The Graduate Certificate in Plastics Engineering Fundamentals is designed to provide engineering professionals - such as mechanical engineers involved in the manufacturing or design of plastic parts - with the plastics background they generally do not receive as part of their undergraduate education. This four-course online certificate program provides students with the fundamental concepts associated with plastics materials, processing and design.

All of the courses in this certificate program may be applied towards any of the graduate degree programs offered through UMass Lowell's Department of Plastics Engineering.

Intended Audience
The Plastics Engineering Fundamentals Graduate Certificate is open to students that have earned a B.S. Degree in science or engineering. This certificate program is particularly popular amongst engineers involved in manufacturing and those interested in pursuing graduate studies in Plastics Engineering.

Recommended Prerequisite Knowledge
Engineering or Science Bachelor's Degree, plus general chemistry and mathematics.

“UMass Lowell's part-time Graduate Certificate in Plastics Engineering was a convenient way for me to gain the experience I sought because it was available entirely online. My professors were so helpful and responsive, and everything I needed was online – from the library to live chat sessions. The Certificate Program was so convenient and flexible I was able to complete the program in one year.”    -  Sahana Nanjappa

Program Outline
Total Courses: 4; Total Graduate Credits: 12

Required Courses (2):
26.544 Advanced Plastics Materials - Available Fall 2009!
26.578 Advanced Plastics Processing - Available Fall 2009!

Elective Courses (Choose 2):
26.503 Mechanical Behavior of Polymers
26.506 Polymer Structure, Properties & Applications - Available Fall 2009!
26.518 Plastics Product Design
26.576 Advanced Mold Design
26.606 Plastics Manufacturing Systems Engineering - Available Fall 2009!

Do you have questions about the program? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

Applying Into the Program
To apply into this certificate program, download the Application Form in .pdf file format.

Please note: Graduate students will be assessed a “First Year Student Services Fee” upon matriculation into a graduate degree or certificate program. Please see the Accounts Receivable website for more information.

For questions regarding your application status, contact the Graduate School at (800) 656-GRAD.

Credit Transfer Policy
Students enrolled in the Plastics Engineering Fundamentals Certificate Program may transfer one 3-credit graduate course, grade of B or better, taken from an accredited U.S. or Canadian university provided the graduate course content from the other university is substantially equivalent to the certificate course for which it would be substituted. Decisions regarding course equivalency will be made collectively by the Plastics Engineering Department Graduate Coordinators.

Registering for Courses
New Students: Print and complete the Non-Degree Course Registration Form (pdf) and fax it to 978-934-4076 or mail it to: University of Massachusetts Lowell, Enrollment Services/Continuing Studies, Dugan Hall, Room 102, 882 Broadway Street, Lowell, MA  01854-5104.

Current Students: Register online using your UML student account at http://isis.uml.edu
 

Contact Us
If you have a general question regarding the program, please email us at Continuing_Education@uml.edu or call (800) 480-3190.

For specific questions regarding these plastics courses and the plastics certificate program, email onlineplastics@uml.edu

 

Course Descriptions

26.503 Mechanical Behavior of Polymers
Introduction to basic mechanical properties of polymers as linear viscoelastic materials. Concepts of creep, stress relaxation, and superposition principles are emphasized. Dynamic mechanical behavior, interrelations between various properties, electrical behavior, miscellaneous mechanical properties, optical properties. 3 credits.

26.506 Polymer Structure, Properties & Applications
Relationships between polymer structure (chemical composition, molecular weight and flexibility, intermolecular order and bonding, supermolecular structure) and practical properties (processability, mechanical, acoustic, thermal, electrical, optical, and chemical) and applications. 3 credits.

26.518 Plastics Product Design
Theoretical principles and sound engineering practice involved in the design of new end products made from polymers applying the total systems approach to the balance between product design, choice of materials, and process technique, as they affect competitive choice for commercial success. A semester project is required. 3 credits.

26.544 Advanced Plastics Materials
Descriptive course centering on the historical development of polymeric systems, their synthesis, structure, properties, and applications.  Included will be a brief discussion on the typical additives employed to make plastics molding compounds. 3 credits.

26.576 Advanced Mold Design
This course is a continuation of the undergraduate course 26.373. Advanced topics on materials of mold construction, advances in rapid tooling, computerized mold quoting, new developments and methods of forming, cooling, and part ejection are discussed. A more analytical treatment of the subject matter is given based on the relevant Rheology, thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid flow and strength of materials. 3 credits.

26.578 Advanced Plastics Processing
Fundamental principles of polymer processing, the conversion of polymeric materials into useful articles.  Correlation between process variables, material characteristics and part design. 3 credits.

26.606 Plastics Manufacturing Systems Engineering
The course provides guidance about plastics manufacturing as an integrated system with broadly applicable analysis in three areas: 1) machinery, 2) controls, and 3) operations. The machinery topics include heating/cooling, hydraulics/pneumatics, electric drives, and sensors. The controls topics include signal conditioning, data acquisition, machine controllers, and related control laws. The operations topics include process characterization, process optimization, quality control, and automation. The course is developed to support plastics processing engineers and others involved with plastics manufacturing who are performing process development, research, and machine design. 3 credits.

Intensive Training in Plastics Manufacturing
UMass Lowell also offers a variety intensive noncredit training seminars in the latest plastics manufacturing processes. These one- to four-day seminars are held in the University's state-of-the-art facilities throughout the year, but many of them can also be offered onsite at your company. Visit http://continuinged.uml.edu/plastics for additional information!