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Our Plastics Engineering Technology bachelor's degree program is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the dynamic and rapidly growing field of plastics engineering. With a curriculum that combines theoretical foundations with extensive hands-on experience, our program prepares you for a successful career in the plastics industry.
Our Plastics Engineering Technology program offers a comprehensive education in the design, processing, testing, materials, tooling, and development of plastic applications. From lightweighting and scrap rate reduction to the production of life-saving medical products, you will learn the latest technologies and methodologies used in the industry, so you are ready to meet the demands of today's employers and build a rewarding career.
We believe doing is the best way to learn. Our state-of-the-art labs and facilities provide you with numerous hands-on learning opportunities. You'll get your hands dirty with real-world projects, use cutting-edge and industry-standard equipment, and participate in internships that offer invaluable practical experience.
As Michigan's only bachelor's degree program in plastics, Ferris State has the respect of the industry. We have helped develop leaders and innovators more than 50 years. As a result, you can expect a virtually 100% placement rate in the industry after graduation.
Plastics is one of the world's largest industries. There simply are not enough graduates to fill the demand. But Ferris State students do far more than just fill job openings. They are inspiring innovation, driving efficiency, and elevating the entire industry.
Median Salary
$99,380 per year
Growth
12% Nationally (much faster than average)
Tom Van Pernis
Program Coordinator, Associate Professor
(231) 591-2634
TomVanPernis@Ferris.edu
Schedule a Tour
Tour the plastics facilities with Professor Van Pernis to see first-hand how Ferris State will accelerate your education forward.
“Plastics Engineering Technology at Ferris State stood out as a program where I could get hands-on learning. It has been an amazing experience. What I have gained from working for the university, being a community servant and all my opportunities to learn and grow have brought me the skills I will need to succeed in post-graduate learning and my career.”
Haley Dobbyn, 2024 Plastics Engineering Technology graduate
If you're going to accomplish big things in the real world, you need to learn on real-world equipment. Our learning laboratory will put the best tools in your hands so you are ready to tackle your career in the industry right away.
Schedule a tour of the Plastics Lab to see what's in store for you as a Ferris State Bulldog.
The Ferris State Processing Lab is one of the best equipped in the country. Get hands-on experience with injection molding, thermoforming, extrusion, and more while also using a wide variety of auxiliary equipment such as dryers, granulators, and cavity pressure monitoring systems.
In our Decorating & Assembly Lab you build your skills with ultrasonic welding, heat staking, solvent bonding, pad printing, hot stamping, and more. You will also experiment with a wide range of surface treatment methods.
In the Robotics Lab, you will learn how to program and optimize Cartesian and 6-axis robots that are instrumental in the production of plastics products.
In the rubber lab you will compound rubber material, test its properties, and produce rubber products.
In the Testing Lab, you learn how to run industry-standard tests, such as impact, tensile, flexural, heat deflection, and melt index. You will also utilize this equipment in processing courses to observe how changing variables affects the mechanical properties of plastics products.
The Tooling Lab is where you will take your Mold and Product Design courses. You build your knowledge of blueprint reading, mold component identification, and computer mold filling analysis.
From developing life-saving medical equipment to manufacturing innovative automotive parts, your career in the plastics industry will require you to be adaptable and prepared for almost anything. Plastics students at Ferris State develop versatile set of skills so they remain at the forefront of the industry, even as technology, materials, and processes evolve.
