B.S. Packaging

Use your creativity and develop the technical knowledge to solve practical problems!
Degree Type Bachelor of Science
Careers & Salaries Annual Employment Report
Delivery On Campus

Packaging is a dynamic, multibillion-dollar industry in need of well-educated people. The projected demand for packaging professionals significantly exceeds the number of future graduates. Our specialized staff has developed a curriculum to prepare graduates to work with both traditional and emerging materials, manufacturing processes and technologies.

Your Packaging degree can lead to positions with local, national or international companies. / UW-Stout

UW-Stout is one of only a few schools in the United States (and the only school in the UW System) that offer a B.S. degree in Packaging. The program combines general education with technical and professional studies. You will have an opportunity to apply theory to real problems. Through laboratory and co-op work experiences, you will apply the principles of science, mathematics and communications skills.

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Program Overview

View the B.S. Packaging program plan which includes credit requirements and course descriptions.

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View the Dual Level program plan that provides students within the B.S. Packaging program the opportunity to apply to the M.S. Operations and Supply Management program and earn a Master’s degree.

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UW-Stout's Bachelor of Science degree in Packaging leads to interesting, challenging and rewarding careers in:

  • Package design
  • Business and sales
  • Package printing
  • Manufacturing and quality management
  • Food packaging
  • Research and development

Our packaging program has been developed to meet the needs of business and industry, and focuses on applying technical knowledge to solve practical problems. We offer:

  • Excellent employment rate and starting salaries
  • Required co-op experience
  • An active industry advisory board
  • Scholarships and design competitions

Areas of Emphasis:

  • Package Graphics Design
  • Manufacturing/Quality
  • Foods/Packaging
  • Business/Sales
  • Package Printing
  • Package Design, Research, and Development
  • Packaging Machinery
  • Plastics
  • Sustainability
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98% of Our Graduates are Employed or Continuing Education

Our program includes a highly successful cooperative education program and the Stout Technology Transfer Institute, a nationally recognized center that assists industry in solving problems. As you progress toward graduation, both will provide opportunities for you to gain on-the-job experiences while still enrolled at the university.

"The opportunities are endless here at UW-Stout. If you are consistent, work hard, and keep your priorities, you can achieve anything you want and have a blast at the same time."

-- Garrett Peterson
B.S. Packaging

Use the Request Information form to receive a program summary and learn more about the Bachelor of Science degree in Packaging.

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Graphic Media and Print Management Minor

Build on your current creative, technical, business and management course skills to solve problems, analyze needs, and plan graphic projects.
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Preparing for Packaging

Industry's packaging problems are not only technical in nature. They are also social and economic. Packaging professionals must, therefore, have a broad education.

The first two years of the program includes English composition, speech communications, and other general education offerings as well as calculus, chemistry, physics, computer applications and foundation packaging courses.

As You Progress

The trend in the packaging industry is to hire employees who can function in more than one area at career entry. UW-Stout's Packaging program recognizes this trend by offering the student the opportunity to select an "emphasis" which includes course and lab work beyond the technical core of the program. Students can select from several emphasis areas; package graphic design, package printing, manufacturing/quality, business/sales, foods/packaging, or package design, research and development.

An off-campus co-op experience in the packaging industry of at least six months is strongly encouraged. Today's employers show a preference for the graduate who has completed at least one co-op.

Student professional organizations offer another opportunity to learn outside the classroom setting. The UW-Stout student chapter of the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) helps packaging program students begin "networking" with their professional colleagues.

Career Opportunities

Entry Positions

The packaging industry seeks qualified professionals with a broad-based career entry education. A B.S. degree in Packaging can lead to positions with local, national or international firms. Entry level is determined by several variables, including the emphasis selected, work experience, personal contacts, grade point average and economic cycles.

Typical Job Titles

  • Senior Packaging Engineer
  • Distribution Sales Manager
  • Sales Engineer
  • Design Department Manager
  • Structural Designer
  • Packaging Specialties Buyer
  • Package Cushioning Designer
  • Product Development Manager
  • Package Testing and Development Engineer
  • Technical Services
  • Customer Service/Package Engineer

Where Graduates Work

  • General Mills
  • International Paper
  • Snap-On Tools
  • Abbott Laboratories
  • Digital Computer
  • Medtronic
  • Bristol Meyers
  • Kell Container
  • Kohler
  • Helene Curtis
  • Hormel
  • Federal Express
  • Georgia-Pacific
  • IBM
  • H.B. Fuller
  • Baxter
  • GM-Delco
  • FRITO-LAY
  • 3M
Program Advisory Committee

Program Advisory Committee Members

 
Larry  Anderson VP Operations TEN-E Packaging
Tony  Baker Engineering Manager Johnson Controls
Brian Barts Director-Career Services UW-Stout
Chris Bendel STEMM College Assoc. Dean UW-Stout
Tom Blanck VP Sales & Marketing Shippers Supply Inc.
Andy Busteed Packaging Engineer 3M
Min Liu Degruson Packaging Program Faculty UW-Stout
David Ding Director, SOE and Associate Dean UW-Stout
Dan Dressel Packaging Engineer II Johnsonville Sausage
Michelle Duda Project Packaging Engineer FedEx
Matt Ellwanger Project Engineer Syntegon
Garrett Griswold Lead Packaging Engineer - Personal Care Kimberly-Clark Corp.
Josh  Haen Director Research & Development, Quality Wright Packaging Consulting
Vanessa Hinrichs Sr. Supply Chain Manager Polaris Industries
Jon Hunter VP of Operations Team Packaging Company
Greg  Johnson Sales Manager FoamCraft Packaging 
Anna Kent Student Packaging Association- Membership Chair UW-Stout
Kyle Kozlowski R & D Package Engineer Johnsonville Sausage LLC
Xiaojing Liu Packaging Program Faculty UW-Stout
Lubs Tony Director II, Global Packaging Engineering Ecolab
Ian McClaire Supply Chain Manager Schreiber Foods
Jake Meicher Packaging Project Engineer Kohler Company
Zach  Schmidtknecht VP, General Manager Great Northern Corporation
Eric Sinz Director of Packaging Target
Brett Sweeney General Manager Packaging Corporation of America
Claire Thurbush R & D Manager General Mills
Jason  Vande Loo Director of Strategic Business Development Belmark
Tom Wetsch Chief Innovation Officer Pregis LLC

Packaging

All Packaging News
Inspiring Graduate Anna Kent, B.S. Packaging Featured Image

Inspiring Graduate Anna Kent, B.S. Packaging

'Stout’s ability to encourage students to delve into industry before they graduate is incredible.'
Packaging and video production students win big in 48-hour national industry competition Featured Image

Packaging and video production students win big in 48-hour national industry competition

Cross-disciplinary work on e-commerce box strengthens their skills, connections for future careers
Inspiring Graduate Sarah Webber, B.S. Packaging Featured Image

Inspiring Graduate Sarah Webber, B.S. Packaging

'My Stout experience was about becoming a valuable member of society, learning about how to make an impact and understanding the world around me.'