Program Overview

Introduction to the Graduate Certificate Program in Medical Plastics Design and Manufacturing

The University of Massachusetts Lowell offers a 100% online graduate certificate program in Medical Plastics Design and Manufacturing. This program is designed to prepare medical professionals, engineers, and technologists to thrive in the field of medical plastics. The program consists of four courses and can be completed in 9 months.

Career Outlook

A Graduate Certificate in Medical Plastics Design and Manufacturing can advance a career in the medical products industry, opening significant career opportunities with medical plastics manufacturers, medical sales, and design firms. According to Lightcast, there were 14,290 jobs in this field in 2023, with a median earnings of $152K/yr and an expected 1.8% change in employment.

Key Takeaways

The program covers various aspects of medical plastics design and manufacturing, including:

• Developing a systematic approach to inventing new medical devices
• Validating medical needs, including market assessment, evaluation of existing technologies, basic FDA regulations, and early prototyping
• Presenting and preparing a medical device proposal
• Understanding the historical, current, and future applications of biomedical devices
• Learning research techniques to analyze different classes of biomaterials

Curriculum Outline

The program consists of 4 courses, totaling 12 credits. The required courses are:

• PLAS.5530 Medical Device Design I (3cr)
• PLAS.5750 Biomaterials in Medical Applications (3cr) The elective courses are:
  • BMBT.5000 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology (3cr)
  • PLAS.5030 Mechanical Behavior of Polymers (3cr)
  • PLAS.5180 Plastics Product Design (3cr)
  • PLAS.5550 Medical Device Processing (3cr)

Course Descriptions

BMBT.5000 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology (3cr)

This team-taught introductory course emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to current topics in biomedical engineering and biotechnology.

PLAS.5030 Mechanical Behavior of Polymers (3cr)

This course covers topics such as linear viscoelasticity, creep, stress relaxation, dynamic behavior, hysteresis, stress-strain response phenomena, and principles of time-temperature superposition.

PLAS.5180 Plastics Product Design (3cr)

This course reviews the theoretical principles and engineering practice associated with the development of new plastic products, focusing on design practices for products produced by conventional and advanced injection molding processes.

PLAS.5530 Medical Device Design I (3cr)

This course details the process of validating medical needs, including market assessment, evaluation of existing technologies, basics of regulatory (FDA) and reimbursement planning, brainstorming, and early prototyping for concept creation.

PLAS.5550 Medical Device Processing (3cr)

This course provides a critical analysis of current methods of medical device manufacturing, focusing on processing and performance considerations.

PLAS.5750 Biomaterials in Medical Applications (3cr)

This course provides a comprehensive study of the history, current, and future trends within biomedical devices and their applications, introducing research techniques used to analyze different classes of biomaterials.

Graduate Certificate Requirements

Students must complete all courses indicated in the curriculum outline, maintaining a minimum grade point average of 3.000 with no more than one course grade below B.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition for online programs is among the lowest in the nation. The cost per credit is $610, with a total cost of $1,830 per 3-credit course.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must submit an application, application fee, official transcripts, and official test scores (if required). A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is required.

Additional Information

F1 student visas are not issued for this program. Certificates must be completed within 5 years. Official transcripts can be sent electronically or by mail.