University Catalog 2024-2025

Textile Technology (BS): Medical Textiles Concentration

Our B.S. in Textile Technology is perfect for students who want a hands-on, applied science education spent in labs instead of behind a desk. 

Textile technology students learn not only about the fibers that make up the textiles we use in everything from outdoor gear to sneakers, but also about business, management and manufacturing. They then apply this knowledge to work with textile engineering students and industry partners on a year-long Senior Design project. 

The Medical Textiles concentration covers design and methods of production of state-of-the-art textile products and devices used in medical applications including sutures for wound closing to cardiac support devices. It is one of three concentrations students can pursue within our B.S. in Textile Technology. 

Contact

Dr. Ericka Ford
Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science Department
Wilson College of Textiles
enford@ncsu.edu

Plan Requirements

Orientation
T 101Strategies for Success in the Wilson College of Textiles1
MA/ST and Natural Sciences
MA 131Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A 13-4
or MA 141 Calculus I
MA 231Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B3-4
or MA 241 Calculus II
ST 311Introduction to Statistics3
or ST 370 Probability and Statistics for Engineers
CH 101
CH 102
Chemistry - A Molecular Science
and General Chemistry Laboratory 1
4
PY 205
PY 206
Physics for Engineers and Scientists I
and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory
4
or PY 211 College Physics I
PY 208
PY 209
Physics for Engineers and Scientists II
and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory
4
or PY 212 College Physics II
Major Requirements
EC 205Fundamentals of Economics3
FTM 217The Textile Industry3
MT 366Biotextile Product Development3
PCC 302Technology of Textile Wet Processing4
MT 105Introduction to Medical Textiles3
or TT 105 Introduction to Textile Technology
TE 200Introduction to Polymer Science and Engineering3
TE 201Fiber Science4
TT 327Yarn Production and Properties4
TT 331Performance Evaluation of Textile Materials4
TT 341Knitted Fabric Technology3
TT 351Woven Products and Processes3
TT 380Management and Control of Textile and Apparel Systems3
TT 401Textile Technology Senior Design I4
TT 402Textile Technology Senior Design II4
TT 431Quality Management and Control In Textile Manufacturing3
TT 404Introduction to Nonwovens Products and Processes 3
TT 481Design and Technology of Technical Textiles3
Medical Textiles Concentration
BIO 183Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology4
MT 432Evaluation of Biotextiles3
Medical Textiles Electives11
GEP Courses
Acad Writing Resarch 14
GEP Humanities6
GEP Social Sciences3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies2
GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion3
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives5
GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
World Language Proficiency (verify requirement)
Total Hours120
1

C- or better

Acad Writing Research

Acad Writing Research
ENG 101Academic Writing and Research4
FLE 101Academic Writing and Research4
Transfer Sequence
ENG 1 GEP 3
ENG 202Disciplinary Perspectives in Writing3

Medical Textiles Electives

BIO 240Principles of Human Anatomy & Physiology (A): Nervous, Skeletal, Muscular, & Digestive Systems4
BIO 310Quantitative Approaches to Biological Problems3
BIO 361Developmental Biology3
BIO 405Functional Histology3
BIO 414Cell Biology3
BIO 416Cancer Cell Biology3
BIO 432Evolutionary Medicine3
BAE 305Biological Engineering Circuits4
BAE 321Bioprocessing Engineering Fundamentals3
BME 335Biomaterials 3
BME 325Biochemistry for Biomedical Engineers3
BBS 201Introduction to Biopharmaceutical Science3
BIT 402Biotechnology Networking and Professional Development1
BEC 425Molecular Biology for Biomanufacturing2
BEC 475Global Regulatory Affairs for Medical Products3
BEC 525Molecular Biology for Biomanufacturing2
BEC 575Global Regulatory Affairs for Medical Products3
CH 221Organic Chemistry I3
GPH/ST 404Epidemiology and Statistics in Global Public Health3
CLA 115Medical Terminology3
DSC 201Introduction to R/Python for Data Science1
DSC 205Data Communication1
DSC 295Introductory Special Topics in Data Science1-3
DSC 406Exploratory Data Analysis for Big Data1
DSC 412Exploring Machine Learning1
DSC 495Special Topics in Data Science1-3
FTM 486Supply Chain Management in the Textile Industry3
GC 120Foundations of Graphics3
MT 381Medical Textile and the Regulatory Environment3
MT 471Chemistry of Biopolymers3
PCC 201Impact of Industry on the Environment and Society3
PCC 274Introduction to Forensic Science3
PCC 350Introduction to Color Science and Its Applications2
PCC 354Intro to Color Science Laboratory1
PCC 404Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Fiber Formation3
PCC 471Chemistry of Biopolymers3
PHI 325Bio-Medical Ethics3
STS 325Bio-Medical Ethics3
T 104Fabric of Success and Career Readiness1
T 497Independent Research in Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Materials Science I1-3
T 498Independent Research in Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Materials Science II1-3
TE 110Computer-Based Modeling for Engineers3
TE 440Textile Information Systems Design4
TE 466Polymeric Biomaterials Engineering3
TE 467Mechanics of Tissues & Implants Requirements3
TT/NW 405Advanced Nonwovens Processing3
TT 407Characterization Methods in Nonwovens3
TT/NW 408Nonwoven Product Development3
TT/NW 503Materials, Polymers, and Fibers used in Nonwovens3
TT/NW 505Advanced Nonwovens Processing3
TT/NW 507Nonwoven Characterization Methods3
TT/NW 508Nonwoven Product Development3
TT 486Supply Chain Management in the Textile Industry3
TOX 401Principles of Toxicology4

Semester Sequence

This is a sample.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
CH 101 Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 3
CH 102 General Chemistry Laboratory 1 1
ENG 101 Academic Writing and Research 4
MA 131
Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A 1
or Calculus I
3-4
MT 105
Introduction to Medical Textiles (CP)
or Introduction to Textile Technology
3
T 101 Strategies for Success in the Wilson College of Textiles 1
 Hours15
Spring Semester
MA 231
Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B
or Calculus II
3-4
PY 211
College Physics I
or Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory
4
FTM 217 The Textile Industry 3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
GEP Humanities 3
 Hours14
Second Year
Fall Semester
PY 212
College Physics II
or Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory
4
TE 201 Fiber Science (CP) 4
TT 327 Yarn Production and Properties (CP) 4
TT 380 Management and Control of Textile and Apparel Systems 3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
ST 311
Introduction to Statistics
or Probability and Statistics for Engineers
3
TE 200 Introduction to Polymer Science and Engineering 3
EC 205
Fundamentals of Economics
or Principles of Microeconomics
3
TT 341 Knitted Fabric Technology (CP) 3
Medical Textiles Elective 3
 Hours15
Third Year
Fall Semester
TT 351 Woven Products and Processes 3
TT 404 Introduction to Nonwovens Products and Processes 3
PCC 302 Technology of Textile Wet Processing 4
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives 2-3
BIO 183 Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 4
 Hours16
Spring Semester
TT 331 Performance Evaluation of Textile Materials (CP) 4
MT 366 Biotextile Product Development 3
TT 431 Quality Management and Control In Textile Manufacturing 3
Medical Textiles Elective 3
GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 3
 Hours16
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
TT 401 Textile Technology Senior Design I 4
MT 432 Evaluation of Biotextiles 3
TT 481 Design and Technology of Technical Textiles 3
GEP Social Sciences 3
Medical Textiles Elective 2-3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
TT 402 Textile Technology Senior Design II 4
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives 3
GEP Humanities 3
Medical Textiles Elective 3
 Hours14
 Total Hours120
1

Must be completed with a grade of C- or higher for major requirements

Career Opportunities

You can find textiles just about anywhere, which means you can find our graduates there too. TT alumni land jobs within aerospace, medicine, architecture, automotive, apparel, sports, manufacturing and more. 

These are just a few of the places our graduates go: 

  • Athletics and Apparel: Nike, Adidas, The North Face, New Balance, Reebok, Levis, Fruit of the Loom, Hanesbrands
  • Healthcare/Medical Textiles: Medline, Secant Medical
  • Homewares: Target, Kohl’s
  • Government Agencies/Defense: United States Patent and Trademark Office, State Bureau of Investigation (SBI)
  • Traditional Textiles: Milliken, Unifi, Parkdale Mills, Glen Raven, Springs Global 
  • Plus: SAS, All Trails, Lenovo, Cisco, Accenture, IBM, Wolfspeed Inc.

Career Titles

  • Materials Developer / Specialist / Designer
  • Research and Development Engineer
  • Product Development Specialist
  • Strategic Sourcing Manager
  • Logistics Manager / Inventory Manager
  • Data Scientist
  • Design Engineer / Process Improvement Engineer
  • Production Manager / Project Engineer / Product Manager
  • Quality Control Engineer
  • Technical Marketing Manager
  • Technical Service / Sales

Learn More About Careers

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American Society of Quality

The Fiber Society