Textile Engineering
Master of Science in Textile Engineering (MS/TE)
The Master of Science in Textile Engineering program trains students to apply engineering principles to the design, production and testing of fiber and polymer-based materials, textiles and related materials. Students focus on enhancing their understanding of structures, production processes and development related to these materials and products. We offer a thesis and non-thesis option of this program. The non-thesis option can be completed entirely online.
Thesis research has focused on the areas of:
- Biomedical textiles.
- Textile composites.
- Nonwovens.
- E-textiles and smart fibers/fabrics.
- New fibers: sensors, actuators and energy storage.
- Sustainability in materials and processes.
- Flexibility, durability and comfort of textiles for activewear applications.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for firefighters, military and more.
- Product testing and quality control.
- Supply chain optimization.
Students enrolled in this master’s program often pursue a double major in statistics, biomedical engineering, industrial engineering, material science or other fields.
The Master of Science in Textile Engineering overlaps with studies in materials science and chemistry, meaning graduates may research and develop solutions for the integration of chemistry and materials science.
Degree Requirements Master of Science in Textile Engineering (MS/TE)
The Masters of Science in Textile Engineering (MS TE) has two options, a thesis option (Option A) and a non-thesis option (Option B).
M.S. TE Option A (Thesis Degree) Program Requirements
MS TE Option A (Thesis) requires a minimum of 32 credit hours, with a minimum of 24 credit hours (8 courses) meeting the following requirements:
- At least 12 credit hours of courses with substantial engineering content, including courses with TE and TMS prefixes. Substitutions must be approved by the Director of Graduate Programs;
- A minimum of 15 credit hours of courses that are offered by the TECS Department, which may have the following prefixes: TC (PCC), TE, TMS, NW, TT, FPS, and TTM. Note: not all courses with these prefixes are offered by the TECS Department;
- Two semesters of TE601 (Graduate Seminar) are required;
- For the thesis a minimum of six hours of thesis related research is required (TE 695, TE693 or TE630).
Master’s Thesis. The Master’s thesis should be a research exercise that necessitates expertise at the M.S. level and is concentrated in the textile engineering area on a well-defined topic that has a restricted scope.
M.S. TE Option B (Non-Thesis Degree) Program Requirements
MS TE Option B (Non-Thesis) requires a minimum of 32 credit hours, with a minimum of 24 credit hours (8 courses) meeting the following requirements:
- At least 12 credit hours of courses with substantial engineering content, including courses with TE and TMS prefixes. Substitutions must be approved by the Director of Graduate Programs;
- A minimum of 15 credit hours of courses that are offered by the TECS Department, which may have the following prefixes: TC (PCC), TE, TMS, NW, TT, FPS, and TTM. Note: not all courses with these prefixes are offered by the TECS Department;
- Two semesters of TE601 (Graduate Seminar) are required;
- At least six credit hours of project-related work in textile engineering at the 600 level or above, such as TE 630 (Independent Study) or an internship, which will be advised by and evaluated by at least one Graduate Faculty Member in Textile Engineering.
Faculty
- Roger L. Barker
- Ahmed El-Shafei
- Harold S. Freeman
- David Hinks
- Tushar K. Ghosh
- Russell E. Gorga
- Warren J. Jasper
- Jeffrey Allen Joines
- Martin William King
- Marian G. McCord
- Behnam Pourdeyhimi
- Jon Paul Rust
- Renzo Shamey
- Richard J. Spontak
- Alan E. Tonelli
- Xiangwu Zhang
- Philip Bradford
- Emiel DenHartog
- George Lawrence Hodge
- Jesse Jur
- Richard Kotek
- Wendy E. Krause
- Jerome Lavelle
- Sonja Salmon
- Nelson Vinueza
- Januka Budhathoki-Uprety
- Xiaomeng Fang
- Ericka Ford
- Wei Gao
- Jessica Gluck
- Bryan Ormond
- Eunkyoung Shim
- Mengmeng Zhu
Assistant Professor
- Amanda Mills
Emeritus Faculty
- Pamela Banks-Lee
- Robert A. Barnhardt
- Robert Alan Donaldson
- Aly H. El-Shiekh
- Perry L. Grady
- Bhupender S. Gupta
- Peter J Hauser
- Samuel Mack Hudson
- Gary N. Mock
- Mansour H. Mohamed
- William Oxenham
- Stephen Dean Roberts
- Carl B. Smith
- Moon Won Suh
- Michael Herbert Theil
Practice/Research/Teaching Professors
- Hechmi Hamouda
- Benoit Maze
- Jialong Shen
- Tova Nykaila Williams
Adjunct Faculty
- Gisela de Aragao Umbuzeiro
Courses
Theory and application of instruments and control systems used in modern textile plants. Description of basic instruments and computer systems along with their use in process control, production control, research and development.
Prerequisite: TE 305, CSC 114
Typically offered in Spring only
For electronics integration, textiles are considered an unconventional substrate and a potentially disruptive technology space within wearable electronics. The objective of this course is to survey concepts in textile electronics including devices (communication, sensors, energy storage, digital processing) and use cases (military, health, wellness, infotainment). Students will examine materials and processing methods used in textile electronic development. Finally, students will use entrepreneurial design concepts to fabricate a textile electronic system.
R: Masters level standing or Senior standing with GPA >3.25
Typically offered in Spring only
Systematic approach (Lean Six Sigma philosophy) for improving products and processes. Defining the improvement opportunity, measurement system analysis, data collection, statistical analysis, design of experiment (DOE) methods, and statistical process control (SPC) methods. Application of Lean Six sigma methods to improve product or process.
Prerequisite: ST 361 and ST 371, or equivalent
Typically offered in Spring only
Textile information system design, real-world constraints. Principles of hardware, software, security and ethics issues. Emphasis on solving a real world problem. Credit will not be given for both TE 440 and TE 540.
Prerequisite: C- or better in TE 110 and JR standing
Typically offered in Fall only
Quantitative methods of measuring the reliability of complex engineering systems, including statistical analysis, stochastic process, and optimization theory. Emphasis on solving real-world problems through hands-on experience from class projects.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
The course presents scientific principles for characterization and development of comfortable and/or protective textiles and clothing. Properties associated with human tactile response, thermal comfort and heat stress are emphasized. Inherent issues of balancing comfort versus protection are illustrated by research studies on performance garments or protective clothing systems. Methods and standards for evaluating comfort and protective performance range from bench level instruments to system level tests for ensembles using instrumented manikins, human clothing wear trials, and physiological tests.
R: Graduate Standing or Permission of Instructor
Typically offered in Fall only
TE/TC 598 is a 3-credit, intermediate course on fiber manufacturing technologies for the major classes of polymeric and inorganic fibers. The course explores innovations in fiber spinning that were necessitated by advances in polymer chemistry, the need for advanced material properties, as well as socio-economic concerns. The chemistry of polymers is discussed in terms of its role on fiber manufacturing by melt and solution spinning technologies. The microstructure and performance properties of fibers are discussed in context of the manufacturing technology.
R: Senior or Gradate Student Standing
Typically offered in Fall only
This course will provide students with the knowledge of scientific principles on the interactions between textiles and the human body. The students will learn some basics of human physiology, specifically as it relates to the interactions of the human with clothing and other related body worn products (protective wear, e-textile products and sensors). An important part of this course will focus on the thermal strain of humans when being active and wearing (protective) clothing. As the thermal heat balance is an important part of this course, students will learn to do a basic thermal analysis and computation of the human heat balance, including the influence of clothing. Also test and evaluation methods to assess clothing performance will be addressed on thermal aspects as well as addressing other ergonomics aspects of clothing, such as restriction of movement, visual and auditory aspects.
R: Graduate Standing or Permission of Instructor
Typically offered in Fall only
This course concentrates on design, construction, and use of discrete/continuous simulation object-based models employing the SIMIO software, with application to manufacturing, service, and healthcare. The focus is on methods for modeling and analyzing complex problems using simulation objects. Analysis includes data-based modeling, process design, input modeling, output analysis, and the use of 3D animation with other graphical displays. Object-oriented modeling is used to extend models and enhance re-usability.
Typically offered in Spring only
Fiber architecture of textiles used for composites. Manufacturing processes and geometric quantification. Basic analysis for predicting elastic properties. Interrelationship of elastic properties and geometric quantities. Failure criteria for these materials.
Typically offered in Fall only
In-depth study of the engineering design of biomedical polymers and implants. Polymeric biomaterials, including polymer synthesis and structure, polymer properties as related to designing orthopedic and vascular grafts. Designing textile products as biomaterials including surface modification and characterization techniques. Bioresorbable polymers.
Typically offered in Spring only
Polymer microstructures, polymer solutions, polymer physical states (including amorphous polymers, crystalline polymers, polymer melts, melting of polymers, glass-transition, and other transitions), polymer blends, polymer mechanical properties, polymer viscoelasticity and flow, multicomponent polymer systems, and modern polymer topics. The physics of polymer fibers. Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
Typically offered in Fall only
Advanced fiber reinforced composites are considered the best candidates for many important applications in aerospace, transportation, civil infrastructures, and sporting goods industries. This course will give an in-depth look into the raw materials and processing methods to produce these composite materials. In addition to production, topics will be covered on the machining and assembly of composite components, testing, and evaluation of the components.
Typically offered in Spring only
New or special course on developments in textile engineering and science. Specific topics and prerequisites identified vary. Generally used for first offering of a new course.
Prerequisite: Senior standing or Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Typically offered in Spring only
Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall only
For students in non thesis master's programs who have completed all other requirements of the degree except preparing for and taking the final master's exam.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Thesis Research
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Spring only
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hour requirements and full-time enrollment for the master's degree and are writing and defending their thesis. Credits arranged
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall only