Program Overview

Graduate Studies-Packaging (GSP) Program

The Graduate Studies-Packaging (GSP) program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the packaging value chain, from raw material supplier to retailers. The program focuses on increasing innovation, sustainability, cost savings, quality, organizational agility, and responsiveness in the packaging arena.

Program Overview

The GSP program is offered by the Orfalea College of Business (OCOB) and is designed for graduate students who want to specialize in packaging. The program consists of several courses that cover various aspects of packaging, including packaging materials, packaging laws and regulations, packaging design, and distribution packaging.

Courses

The following courses are offered as part of the GSP program:

• GSP 530: Packaging Value Chain (2 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Winter, Summer
  • Prerequisite: OCOB graduate standing or approval from the Associate Dean
  • Description: Packaging value chain from raw material supplier to retailers in the context of meeting current needs within the packaging arena.
• GSP 532: Packaging Materials (4 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Fall
  • Prerequisite: OCOB graduate standing or approval from the Associate Dean of OCOB
  • Corequisite: GSP 530
  • Description: Fundamental and physical properties of packaging materials. Processing of materials. Design and fabrication of packaging materials for efficient, economically viable and environmental sustainable product-package systems for global supply chain solutions.
• GSP 533: Advanced Packaging Laws and Regulations (3 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Winter
  • Prerequisite: OCOB graduate standing or approval from the Associate Dean
  • Corequisite: GSP 530
  • Description: Overview of packaging laws and regulations. Content ranges from FDA, USDA, FTC, and EPA concepts, to labeling and structural issues such as bio-terror, product security and environmental packaging to materials issues, litigation, international concepts and intellectual property issues.
• GSP 535: Packaging Value in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (3 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Summer
  • Prerequisite: OCOB graduate standing or approval from the Associate Dean
  • Corequisite: GSP 530
  • Description: Integrated view of procurement, operations and logistics management. Management of the flow of products from raw material sourcing and acquisition through delivery to the final user. Capturing and understanding the value across these flows and how to increase it.
• GSP 536: Packaging Design (4 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Fall
  • Prerequisite: OCOB graduate standing or approval from the Associate Dean
  • Corequisite: GSP 530
  • Description: Overview of structural and graphic design concepts for package design with focus on creating value throughout the entire packaging value chain.
• GSP 537: Distribution Packaging for Business Managers (4 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Summer
  • Prerequisite: OCOB graduate standing or approval from the Associate Dean of OCOB
  • Description: Physical properties of distribution packaging and equipment used in prototyping and testing of product-packaging systems for global supply chains. Application of packaging knowledge to solve distribution packaging problems in modern business, with a view towards costs and environmental sustainability.
• GSP 538: Quality Evaluation of Packaged Products (4 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Winter
  • Prerequisite: OCOB graduate standing or approval from the Associate Dean
  • Corequisite: GSP 530
  • Description: Overview of the role of quality of packaged product and techniques used for testing and evaluating quality of consumer products as related to material quality assessment, product-package interaction and human-package interaction.
• GSP 539: Marketing and Sales for Packaged Products (4 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Winter
  • Prerequisite: OCOB graduate standing or approval from the Associate Dean
  • Corequisite: GSP 530
  • Description: Packaging as a means to increase sales of product. Package design, structure, materials and production costs. Exploration of color, imagery, sustainability, and recent trends.
• GSP 540: Quantitative Analysis for Packaging (4 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Spring
  • Prerequisite: OCOB graduate standing or approval from the Associate Dean
  • Corequisite: GSP 530
  • Description: Analytical and quantitative techniques. Summary measures, smoothing, interpolation curve fitting, root-finding, extrema. Numerical differentiation, integration. Boundary value problems. Numerical simulation.
• GSP 541: Corporate Finance for Packaging (4 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Spring
  • Prerequisite: OCOB graduate standing or approval from the Associate Dean
  • Corequisite: GSP 530
  • Description: Decisions with financial implications for firms' owners and stakeholders in the context of packaging. Choice of best packaging alternative from the financial standpoint.
• GSP 591: Applied Industry Project I (5 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Spring
  • Prerequisite: OCOB graduate standing or approval from the Associate Dean
  • Description: Initiation, completion and presentation of an individual project, involving research, allowing an opportunity to apply knowledge, skills, and competencies to address a significant issue in the field of packaging value chain, preferably in connection with the student's employment.

Program Requirements

To be eligible for the GSP program, students must meet the admission requirements set by the Orfalea College of Business. These requirements include:

• Holding a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• Having a minimum GPA of 3.0
• Submitting official transcripts and test scores (if required)
• Obtaining approval from the Associate Dean of OCOB (if necessary)

Conclusion

The Graduate Studies-Packaging (GSP) program at California Polytechnic State University is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the packaging value chain. The program consists of several courses that cover various aspects of packaging, including packaging materials, packaging laws and regulations, packaging design, and distribution packaging. Students who complete the program will be well-prepared to address significant issues in the field of packaging and to make informed decisions in their future careers.