SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Plastics
Engineering Technology Curriculum
B.S. Degree
The focus of this major is to prepare graduates with the skills to provide high level technical support to a wide variety of industrial, commercial, developmental, consulting, and sales organization dealing with the development, production and/or sales of plastic products, materials and related fields. The program emphasizes the combined application of engineering principles, practical skills and the latest state-of-the-art technologies.
Students advance through a progression of coordinated courses that combine lecture and extensive hands-on training. This progression begins with a foundation in mathematics, chemistry, and engineering principles. It then continues through education in plastic materials, plastics manufacturing methods, statistical methods, polymer chemistry, tool design, technical communications, product design and product development methodologies. The program features education in the application of the latest computer technologies for the rapid development and commercialization of plastic products. These technologies include CAD (Computer Aided Design), FEA (Finite Element Analysis) and CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) programs such as solids modeling, structural analysis and process and product formation simulation. The program also features one of the largest and best equipped undergraduate plastics processing laboratories in the world. Students are also provided training in project management and management issues related to dealing with the development and production of plastic products in a world market. Beginning Junior year, students begin a three semester independent commercial and/or research project dealing with design, materials and/or processing. Students have a strong record of having their work published in international professional proceedings and journals where they have won over 100 awards. The program also coordinates annual international trips for which nearly 70% of graduating seniors have participated.
The breadth of the plastics field provides graduates the opportunity to enter nearly any industry including automotive, aerospace, medical, electronics, computer, toy and consumer products. Graduates are qualified for positions in product development, part design, tooling design, research, processing, plant engineering, production control, and technical sales in the plastics industry.
This program is accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and may be taken as a four year baccalaureate program or a 2 + 2 degree format. The latter allows graduates of Penn State Erie's associate degree programs in plastics engineering technology to extend their education. The program can also accommodate many of Penn State's 2 MET graduates in a 2 + 3 degree format.
For the B.S. degree in Plastics Engineering Technology, a minimum of 133 credits is required. Each student must earn at least a grade of C in each 300- and 400-level course in the major field.