continuing students by companies comprising the Pulp and Paper Advisory Board, and by alumni and supporters of the program.
Contact
Dr. M. V. Byrd
Director of Undergraduate Programs
919.515.5790
med_byrd@ncsu.edu
Plan Requirements
| First Year | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ·¡Ìý101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving 1 | 1 |
| ·¡Ìý115 | Introduction to Computing Environments | 1 |
| °ä±áÌý101 &²¹³¾±è;Ìý°ä±áÌý102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 4 |
or | ||
| General Chemistry I for Students in Chemical Sciences and General Chemistry Laboratory I for Students in Chemical Sciences | ||
| °ä±áÌý201 &²¹³¾±è;Ìý°ä±áÌý202 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 4 |
or | ||
| General Chemistry II for Students in Chemical Sciences and General Chemistry Laboratory II for Students in Chemical Sciences | ||
| ²Ñ´¡Ìý141 | Calculus I 2 | 4 |
| ²Ñ´¡Ìý241 | Calculus II 2 | 4 |
| ±Ê³ÛÌý205 &²¹³¾±è;Ìý±Ê³ÛÌý206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 2 | 4 |
| ±Ê³§·¡Ìý201 | Pulping and Papermaking Technology 1 | 3 |
| Acad Writing Research 1 | 4 | |
| Economics Elective | 3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 32 |
| Second Year | ||
| CHÌý221 &²¹³¾±è;ÌýCHÌý222 | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab 1 | 4 |
or | ||
| Organic Chemistry I for Students in Chemical Sciences and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I for Students in Chemical Sciences | ||
| CHÌý223 &²¹³¾±è;ÌýCHÌý224 | Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Lab | 4 |
or | ||
| Organic Chemistry II for Students in Chemical Sciences and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II for Students in Chemical Sciences | ||
| MAÌý242 | Calculus III | 4 |
| PYÌý208 &²¹³¾±è;ÌýPYÌý209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEÌý205 | Chemical Process Principles | 4 |
| PSEÌý212 | Paper Properties 1 | 4 |
| PSEÌý371 | Pulping Process Analysis 1 | 3 |
| Advised Electives | 3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 30 |
| Third Year | ||
| MAEÌý201 | Engineering Thermodynamics I | 3 |
| PSEÌý322 | Wet End and Polymer Chemistry | 4 |
| PSEÌý332 | Wood and Pulping Chemistry | 3 |
| PSEÌý355 | Pulp and Paper Unit Processes I 1 | 3 |
| PSEÌý360 | Pulp and Paper Unit Processes II | 3 |
| PSEÌý370 | Pulp and Paper Products and Markets | 3 |
| PSEÌý211 | Pulp and Paper Internship | 1 |
| Engineering Elective | 3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 23 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| PSEÌý415 | Paper Industry Strategic Project Analysis | 3 |
| PSEÌý416 | Process Design and Analysis | 3 |
| PSEÌý417 | Modeling & Simulation of Pulp & Paper Processes | 3 |
| PSEÌý465 | Process Engineering | 3 |
| PSEÌý472 | Paper Process Analysis | 3 |
| PSEÌý475 | Process Control in Pulp and Paper | 3 |
| PSEÌý425 | Bioenergy & Biomaterials Engineering | 3 |
| Advised Electives | 3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 24 |
| Ìý | Total Hours | 109 |
- 1
A grade of C- or better is required.
- 2
A grade of C or better is required.
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEP Courses | |||
| GEP Humanities | 6 | ||
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
| GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 3 | ||
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 5 | ||
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | |||
| Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | |||
| Total Hours | 19 | ||
Acad Writing ResearchÌý
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acad Writing Research | |||
| ENGÌý101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 | |
| FL·¡Ìý101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 | |
| Transfer Sequence | |||
| ENGÌý202 | Disciplinary Perspectives in Writing | 3 | |
| ENGÌý1GEP | 3 | ||
Economics ElectivesÌý
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| AREÌý201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 | |
| AREÌý201A | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 | |
| ECÌý201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 | |
| ECÌý205 | Fundamentals of Economics | 3 |
Engineering Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAETÌý411 | Agricultural Machinery and Power Units | 4 | |
| CEÌý214 | Engineering Mechanics-Statics | 3 | |
| CHEÌý225 | Introduction to Chemical Engineering Analysis | 3 | |
| ECEÌý331 | Principles of Electrical Engineering | 3 | |
| MAEÌý206 | Engineering Statics | 3 | |
| MSEÌý201 | Structure and Properties of Engineering Materials | 3 | |
| TEÌý200 | Introduction to Polymer Science and Engineering | 3 |
Advised Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCÌý200 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 | |
| ACCÌý210 | Concepts of Financial Reporting | 3 | |
| ACCÌý220 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 | |
| ACCÌý280 | Survey of Financial and Managerial Accounting | 3 | |
| ACCÌý310 | Intermediate Financial Accounting I | 3 | |
| ACCÌý311 | Intermediate Financial Accounting II | 3 | |
| ACCÌý340 | Accounting Information Systems | 3 | |
| ACCÌý411 | Business Valuation | 3 | |
| AREÌý301 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 3 | |
| AREÌý336 | Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics | 3 | |
| BAEÌý425 | Industrial Microbiology and Bioprocessing | 3 | |
| BAEÌý525 | Industrial Microbiology and Bioprocessing | 3 | |
| BCHÌý451 | Principles of Biochemistry | 4 | |
| BUSÌý320 | Financial Management | 3 | |
| CHÌý315 | Quantitative Analysis | 3 | |
| CHÌý331 | Introductory Physical Chemistry | 4 | |
| CHÌý401 | Systematic Inorganic Chemistry I | 3 | |
| CHÌý431 | Physical Chemistry I | 3 | |
| CHÌý437 | Physical Chemistry for Engineers | 4 | |
| CHEÌý225 | Introduction to Chemical Engineering Analysis | 3 | |
| CHEÌý311 | Transport Processes I | 3 | |
| CHEÌý312 | Transport Processes II | 3 | |
| CHEÌý315 | Chemical Process Thermodynamics | 3 | |
| CHEÌý316 | Thermodynamics of Chemical and Phase Equilibria | 3 | |
| ECÌý301 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 3 | |
| ECÌý302 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 3 | |
| ECÌý336 | Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics | 3 | |
| ETÌý310 | Environmental Monitoring and Analysis | 3 | |
| ISEÌý311 | Engineering Economic Analysis | 3 | |
| MAÌý225 | Foundations of Advanced Mathematics | 3 | |
| MAÌý303 | Linear Analysis | 3 | |
| MAÌý305 | Introductory Linear Algebra and Matrices | 3 | |
| MAÌý325 | Introduction to Applied Mathematics | 3 | |
| MAÌý351 | Introduction to Discrete Mathematical Models | 3 | |
| MAÌý401 | Applied Differential Equations II | 3 | |
| MAÌý402 | Mathematics of Scientific Computing | 3 | |
| MAÌý403 | Introduction to Modern Algebra | 3 | |
| MAÌý407 | Introduction to Modern Algebra for Mathematics Majors | 3 | |
| MAÌý408 | Foundations of Euclidean Geometry | 3 | |
| MAÌý410 | Theory of Numbers | 3 | |
| MAÌý421 | Introduction to Probability | 3 | |
| MAÌý425 | Mathematical Analysis I | 3 | |
| MAÌý426 | Mathematical Analysis II | 3 | |
| MAÌý430 | Mathematical Models in the Physical Sciences | 3 | |
| MIEÌý201 | Introduction to Business Processes | 3 | |
| MIEÌý305 | Legal and Regulatory Environment | 3 | |
| MIEÌý330 | Human Resource Management | 3 | |
| MIEÌý335 | Organizational Behavior | 3 | |
| MSEÌý201 | Structure and Properties of Engineering Materials | 3 | |
| STÌý311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 | |
| STÌý370 | Probability and Statistics for Engineers | 3 | |
| STÌý371 | Introduction to Probability and Distribution Theory | 3 | |
| STÌý431 | Introduction to Experimental Design | 3 | |
| STÌý435 | Statistical Methods for Quality and Productivity Improvement | 3 | |
| STÌý535 | Statistical Methods for Quality and Productivity Improvement | 3 |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| °ä±áÌý101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 | 3 |
| °ä±áÌý102 | General Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 1 |
| ·¡Ìý101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving | 1 |
| ·¡Ìý115 | Introduction to Computing Environments | 1 |
| ENGÌý101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 |
| ²Ñ´¡Ìý141 | Calculus I 1 | 4 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| °ä±áÌý201 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science | 3 |
| °ä±áÌý202 | Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| ECÌý205 | Fundamentals of Economics or Principles of Microeconomics or Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 |
| ²Ñ´¡Ìý241 | Calculus II 1 | 4 |
| ±Ê³ÛÌý205 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I 1 | 3 |
| ±Ê³ÛÌý206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 1 | 1 |
| ±Ê³§·¡Ìý201 | Pulping and Papermaking Technology | 3 |
| Ìý | Hours | 18 |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CHÌý221 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHÌý222 | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| CHEÌý205 | Chemical Process Principles | 4 |
| MAÌý242 | Calculus III | 4 |
| PSEÌý212 | Paper Properties | 4 |
| Ìý | Hours | 16 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CHÌý223 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHÌý224 | Organic Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| PYÌý208 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II | 3 |
| PYÌý209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | 1 |
| PSEÌý371 | Pulping Process Analysis | 3 |
| Advised Elective 1 | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 15 |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| MAEÌý201 | Engineering Thermodynamics I | 3 |
| Engineering Elective | 3 | |
| PSEÌý211 | Pulp and Paper Internship | 1 |
| PSEÌý322 | Wet End and Polymer Chemistry | 4 |
| PSEÌý355 | Pulp and Paper Unit Processes I 2 | 3 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 17 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PSEÌý332 | Wood and Pulping Chemistry | 3 |
| PSEÌý360 | Pulp and Paper Unit Processes II | 3 |
| PSEÌý370 | Pulp and Paper Products and Markets | 3 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 15 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PSEÌý415 | Paper Industry Strategic Project Analysis | 3 |
| PSEÌý417 | Modeling & Simulation of Pulp & Paper Processes | 3 |
| PSEÌý425 | Bioenergy & Biomaterials Engineering | 3 |
| PSEÌý475 | Process Control in Pulp and Paper | 3 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PSEÌý416 | Process Design and Analysis | 3 |
| PSEÌý465 | Process Engineering | 3 |
| PSEÌý472 | Paper Process Analysis | 3 |
| Advised Elective 1 | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 2-3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 17 |
| Ìý | Total Hours | 128 |
- 1
A grade of C- or better is required.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of this curriculum find opportunities for challenging careers as process engineers, product development engineers, process control engineers, chemists, technical service engineers, quality control supervisors, and production supervisors. Design and construction engineering companies employ graduates as project engineers, and pulp and paper machinery/chemical companies use their education and skills for technical service and sales positions. Opportunities for managerial and executive positions are available to graduates as they gain experience.
The broad and intensive nature of this curriculum makes graduates attractive not only to the pulp and paper industry, but also to a variety of other major chemical process and bio-energy industries. This appeal is especially true for the dual degree in Paper Science & Engineering and Chemical Engineering.