Polymer engineering is generally an engineering

Engineering

Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...

 field that designs, analyses, and/or modifies polymer materials. Polymer engineering covers aspects of petrochemical industry, polymerization

Polymerization

In polymer chemistry, polymerization is a process of reacting monomer molecules together in a chemical reaction to form three-dimensional networks or polymer chains...

, structure and characterization of polymers, properties of polymers, compounding

Compounding

Compounding is the mixing of drugs by a compounding pharmacist to fit the unique needs of a patient...

 and processing of polymers and description of major polymers, structure property relations and applications.
The basic division of polymers into thermoplastics and thermosets helps define their areas of application.