The basic college degree in plastics would be a Bachelor of Science in plastics engineering technology. Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan has offered such a program since 1982. Industry support for Ferris includes donations of equipment, on-campus presentations by industry personnel and paid field trips to observe first hand the making of plastics. You receive two paid internships of 10 weeks each as part of your education. Some out-of-state companies have even paid students room and board in addition to the pay to attract interns.
If you're seeking further education beyond the bachelor's degree or for the engineering employed in the plastics seeking further advancement, the masters degree offers that option. The University of Massachusetts Lowell, at part of the Department of Plastics Engineering in Lowell, lists under its graduate programs a Master of Science in plastics engineering. Areas of study include rubber and elastomer technology, medical plastics, coatings, and adhesives. You have the option of a thesis or non-thesis masters. Full-time students generally select the thesis option, allowing them to perform research and present a paper. Part-time students employed as engineers in the plastics industry tend to select the non-thesis option which requires an additional course to replace the thesis.
Doctoral programs allow you to receive further or specialized training in plastics. One school, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, offers prospective doctoral students the opportunity to earn a doctorate in macromolecular science and engineering. Four cores comprise the basics of the program. Those courses include polymer synthesis, polymer physical chemistry, polymer physics and polymer engineering. You must also take an engineering course along with a basic science course from the departments of biology, biochemistry, chemistry or physics.
For students seeking technical management positions in the plastics industry or teaching positions in universities, the doctor of engineering/doctor of philosophy degrees offered by the University of Massachusetts Lowell provide the necessary education. Lowell also offers a doctor of engineering in plastics engineering, which has less technical courses than the doctorate and replaces them with a management component. Both programs focus on management and teaching career options for graduates.