The Certificate Program in Manufacturing Technology

The Certificate Program in Manufacturing Technology is designed for technical personnel, supervisors, and managers involved in the many manufacturing technology disciplines that require a broad understanding of manufacturing processes, automation methods, and environments. Focusing on the technology of manufacturing processes, the program is designed to correlate theoretical knowledge and the real-world environment of manufacturing technology.

Many of the courses in this certificate program can be applied towards the B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology.

Required Courses: (7)

23.101 Engineering Graphics
23.200 Computer Aided Drafting
23.301 Manufacturing Technology Laboratory
23.305 Manufacturing Processes
23.314 Manufacturing Productivity
23.414 Engineering Economics
23.419 Applied Computer Aided Manufacturing

Certificate Requirements

Students enrolled in UMass Lowell certificate programs must complete all courses, generally consisting of both required courses and electives. Students may complete the certificate program at their own pace, enrolling in one or two courses each semester. Courses on-campus typically meet one night per week, three hours each night, during the Fall and Spring semesters. Online students generally log on to their course site one or more times per week to retrieve lectures and assignments or to participate in a chat session. For more information on online courses, visit our online program home page.

In addition to the Fall and Spring semesters, students may also have the opportunity to accelerate their programs of study during two concentrated six-week Summer sessions. Online courses are also offered during the Summer semester, but typically run from May through August unless otherwise noted. All students should anticipate at least two hours of preparation for every hour of classroom instruction. Students are required to maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or better to receive the certificate.

Application into the Program

Those who wish to enroll in the certificate program should submit a completed application form and arrange to have their official high school transcript or GED sent to Continuing Studies. Applications, transcripts, and other correspondence should be sent to: University of Massachusetts Lowell, Admissions/Online and Continuing Education, Dugan Hall, Room 110, 883 Broadway Street, Lowell, MA 01854-5104. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and there is no fee to apply. Upon acceptance, notification will be sent to students.

Registering for Courses

Continuing Studies offers courses during the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. Information about current course offerings, schedules, and registration procedures is published regularly on our website. If you would like to receive a printed Course Bulletin, please contact our Faculty and Student Support Center at (978) 934-2474.

You may take courses without being officially enrolled in a certificate or degree program, but you must meet the particular course prerequisites. Registrations are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Class size is limited. We recommend that you register early to reserve your place in class.

Transfer Policy

With the program coordinator's approval, one course may be transferred from another accredited institution to satisfy undergraduate certificate program requirements. The course should be equivalent to UMass Lowell instruction, applicable to the intended program, and the student must have received a grade equivalent to a C- (1.70 on a 4.00 scale) or better.

Academic Advising

Program Coordinators and Faculty and Student Support Specialists are available by appointment to help students determine appropriate course loads, discuss admission requirements, and review the transferability of courses. For online advising, email us at Continuing_Education@uml.edu. To schedule an appointment with a Program Coordinator or Faculty and Student Support Specialist, please call Online and Continuing Education at (978) 934-2474. General academic advising is also available at the Faculty and Student Support Center on a drop-in basis, located in Southwick Hall, Room 202 on UMass Lowell North. Call (978) 934-2474 or stop by the office Monday through Thursday between 8:30am-8:00pm and on Friday between 8:30am-5:00pm.

Awarding of Certificates

Upon successful completion of the certificate program, students must submit a completed Certificate Petition Form to Online and Continuing Education. Upon verification, students will be mailed their certificates. Receipt of the certificate will be noted formally on the student's transcript with an award date of October, February, or June.

Tuition

Please refer to our current course listings published online each semester for up-to-date pricing information or refer to the Online and Continuing Education Course Bulletin each semester.

For More Information

For additional information on any of our programs, call Online and Continuing Education at (978) 934-2474 or email Continuing_Education@uml.edu.

For information on Financial Aid, call the Financial Aid Office at (978) 934-4220.

Gainful Employment Disclosure Information

Completion rates, median loan debts and program costs are outlined for each certificate program.

Undergraduate Certificate Gainful Employment Disclosure Information

Course Descriptions

23.101 Engineering Graphics

This course presents material in both class and laboratory format. Topics covered include: geometric constructions; multi-view sketching and projection; sectional views; isometric and oblique drawing; and dimensioning. 2 credits.

23.200 Computer Aided Drafting

This course introduces the student to the use of CAD for construction of basic shapes and multi view drawings. It is a project oriented course introducing the student to graphic design using AutoCAD. AutoCAD, as it is applied in 23.200, is a two dimensional CAD program used to produce computer design models. Course stresses hands-on work with AutoCAD. Course is a fundamentals approach and requires no experience with other CAD programs. Pre-Requisite: 23.101 3 credits. Prerequisite: 23.101

23.301 Manufacturing Technology Laboratory

Understanding of basic machine tools, machine tool practice, related equipment and systems used in manufacturing are the focus of this course. The student will develop an understanding of the relationships between machine tools, engineering, design considerations, and other subject matter studied in the MET program. Lecture, case studies, and laboratory work supported by a basic text with supplemental materials provided will comprise the course format. Theory will be reinforced with applied laboratory sessions where students will obtain hands-on experience in the UML machine shop. 2 credits. Prerequisite: 23.101

23.305 Manufacturing Processes

The course will focus upon a variety of manufacturing processes used for metals, ceramics and plastics, material interactions that occur during manufacturing, mechanical test methodology and material response to stress at different temperatures, methods to select appropriate processes to achieve product specification and methods to investigate process history based on material properties. 3 credits. Prerequisite: 23.301 or equivalent.

23.314 Manufacturing Productivity

The course will focus upon three primary categories of manufacturing improvement: theory of constraints/workflow, work definition and design, and quality improvement. Each students should understand and be conversant in the principles of productivity and able to lead a productivity improvement project upon successful completion of the course. Case studies will be used to illustrate the proper implementation of productivity improvement principles. 3 credits.

23.414 Engineering Economics

This course introduces students to accounting and finance operations and principles, and how they impact engineering and manufacturing activities in both analytical and forward looking planning activities. Topics covered include financial statements, costing, depreciation, time value of money, cash flows, capital budgeting, and capital recovery with the objective of building working financial models for a technical environment. Pre-Requisites: 49.201 Economics I or instructor permission. Proficiency in MS Excel or equivalent. 3 credits. Prerequisite: 49.201 Economics 1 or instructor's permission. Proficiency in MS Excel or equivalent.

23.419 Applied Computer Aided Manufacturing

This course is an introduction to computer aided manufacturing with an overall perspective of the product design process with emphasis on how computers have affected the modern manufacturing environment. Topics include: overview of computer aided design systems, process engineering, basic tooling design, machining, programmable logic controllers (PLC), fundamentals of numerical control (NC), overview of industrial robotics, introduction to group technology (GT), process planning, and concurrent engineering. 3 credits. Prerequisite: 23.200, 23.301