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Graduate, Online & Professional Studies
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Available entirely online! 
Graduate Certificate Program in Plastics Engineering Fundamentals
Build up your plastics engineering credentials and advance your knowledge of polymeric
material systems and their effective use at UMass Lowell — an internationally recognized
leader in plastics engineering education.
Get more information today: |
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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.
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.
For specific questions regarding these plastics courses and the plastics certificate program, email onlineplastics@uml.edu.
Students, especially international or out-of-state students, can take these online courses while living in their home country or state, leading to significant cost savings by reducing on-campus living expenses. For example, most full-time, on-campus students take 18 or more months to complete their M.S. in Plastics Engineering. A student taking four online courses could complete their M.S. degree requirements by spending only about 12 months at Lowell, since they would be able to transfer 12 credits from their online graduate certificate into the Master's Degree in Plastics Engineering. Also, the Plastics Engineering Department will waive the GRE requirement if you complete the certificate with a GPA of 3.5 or better.
- Required Courses: 2
- Electives: 2
Students enrolled in graduate certificate programs through UMass Lowell must complete all courses indicated in the curriculum outline. Students may complete the certificate program at their own pace by registering for and successfully completing one or more courses each semester, depending upon his/her personal time constraints. Students are required to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 with no more than one course grade below B to receive the certificate.
Online courses meet throughout the year during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters (see Calendar for details). Online students generally log into their online course website one or more times per week to retrieve lectures and assignments or to participate in a chat session. Online students should expect to spend 6 to 10 hours per week engaged in course-related activities for each course. For more information on online courses, visit our online program home page .
Graduate certificate courses must be completed within a five-year period with a minimum 3.0 grade point average and no more than one course with a grade below B. Once all courses for a graduate certificate have been completed, students must complete and submit the Graduate Certificate Clearance Form. Please submit your completed form to: UMass Lowell Registrar's Office, 220 Pawtucket Street, Lowell, MA 01854-5129. Forms can also be scanned and emailed to thesolutioncenter@uml.edu.
UMass Lowell has built a solid reputation by offering one of the largest selections of online programs available through a traditional university. Courses are taught by full-time faculty who are experts in their fields, and by adjunct faculty who, as practicing professionals, bring real-world experience to online class discussions.
We are committed to providing you with high-quality, affordable online programs that make earning your degree or certificate more convenient than ever before. Our students have access to online course technical support 24x7, and our academic advisors are here to help every step of the way.
MECH.2110, MECH.2150, MATH.2340, MA
26.202 pre-re or Grad Career.
26.211 Engineering Mechanics, 26.218 Introduction to Design or Graduate career students. (Pre-requisites are enforced only for undergraduate plastics engineering students).
CSCE Graduate Restrictions
CSCE Graduate Restrictions
At UMass Lowell, we believe that students should have as much information as possible up front so they can make informed decisions before enrolling in a degree program or signing up for a course.
Tuition for all undergraduate courses offered through the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies is the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition for all online graduate courses is also the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition is priced per credit. To calculate the tuition for a course, simply multiply the per-credit tuition by the total number of credits per course. Exception: If the total number of course contact hours is greater than the total number of credits, the per-credit tuition is instead multiplied by the total number of contact hours.
Fall 2021 Tuition |
Per Credit / Contact Hour |
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Graduate Online Courses (Except Graduate Online Business*, IT, Engineering and Education Courses)
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$575.00 |
| Graduate Online Business* Courses | $655.00 |
| Graduate Online IT and Engineering Courses** | $590.00 |
*Applies to courses with the following prefixes: ACCT, BUSI, ENTR, FINA, MGMT, MKTG, MIST, POMS offered through the Manning School of Business
**Applies to courses with the following prefixes: CHEN, CIVE, EECE, ENGN, MECH, PLAS offered through the Francis College of Engineering. Applies also to MSIT courses in the Master's in Information Technology, Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity and the Graduate Certificate in Systems Models and Management.
The cost to audit a course will be charged the rates listed above.
Additional Fees |
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| Registration Fee per Term | $30.00 |
| Late Fee for Nonpayment | $50.00 |
| Fee for Graduate Degree and Certificate Applications, Francis College of Engineering Programs | $75.00 |
You can take courses without being officially enrolled in a certificate or degree program, but you must meet 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.
For more information, please visit our Registration Page.
UMass Lowell Graduate Certificate Programs provide knowledge and expertise that are vital in today's rapidly changing workplace. In many cases, graduate certificate courses may be applied toward a master's degree at UMass Lowell. Most graduate certificates consist of four courses, for a total of 12 graduate credits. This is a great way to earn a graduate-level credential on the way to earning your master's.
Holders of an appropriate bachelor's degree
Learn more about specific application requirements for your program of interest. When you're ready, you can apply online or download an application at http://www.uml.edu/grad.
There is a $50 application fee for all programs except engineering, for which there is a $75 application fee. NO Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required for graduate certificate programs. Credits earned from a graduate certificate may be used toward a related graduate degree with the approval of the graduate program coordinator. Students who complete a graduate certificate with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or better in a UMass Lowell graduate certificate program may be able to waive the GRE when applying to a related master's degree. Graduate Certificate Programs must be completed within a five-year period with a minimum 3.0 grade point average and with not more than one course with a grade below B. Courses completed for one certificate may not be used for other certificates. Once you have completed all of the courses required for your certificate, please complete and submit the Graduate Certificate Clearance Form.
For specific information regarding any of the above application materials (which may vary for some programs), please see UMass Lowell's Graduate Application Requirements at https://www.uml.edu/Grad/Process/.
Applications can be completed and submitted at any time during the year. Each application is processed — and each applicant notified — as soon as all admissions materials have been received and reviewed. For additional details, please visit https://www.uml.edu/grad/.
Admission to all graduate programs at UMass Lowell is contingent upon successful completion of a bachelor's degree. In many cases, applicants may register for a course before they have formally applied into the program; however, students requiring financial aid may want to wait until they have been formally accepted into the program to ensure that their course(s) will be covered. Contact UMass Lowell's Office of Graduate Admissions if you have questions about the application process.
Email Graduate_Admissions@uml.edu or call 800-656-4723 (for U.S. students) or 978-934-2390 (for international students).
For general questions about registering for courses or to find out who the advisor is for your graduate program, call 800-480-3190. Our admissions and advising teams are here to help!
