Products made by the plastics industry range from simple articles like bottles and cups to highly intricate molded parts for the automotive, electronics, and medical products industries. Their production requires knowledgeable technologists who can design a product, select the best plastic for that product, design a mold, and establish the optimum operating conditions for the machines that are used to mold the product. The plastics engineering technology program prepares you to become a member of the team that accomplishes these objectives.

The program emphasizes plastics processing operations and includes significant components in the areas of materials, mold design, and production methods. Graduates of the program are prepared to assume professional positions in the plastics manufacturing industry. Typical job titles are process engineer, project engineer, and production manager.

Program Educational Objectives (PEOs)

The educational objectives of the Plastics Engineering Technology Program at SSU are to produce graduates who, within a few years of graduation, are able to:

1. be successfully employed in an engineering technology or related field, or accepted into graduate programs;
2. be effective in the design of engineering technology solutions and the practical application of engineering technology principles using high safety standards;
3. be able to demonstrate initiative and ownership, either as a leader or a member of a team;
4. demonstrate effective listening and communication skills;
5. understand and apply professional, ethical, and quality standards of excellence, consistent with the plastics industry (and SPE Code of Ethics);
6. expand knowledge and capabilities through continuing education or other lifelong learning experiences in preparation for tomorrow’s world;
7. serve their communities, whether locally, nationally, or globally; respecting diversity, cultures, legislation and the environment.

Plastics Engineering Technology Student Outcomes (SOs) - ABET (1-5)

Proposed ETAC outcomes beginning 2019-20

By the time students graduate from the Plastics Engineering Technology program, they are expected to have:

1. an ability to apply knowledge, techniques, skills, and modern tools of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology to solve broadly-defined engineering problems appropriate to discipline;
2. an ability to design systems, components, or processes meeting specific needs for broadly-defined engineering problems appropriate to the discipline;
3. an ability to apply written, oral, and graphical communication in broadly-defined technical and non-technical environments; and an ability to identify and use appropriate technical literature;
4. an ability to conduct standard tests, measurements, and experiments and to analyze and interpret the results to improve processes; and
5. an ability to function effectively as a member or leader on a technical team.