Packaging Technology Management MSc

About the Course

It is the aim of this course to produce high-calibre packaging technologists and managers who have the vision and flexibility to create opportunities and to solve problems effectively.

The course is relevant to a wide range of industries including: packaging designers; raw materials producers; packaging converters and printers; product manufacturers; packaging machine suppliers; and retailers. You will benefit from this course if you are involved in the design, manufacture, specification or use of packaging.

See what the students have said about this course.

Aims

Becoming a student on the course provides you with:

• an opportunity to obtain a higher degree whilst pursuing a career;
• enhanced technical and managerial skills;
• contact with students from all sectors of the industry and the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences;
• the potential for accelerated career development;
• the vision to choose the most effective packaging solutions.

There are clear benefits to your company too. Active involvement can:

• realise employees' full potential for contributing to the business;
• raise the technical and managerial skill levels within the company;
• help with the recruitment and retention of high-calibre personnel;
• provide cost-effective access to University research facilities.

Enquiries

Initial enquiries to:

Marketing and Recruitment Officer
School of Engineering and Design
Email sed-pg-admissions@brunel.ac.uk
Tel +44 (0)1895 265814/266633

Course Director: Dr J Au

Special Features

This MSc programme is iMechE accredited for the 2007 - 2013 intakes for CEng requirements.

Accreditation

Packaging Technology Management is accredited by both the Institution of Mechanical Engineering (IMechE) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). This will provide a route to Chartered Engineer status in the UK.

Course Content

Mode of study

1 Year Full-Time The taught element of the course (September to April) includes eight modules; delivery will be by a combination of lectures, tutorials and group/seminar work. A further four months (May to September) is spent undertaking the dissertation.

3-5 Years Distance Learning The distance learning programme is designed to enable you to conduct most of your studies at home, in your own time and at your own pace. There is no requirement to attend lectures at Brunel University; instead you follow a structured programme of self-study at home or at work.

You are supplied with a study pack supported by eLearning web based lecture materials. You can take between 3 and 5 years to complete the course, it is entirely up to you how long you take but usually the minimum is 3 years, with you taking four modules in the first year, four modules in the second year and the dissertation in the third year. However, depending on your other commitments you can take longer up to a maximum of 5 years.

Assessment is by a combination of assignments and examinations. Examinations can be taken either at Brunel University or in the country you are resident in. We have an extensive network of organisations (universities, colleges and British Council Offices) throughout the world that will provide invigilation services. The cost of invigilation away from Brunel is your responsibility. The exams are held in May and September each year.

Typical Modules

The course is made up of eight study modules and a project.

Please note you can undertake any individual module without committing to the whole programme and these modules can be credited to either an MSc or a Postgraduate Diploma.

All the material you require will be provided in the form of a 'study pack'. This consists of written text, computer software, videos and other materials appropriate for each element of the programme. The written texts contain questions to test your understanding and aid recall. Notes and solutions to these questions are provided.

Overview of Packaging (15 credits)

This module provides you with an overview of the packaging industry and acts as an introduction to the whole course. You are taken through the supply chain which runs from raw materials through packaging converters, packaging users, retailers and product users, to the final disposal of the packaging. This chain involves many activities such as design, choice of material, manufacturing, retailing and distribution, all of which are covered in greater depth in subsequent modules.

A significant part of the module focuses on the basic science of materials and lays the foundation for the subsequent technical modules. This allows you and your fellow students to reach a similar level of understanding of the materials science related to the four major groups of packaging materials: plastics, metals, glass, paper and board.

Polymer Packaging (15 credits)

This module focuses on polymers in packaging. You will study the main processing routes: injection moulding; extrusion; thermoforming; coatings; film and bottle production. We will cover a number of characterisation techniques such as FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and light/electron microscopy to determine the properties and performance of the packaging components. Characterisation of materials is important for a number of reasons and is used in:

• The design and testing of new packs
• Evaluation of new and competing materials
• Monitoring of packaging production
• Forensic analysis, to study "What went wrong?"

We also look at new developments in polymers such as water solubility, biodegradability and nanotechnology. We will investigate environmental and legal legislation relating to polymers as these are often country dependent.

Metals, Glass, Papers and Board (15 credits)

This module covers the processing and production of metallic packaging using steel, tinplate and aluminium. We look at the various pack formats and how the packaging interacts with the pack contents. Corrosion is an important aspect and can limit the use of metals packaging. Glass and papers and board are given a similar treatment. We look at glass bottles, jars and vials. For papers and board, we study fibreboard, cartons, corrugated cardboard, tubes and labels. In all cases, we look at the suitability of the packaging materials for purpose. Are they the best? As with Polymer Packaging we look at characterisation techniques and consider environmental and legal issues.

Financial Management (15 credits)

In this module you focus on those aspects of financial management that relate most to internal decision-making within companies. These include an understanding of the major tools such as balance sheets, profit and loss accounts, and cash flow statements.

Financial decision making in projects is important and you learn of the major methods such as simple payback, discounted cash flow and internal rate of return. Budgeting is an integral part of any financial control mechanism and you learn how to produce meaningful budgets.

Project Management (15 credits)

Projects involving multi-disciplinary teams are becoming a common and important feature of modern management. Most of your work in the medium/long term will take the form of projects. Indeed, your participation in the MSc course could, in itself, be viewed as a project. Whatever your current and future roles, you will need to understand how to manage projects effectively.

This module teaches you the major factors in successful project management. We recognise that there are two sides to project management: the specific tools to manage project "milestones", and the "human" aspects of managing the team. Both are covered in the module, but the strongest emphasis is on the human aspects such as leadership, team building, motivation, problem-solving, decision-making and managing meetings. The specific tools for project management, such as critical path analysis, Gantt charts and PERT are reviewed in detail. This gives you an understanding of their attributes and supports your use of the software packages that are now widely available. Other issues covered in the module include legal aspects of projects, health and safety, and project audit.

Managing People and Organisations (15 credits)

This module explores in depth and evaluates contemporary issues and trends in the management of people and organisations focusing upon Human Resources Management whilst developing your management skills. After looking at the nature and culture of organisations, further topics include current issues in engineering management and underpinning concepts and theories. Also covered is change management which will always be an important issue.

Packaging Design (15 credits)

This module introduces you to the principles and criteria to be considered in good packaging design. Many of these criteria are drawn from the needs of the distribution and retailing chains and these are considered in some depth. You are made aware of the conflicts in finding a practical solution to a packaging design problem: cost reduction, differentiation, barrier requirements, environmental issues, ergonomics, and 'user friendliness'.

The needs of distributors are considered: palletisation, transportation, automatic warehousing, and bar coding. This module also includes a comprehensive analysis of the major printing and decoration techniques for packaging.

Quality Management (15 credits)

This module will give you an in-depth understanding of the principles of modern quality assurance which underpin the discipline and their applications in engineering, manufacturing and enterprises. Topics covered include the history and nature of quality management; views of the Quality gurus and ISO 9000; problem solving tools; benchmarking; quality function deployment; Poka Yoke; statistical process control; failure modes and effects analysis; significance testing; design of experiments and Taguchi methods.

Dissertation (60 credits)

The dissertation, to be completed by Master's degree students, is designed to reinforce many of the skills acquired on the preceding modules. You are encouraged to choose a project that involves multi-disciplinary skills which will help to broaden your experience within your company.

Distance-learning students undertake their dissertation on company premises and it is designed to address real issues. For Full-time students the dissertation is undertaken at the University, however owing to the School's extensive industrial links, there are opportunities for students to complete their dissertation in conjunction with companies. The project is supervised jointly by the University and the company and you can have access to the full resources of the University if required.

Assessment

Assessment is through a mixture of coursework and examinations. Modules 1-6 have a 50/50 split between the two and Module 7 is assessed by coursework whilst Module 8 by an examination.

The assessment will be exactly the same as for the part-time students. You will need to submit assignments and take examinations at the same time as the part-time students.

If you live outside the UK you will be able to take the examinations in your own country. We have an extensive network of organisations (Universities, Colleges and British Council Offices) throughout the world who will provide invigilation services. If we haven't a contact near you we can help you find one. The cost of invigilation away from Brunel University is your responsibility.

Careers

Graduates typically work as engineers, technologists and managers in the sectors of packaging materials; packaging for FMCG and retail, cosmetics, food and drink; converted products packaging; packaging supply chain and distribution; and packaging design.

Fees for 2012/13 entry

Home/EU students: £5,060 full-time

International students: £13,860 full-time

Distance learning students (per 15 credit module): £595 Home/EU, £595 Overseas

Read about funding opportunities available to postgraduate students.

Fees quoted are per annum and are subject to an annual increase.

Entry Requirements for 2012 Entry

A UK first or second class Honours degree or equivalent internationally recognised qualification or HND or Diploma of Institute of Packaging with relevant experience. The course is designed to accommodate students from a broad spectrum of backgrounds. Other qualifications and relevant experience will be assessed on an individual basis.

English Language Requirements

Brunel also offers our own BrunELT English Test and accept a range of other language courses. We also have a range of Pre-sessional English language courses, for students who do not meet these requirements, or who wish to improve their English.