Advanced Polymer Materials – Postgraduate Diploma

Course delivery and assessment is structured at Core level in semester 1 and Advanced level in semester 2, allowing the students to enhance their knowledge to a highly scientific level. The advanced nature of the content will ensure these students are employed in senior technical roles where their scientific excellence is valued. Companies rely on talented technologists in an increasingly competitive market to continually innovate and add value. Innovative improvements in design and processes are key to improving competitive advantage. Highly skilled and well trained technologists are the drivers of this.

The flexible approach of delivery of the programme will allow for greater participation, particularly for those who are employed.

Each module will give the participant the opportunity to develop these skills through Problem Based Learning(PBL) based approaches to teaching and learning. The learner will acquire an understanding of the techniques and methodologies for self-management and team working, creative and innovative problem solving and responsiveness to change. The objective of the programme is not to address these skills separately, but to embed and acknowledge their importance within the programme so that they can be practically applied and developed.

Furthermore modules require students to engage reflectively on their own work environment and organisation, including their responses to certain scenarios. Their assignments across all modules will be work-related and applied. In cases, where people are unemployed and/or returners, they will receive projects targeting specific industries and using case study and reference material will be required to demonstrate an applied knowledge.

The student will also have to carry out an Industrial Project. This is a 10 credit module which will focused on applied skills. This will be either through their own employment or through a partner company and agreed with a project supervisor on the programme. Industrial support through guest lectures, and also in demonstrating examples of best practice is a key component of the program and will help inform their choice of project.

Programme Content
• Core Polymer Materials
• Core Polymer Processing
• Core Polymer Characterisation
• Advanced Polymer Chemistry and Physics
• Advanced Polymer Materials
• Advanced Polymer Processing
• Advanced Polymer Characterisation
• Advanced Polymer Chemistry and Physics
• Team Project

This programme will be delivered online and TUS Athlone Campus

This is an applied multidisciplinary programme that gives learners an understanding of the material characteristics, processing behaviour, characterization and application of polymers for advanced manufacturing applications.

• If you work in or would like to work in the polymer industry or in any industry that uses polymers (like the medical device, aerospace or automotive industries) and would like to know more about how the materials work.
• If you have a level 8 degree and want to get upskilled in the use of polymers / plastics or would like to convert from your current field to a polymer specialisation.
• If you have qualifications and experience in the area of working with polymer materials and would like to formalise your experience and work towards Postgraduate Diploma or a Masters

Polymer graduates find employment in advanced manufacturing industries across Ireland and internationally. Typical roles include process engineers, new product development engineers, material scientists and Research and development engineers in Medtech, Pharma, Automotive and Aerospace companies.

Graduates will be eligible to progress to a Master of Science in Advanced Polymer Materials via the completion of a supplementary thesis Please note the Master of Science in Advance Polymer Materials is not Springboard+ funded and will incur an additional cost.

The main programme aim is to equip learners with knowledge of advanced polymer materials for manufacturing areas such as the medical device, automotive and pharmaceutical sectors. Graduates will be prepared to specify, work with and test polymer materials in addition to gaining process knowledge and an appreciation for new and emerging materials and process methods.

Graduates will be eligible to progress to a Master of Science in Advanced Polymer Materials via the completion of a supplementary thesis. This will not be funded by Springboard+ so charges will apply if you choose to do this.

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Programme Delivery

10 hour per week plus one week lab/practical at the end of each semester. This may be online or face to face. Dates to be confirmed.