B.A. Product Design

Through a series of product design projects, you will be introduced to fundamental skills required to develop successful product design, including methods of secondary research, creative idea generation techniques, design sketching, product styling, model making, engineering drawing, workshop prototyping, problem solving, product assembly, ergonomics, anthropometrics, manufacturing materials, computer presentation software and graphic presentation techniques, providing you with a solid grounding in the product design process.

Through group projects you will develop your teamworking skills and have the opportunity to meet and learn from students in other year groups in the Product Design department and students studying in Years 1 and 2 across the School of Design. Through lectures, seminars and critical debate you will learn about design history, visual and cultural theory and contemporary design practice, developing your understanding of design in a wider context.

You will be introduced to more complex knowledge and skills including methods of primary research to discover human needs, critical thinking, materials and manufacturing processes, computer-aided design and virtual prototyping, computer-aided engineering drawing, advanced workshop prototyping and making, sustainability, brand awareness, universal design, electronic prototyping, design for manufacture, rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing. A series of product design projects enable you to practice and develop your skills, introduce you to different approaches to product design and teach you about necessary commercial considerations.

Further group projects will enable you to further develop the teamworking skills in demand by employers, and the opportunity to build your network of contacts in the department and across the School of Design.

Further lectures, seminars and critical debates will enable you to learn more about visual and cultural theory and contemporary design research and design practice. Your understanding of design in a wider context and your ability to plan and structure design writing will be further developed.

You will take part in employability workshops, and receive guidance from staff to help you prepare your CV and portfolio necessary to secure an industry internship. You will be supported with preparing for interviews and given support with making applications to companies for a summer internship. An internship will provide you with the opportunity to put what you have learnt into practice, and to gain relevant work experience to add to your CV.

In this externally focused year a series of 'live' industry-led competition projects unique to the ECA Product Design programme, in partnership with both local and global consumer product manufacturing companies, will introduce you to working on commercial design briefs.

You will develop your knowledge of primary research methods and how to research with people to discover unique design opportunities. You will learn more about product design's role in creating opportunities for business growth and how to design for a wider range of manufacturing processes. You will learn more about electronic prototyping tools and further industry-standard computer-aided design and virtual prototyping tools to assist you in the design process and prepare you for future employment.

You will have the opportunity to either apply for an optional semester-long or year-long industry placement or to travel abroad to one of our four exchange partner product design programmes in universities in Europe and North America. Study abroad can help you to learn about new cultures, meet new people, continue to develop your international network, and develop your understanding of design from a different perspective. Support with applying for either industry internships or exchange study is provided by the School of Design.

Whether on internship in industry, on exchange study or furthering your experience of industry-led design projects at ECA, you will continue to build your design portfolio and during the year you are again provided with guidance and support from staff to help you refine your CV and portfolio, prepare for interviews and make applications for a summer internship.

Option courses are available from within the wider University.

Aligned with your thorough understanding of product design and your interest and planned future within it, you will define your approach to your own self-generated major projects.

Your projects will enable you to highlight to potential employers your ability to use research to recognise unique design opportunities, your ability to define a design brief and a design specification, your design and critical thinking skills, your ability to plan and manage concurrent projects, and your knowledge of the product design process.

A written dissertation enables you to undertake research into a topic of personal interest, to learn more about planning and structuring design writing and to further enhance your written communication skills.

To help you to achieve your goal, you will receive one-to-one teaching, guidance, support and advice from experienced and dedicated practicing product designers and design researchers.

Your year will culminate in the ECA Degree Show and the opportunity for all of our graduates to participate at a graduate exhibition in London, where you are able to communicate your design work to the public, to industry professionals and to friends and family.

The majority of teaching and learning is through involvement in a range of experiential projects, situated in a studio environment. Conceptual, material and technical issues are explored through seminars, workshops, lectures, tutorials and critiques.

Research, critical thinking and study of the visual, intellectual, social and professional contexts that shape creative design practice are regarded as essential to your development. This often involves participation in exhibitions, competitions, collaborations and live industry projects.

The Design School is undergoing a curriculum restructure in order to enhance the students' learning experience.