BA (Hons) Product Design

What your course will look like

Assessment

You will be assessed through the completion of hands-on, practical work that develops technical skills, presentation and pitching skills, and written work including essays and project reports.

Year 1

You will learn essential skills in 2D and 3D design, user research, the iterative design process and current design software packages. You will begin to develop your own approach to product design and build confidence and self-discipline in responding to live and self-initiated briefs. Throughout this stage we encourage you to start thinking about your contextual studies research.

Year 2

You will gain a deeper understanding of the design process, from prototype development leading to the study of materials and manufacturing techniques. We set briefs that encourage you to collaborate with other students and we encourage you to take up work placements in the design industry.

Year 3

We nurture your independence as a designer with a self-directed major product design project, ready for exhibition at the degree show. You will be assessed on a collaborative brief and are required to enter competitions and engage with industry design challenges. At the same time, you will produce a portfolio for entry into the industry. We ask you to show your contextual studies research and thinking in a long form dissertation.

Progression

Successful completion of this course can lead to postgraduate study in MSc Applied Technologies: Rapid Prototyping and Digital Technologies, MA/MSc Interactive Digital Media, MA/MSc Interactive Product Futures, and MDes Service Design Innovation.